Richard Bowen Richard Bowen ( 1761 – 25 July 1797 ) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars . Bowen saw service with Horatio Nelson , and was killed fighting alongside him at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife . Bowen was born into a naval family , and first saw service alongside several distinguished naval figures , including John Jervis , who would become a long - standing friend and patron to Bowen . Bowen rose to prominence after distinguishing himself in several actions , but was unable to gain a commission by the end of the war with America , and spent several years in the Caribbean , hoping to receive promotion . He took the opportunity to carry out a resupply mission to the colonies in Australia during the interwar years , a task he completed successfully , even though it involved a circumnavigation of the globe . Away from Britain for a considerable length of time while carrying this out , he found on his return that war had broken out with France . Reuniting with his old patron Jervis , Bowen returned to the Caribbean and after distinguishing himself in actions against the French colonies there , finally received his own commands . He followed Jervis to the Mediterranean and took part in several hard - fought frigate actions , and even went so far as to attack the " Santísima Trinidad " , the largest warship in the world at the time , in his 32 - gun frigate , . He was operating off Tenerife in 1797 when he came under the command of Rear - Admiral Horatio Nelson , who was quickly impressed by Bowen ' s zeal and ability . Bowen was given the task of leading the first wave of the assault on the town of Santa Cruz de Tenerife , but the attack went badly . The defenders poured grapeshot onto the attacking British , killing and wounding many , Bowen was killed while Nelson was badly wounded . Bowen ' s body was recovered and buried at sea . His friends and relations pressured the authorities for the erection of a memorial in one of the main London churches , but their requests were turned down . Family and early life . Bowen was born in Ilfracombe , Devon in 1761 . The Bowens were a seafaring family , with Richard ' s older brother James and two other siblings , George and Thomas , all serving in the navy . Richard went to sea at the age of thirteen , joining his father , who was captain of merchant ship . After two years with his father Richard joined his elder brother James ' merchant ship and made trading voyages between England and Jamaica . He was at Jamaica in 1778 when news reached him of the outbreak of war with the American colonies . He applied to join the navy as a volunteer and a position was found for him by his friend , Captain Benjamin Caldwell , then the commander of the frigate . Caldwell and Bowen sailed to England in 1779 , whereupon Caldwell was appointed to command the 50 - gun . Finding her to be unready for sea , Bowen and a number of the officers from " Emerald " joined the guardship at the Nore , . Caldwell went on to equip the 14 - gun ship - sloop HMS " Lightning " for service while awaiting the launch of " Hannibal " , and Bowen received an appointment to her and the position of midshipman on 12 August 1779 . Despite this he does not seem to have served aboard her , instead joining under Captain John Jervis . Bowen served with Jervis aboard " Foudroyant " for several years . On 29 July 1781 " Foudroyant " was part of Vice - Admiral Sir George Darby ' s fleet when two French warships were sighted . The wind made prevented the British from approaching , causing Darby to order boats to tow into range . Bowen commanded one of the boats , and his actions and exertions caused favourable comments from his superiors . " Perseverance " was able to capture one of the French ships , which proved to be the former British , while the second French ship , the corvette " Hirondelle " , escaped by using her sweeps . Bowen ' s second chance to prove his qualities came in 1782 , after Darby had been succeeded by Samuel Barrington as commander of the Channel Fleet . On 20 April an enemy French fleet was sighted by lookouts aboard Captain John MacBride ' s . A general chase ensued , forcing the enemy fleet to disperse . " Foudroyant " led the chase and eventually became separated from the rest of the fleet . Jervis pressed on , bringing the sternmost French ship , the 74 - gun " Pégase " to action early in the morning of 21 April and forcing her to surrender . Bowen acted as aide - de - camp to Jervis during the battle , and acquitted himself so well that Jervis advanced him to acting - lieutenant . Bowen also received a sword from his friend Robert Calder . The damaged " Foudroyant " underwent a repair and refit , during which time Jervis arranged for the transfer of some his crew including Bowen to MacBride ' s " Artois " . Bowen , serving as third - lieutenant , and MacBride cruised in the Bay of Biscay , with Richard coincidentally serving under his brother James , the elder Bowen being the master of " Artois " . Richard ' s service aboard " Artois " came to an end when Jervis , by now appointed commodore and