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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.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Richard Bowen」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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