Charles Bullen

Sir Charles Bullen
Vice-Admiral Charles Bullen (A. Grant, 1849)
Born	10 September 1769 Newcastle, England
Died	28 February 1853 Shirley, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1779 to 1853
Rank	Royal Navy Admiral
Battles/wars	French Revolutionary Wars • Glorious First of June Napoleonic Wars • Battle of Camperdown • Battle of Trafalgar
Awards	Lloyd's Patriotic Fund gold medal and sword Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Royal Guelphic Order

Sir Charles Bullen GCB KCH (10 September 1769 – 2 July 1853) was a highly efficient and successful naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and distinguished himself at the Glorious First of June, the battle of Camperdown and the battle of Trafalgar.

Charles Bullen was born in Newcastle in 1769 but spent much of his early childhood in Weymouth, Dorset. His father, John Bullen, also served in the Royal Navy and was the Surgeon General on the North American Station between 1779 and 1781. Charles' mother, Ruth (née Liddel), was a cousin of Lord Eldon who served as Lord Chancellor of Great Britain between 1801 and 1806 and again between 1807 and 1827. Richard Bullen, Charles younger brother by 10 years, became a captain in the Scots Greys, dragoons. Charles entered the navy when he was just ten years old as a volunteer (1st class) aboard the 64 gun, third rate, HMS Europe.

When his father was appointed Surgeon-General to the North American station in 1779, the 10-year-old Charles went with him aboard HMS Europe, which arrived in New York City on 25 August. On 23 December, Charles transferred to HM Sloop Loyalist and assisted in the capture of Charleston, South Carolina on 12 May 1780. He spent a short period aboard HMS Renown, which was dismasted in a gale while escorting a convoy to Quebec, before returning to Loyalist where he was promoted to Able Seaman and then Midshipman. Bullen returned to England in July 1781 aboard HM Sloop Halifax along with his father and Rear Admiral Arbuthnot, who had had some differences of opinion with Admiral Rodney.