commander - in - chief of a secret expedition , sent for his men to rejoin " Foudroyant " . The war came to an end before the expedition could be carried out and " Foudroyant " was paid off . Jervis found a place for Bowen as master ' s mate aboard HMS " Pegase " , the ship he had helped to capture in 1782 . From there he was moved to the 98 - gun and in late 1783 to the 50 - gun . He went out in the later ship to the West Indies with Rear - Admiral Sir Richard Hughes . He spent three years on the station , several times being appointed temporary lieutenant but being unable to have the commission confirmed . Years of frustration . Bowen returned home in 1786 , and passed his examination on 7 November 1787 . With the prospect of war with the Dutch looming in 1787 he received an appointment to , which was being prepared as the flagship of Admiral Hugh Pigot . Bowen hoped for a lieutenant ' s commission , but was to be disappointed , the war did not materialise and he found himself unemployed again . He went out to the West Indies on the advice of his brother James , and his patron Jervis , and with their recommendations he was able to secure the attention of the commander of the station Commodore Sir Peter Parker . Parker made him acting - lieutenant of the 50 - gun on his arrival in January 1788 , but he was superseded shortly afterwards by the arrival of Lord William Beauclerk . Temporarily shelving hopes for promotion , he took command of the government brig " Lord Howe " at the request of Sir John Orde , the Governor of Dominica . As captain of the " Lord Howe " he carried out anti - smuggling operations until July 1789 . Promotion . During this time Bowen made studies of mathematics , astronomy and surveying , before returning to serve under his old patron , now Rear - Admiral Sir John Jervis , in 1790 during the Spanish Armament . He finally received his long - awaited commission as lieutenant on 21 September 1790 , and an appointment to Jervis ' s flagship . Bowen ' s friend Robert Calder then requested his services aboard the 64 - gun . " Stately " was paid off after the easing of tensions and Bowen applied to the Navy Board for a posting . The Board gave him command of three transports in the Third Fleet to resupply the colony at Port Jackson , New South Wales . He departed England in March 1791 and reached Port Jackson in July that year . There the Lieutenant - Governor , Philip Gidley King , decided that the rice supply was insufficient for the needs of the colony and despatched Bowen to Bengal to acquire more . Bowen set off on the voyage , dropping King and his family at Norfolk Island on the way , and sailed east past New Caledonia , the Isle of Pines and Terra Arsacides , a route never before sailed . He also sailed a never - before navigated passage , between Borneo and Paragua into the South China Sea . From there he passed through the Straits of Malacca , reaching Bengal in January 1792 . After acquiring provisions he made his way back to Port Jackson . He picked up Governor Arthur Phillip in December and returned him to Britain , arriving at Spithead in May 1793 . By then he had completed two long voyages , one of them around the world , in a transport vessel . French Revolutionary Wars . Caribbean . By the time of Bowen ' s arrival war had broken out between France and Britain . He was offered a chance to perform a similar to mission to his earlier voyages to the colonies in Australia , but turned in down in order to serve under Jervis , now commander - in - chief of an expedition to attack the French colonies in the Caribbean . Bowen joined the fleet as fourth - lieutenant and signal - officer aboard the 98 - gun , and after the fleet had rendezvoused at Barbadoes , sailed for Martinique on 3 February 1794 . Jervis placed Bowen in command of the guard and gunboats after the fleet ' s arrival at Fort de France Bay , and instructed him to prepare an assault on a large French frigate , the " Bien Venu " , chained to the walls of the fort protecting the city . The frigate was rumoured to hold a number of captured English prisoners , whom the French were threatening to kill by blowing up the frigate , should the British attempt to storm the fort . Bowen developed a plan of attack and on 17 February led an assault force consisting of " Boyne " s barge and a number of small boats . The boats rushed the frigate and the boarding party stormed her successfully . The boarding party killed or drove off all of her crew , with the exception of twenty whom Bowen took prisoner , among them the captain and lieutenant . Finding that there were no British prisoners aboard , Bowen manned the cannon and fired a broadside into the fort . He then took his prisoners off and returned to the British ships . Only the contrary wind prevented Bowen from sailing the frigate out as well . Promotion . Bowen received a mention in Jervis ' s despatches , where he was credited for convincing the commanders to carry out their assault on the fortified French positions . Bowen and the gunboats supported the landings , which resulted in a British victory . Bowen ' s former quarry , the " Bien Venu " , was captured and commissioned as under the command of Captain Robert Faulknor , who had distinguished himself in the battle while commanding . Faulknor was given command of " Undaunted " on 20 March 1794 , the same day the Bowen was promoted to master and commander , and succeeded Faulknor in command of " Zebra " . Bowen was promoted to post - captain in April , and briefly took command of the 64 - gun , before moving to the 32 - gun . He was sent out in the " Terpsichore " to North America , where he learnt that , under Captain Sir Charles Knowles , was being blockaded in the $ 3 by two French frigates . Bowen set out to relieve him , an act he accomplished on 17 May , when the two British ships escaped to sea . The French attempted to pursue , but broke off when the British offered battle . " Terpsichore " and " Daedalus " sailed in company to Halifax , after which Bowen returned to the Caribbean . There he found the British positions on Guadeloupe under pressure from French forces , and helped to resupply them until it was deemed necessary to evacuate them . He ably oversaw the withdrawal , but received a wound to the face from French shot while assisting in the evacuation of the last of the troops . He received notes of praise from Rear - Admiral Charles Thompson and Vice - Admiral Benjamin Caldwell of the navy , and General Sir John Vaughan and Lieutenant - General Robert Prescott from the army . The wound however became dangerous in the Caribbean climate , and he was sent home with the despatches . North Sea and Mediterranean . Gibraltar and " Mahonesa " . Bowen soon recovered , and spent some time in the North Sea , until December 1795 , when his old patron , Jervis , replaced Admiral William Hotham as commander of the Mediterranean Fleet . Jervis requested Bowen to come out and take command of a squadron of small vessels operating around Gibraltar in defence of British trade and the garrison there . He soon made himself popular , and contemporaries remarked on his zeal and dedication . In early October 1796 the British squadron under Sir John Man was chased into Gibraltar by a Spanish fleet . Bowen set out in " Terpsichore " to report this to Jervis , and having rendezvoused with of Jervis ' s fleet on 10 October , began the return voyage to Gibraltar . While off Cartagena on 13 October , a frigate was spotted under full sail . Bowen ' s crew had been reduced by sickness , but he decided to chase down the mysterious sail . After closing on her , and determining that she was attempting to manoeuvre into a position to better fight the " Terpsichore " , Bowen ordered a gun be fired to test her intent . This was instantly met with a broadside , and a general action began . After an hour and forty minutes the frigate surrendered , and was discovered to be the Spanish " Mahonesa " . She was taken into service with the British as . Bowen received a piece of plate valued at 100 guineas . Spanish ship and " Vestale " . Bowen refitted " Terpsichore " and departed on another cruise , capturing several small vessels on 12 and 13 November , sending them to Gibraltar , and on 22 November he learned from an American brig that he had encountered off Cape St . Mary ' s , that a Spanish ship bound for Cadiz from Montevideo was in the area . Bad weather prevented Bowen from locating the Spanish vessel at first , and he also had to escape from a Spanish ship of the line that appeared and chased the " Terpsichore " for a while . The Spanish ship was found to be anchored in Cadiz , and at 10 am the next day Bowen entered the harbour , captured the ship and brought her out . Bowen continued to cruise off Cadiz , and while sailing through a gale on the morning of 12 December , the lookouts spotted a frigate . Bowen gave chase , with both ships hampered by the rough weather , so that it was only after 40 hours that Bowen was able to bring " Terpsichore " alongside and at 10 o ' clock on the night of 13 December the two ships engaged each other . After two hours the frigate surrendered , and was discovered to be the 36 - gun French " Vestale " , with 270 men aboard . She had lost her captain and 40 men killed , while her second captain and another 50 men were wounded . The " Terpsichore " had casualties of a quartermaster and three seamen killed , and nineteen wounded . Among the wounded was Lieutenant George Bowen , Richard Bowen ' s brother . George Bowen had distinguished himself during the capture of the " Mahonesa " , as well as being particularly active now in the capture of " Vestale " . Richard reported that Shortly after the French surrender all of " Vestale " s masts and her bowsprit went by the board . She began to drift towards the breakers off Cadiz , while her crew were drunk . The British prize - crew managed to regain control , and both ships managed to ride out the storm that night . It was not until the following evening that the wind changed sufficiently for Bowen to attempt to tow his prize away . The line became snagged on a rock , and had to be cut for the safety of both vessels . When dawn broke the next day Bowen discovered that the French