William Fisher (18 November 1780 – 30 September 1852), was an officer of the Royal Navy and a novelist. Fisher was the second son of John Fisher and Martha Goate of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, was born on 18 November 1780, and entered the navy in 1795. After serving in the North Sea, at the Cape of Good Hope, and in the Mediterranean, and as acting lieutenant of HMS Foudroyant on the coast of Egypt, he was confirmed in the rank on 3 September 1801. In 1805 he was lieutenant of HMS Superb during the chase of Pierre-Charles Villeneuve to the West Indies during the Trafalgar Campaign; and in 1806 was promoted to be commander. In 1808 he commanded the 18-gun HMS Racehorse in the English Channel, and in the same ship, in 1809–10, was employed in surveying off Mozambique. In March 1811 he was promo