waller first went to sea as the executive officer of the marine detachment aboard the sloop-of-war , the flagship of the european squadron and a veteran of the civil war, in 1881. the commanding officer of the detachment, also a veteran of the civil war, was the legendary captain henry clay cochrane. the following year, waller was present at the british naval bombardment of alexandria, egypt during a serious local uprising in the summer of 1882. he participated in the landing of a mixed bluejacket and marine force during the operation. the naval landing force of sixty-nine sailors and sixty-three marines was formed, with lieutenant commander charles goodrich in command and captain cochrane as executive officer. the force comprised two companies, the sailors under navy lieutenant frank l. denny and the marines under waller.