had risen up against the prize crew and retaken the ship , sailing her into Cadiz . Now bereft of his prize , Bowen returned to port empty handed , writing to Jervis that ' As we feel conscious of having done out duty , to the utmost of our power , we endeavour to console ourselves with the expectation of our conduct being approved . ' Jervis confirmed this , writing Cape St Vincent and " Santísima Trinidad " . Bowen was at Gibraltar when news of Jervis ' s victory at the Battle of Cape St Vincent arrived . He immediately set out to join the fleet , and having fallen in with several other British frigates , including , came across the Spanish first rate " Santísima Trinidad " . The Spanish ship was flying the Union Jack above her own colours , indicating that she was in the hands of a British prize - crew , but the bad weather meant no meaningful exchange could take place between the frigates and the Spanish vessel , and it was suspected that the British colours were being used as a " ruse de guerre " . After the frigates lost sight of the ship in bad weather , Bowen hurried to report the sighting to Jervis . While returning to his station he again fell in with the " Santísima Trinidad " , and determined to see if she would surrender to him . He opened fire on the massive Spanish vessel , at the time the world ' s largest warship , carrying 136 - guns on four decks , over a hundred more guns than the " Terpsichore " . The Spanish ship resisted Bowen ' s fire , and he broke off the attack . It was later discovered that Bowen ' s attack had killed nine men , and left a number of others badly wounded . The Spanish retreat . " Terpsichore " was in harbour , tied alongside the Mole in late May , and taking advantage of her apparent unreadiness to put to sea , two Spanish frigates carrying troops and money , attempted to leave Algeciras on 29 May . This was reported to Bowen , who quickly got " Terpsichore " to sea , and joining , gave chase . Rather than risk an engagement the two Spanish ships rushed back to port . " Terpsichore " had by now gained the nickname ' Little Devil ' amongst the Spanish . " Pallas " returned to port , but " Terpsichore " lingered , and that night captured a small prize from under the guns of the Spanish shore batteries . Cutting Out of the " Principe Fernando " . In April Jervis sent Bowen in the " Terpsichore " accompanied by the " Dido " to reconnoitre off Tenerife , where they found the Cadiz - bound . On the night of 17 / 18 April a joint cutting out expedition was mounted by the two British frigates , each sending three boats of which those from the " Terpsichore " under the command of its First Lieutenant ( Lieutenant George Thorp ) successfully captured the nearer of the Indiamen to the shore , " Principe Fernando " , sailing and towing her to sea while under fire from shore batteries for two hours . Santa Cruz and death . Bowen took part in the first bombardment of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on 5 July , and worked with Rear - Admiral Horatio Nelson to prepare plans for an assault on the town . In the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on 24 July Bowen was assigned to lead the landing parties onto the mole . At the head of forty or fifty of his men he gained the mole , took the battery covering the harbour by storm and spiked its guns , and was advancing into the town in pursuit of the fleeing Spanish . As he did so the Spanish fired a large round of grapeshot onto his party , causing heavy casualties . Bowen and his first lieutenant ( George Thorp ) were among those killed , while Nelson and his men , who were just landing , were caught in the fire , Nelson being hit in his right arm . Bowen ' s body was recovered the next morning and returned to the British ships after the withdrawal . Nelson said of Bowen that ' . . . a more enterprising , able , and gallant officer , does not grace His Majesty ' s naval service ! ' Bowen was buried at sea on 27 July . Legacy . There were applications after Bowen ' s death for a memorial to be erected to him in Westminster Abbey . Both his brother , Rear - Admiral James Bowen , and Sir John Jervis pressured the First Lord of the Admiralty Lord Spencer , while Nelson wrote to Jervis ; Spencer demurred however , on the grounds that there was no precedent for such a memorial , when the action in which he was killed was not successful . His father instead had a memorial to him erected in Ilfracombe parish church . The " Naval Chronicle " summarised his life and achievements ; Jervis Bay in New South Wales , Australia was entered and named by Bowen in 1791 in the convict transport ship " Atlantic " of the Third Fleet , in honour of Admiral John Jervis . When explorer George Bass entered the same bay on 10 December 1797 he named Bowen Island in honour of Richard Bowen , who had been killed in July of that year . Notes . a . George Bowen recovered from his wound , and was promoted to commander for his service during the action . Jervis wrote in his congratulatory letter to Richard Bowen B . The " Vestale " was captured in 1799 by Captain Charles Cunningham ' s .