He joined the Royal Navy in 1772, at the age of seven, and first saw service at the Battle of Sullivan's Island in 1776 aboard HMS Actaeon, which ran ashore and was destroyed to keep her from being captured.
[2] He then led a boarding attack on a privateer in the harbour, and whilst his force captured the ship, he himself was severely wounded in the head.
[3] In 1809 he was ordered with Inconstant to the Isle de France (Mauritius), but she grounded north of the Cape of Good Hope.
[1] By 1811 he was in command of HMS Stately, fighting at the defence of Cadiz,[4] and led a force at the siege of Tariffa, for which he received the thanks of the Admiralty.
[7] He later was assigned to command the expedition against Portoferraio, and the final capture of Elba, giving him the distinction of striking the first and the last French tricolours of the Hundred Days.