by John Marshall

“ The Montague does not appear to have been prepared for action on that side; her ports were down, and it was some time before she returned a gun; the effect upon this unfortunate ship, as acknowledged by the republican Admiral, was the loss of 300 men killed and wounded. Mr. Bowen, addressing Earl Howe frequently during the battle by his title, was heard by the other officers to receive from his Lordship this grateful and animated reply: “Mr. Bowen, you call me, my Lord! and my Lord! you yourself deserve to be a Prince.” ”

“ Bowen continued in the Artois until the peace of 1783, when he removed with Captain Macbride into the Druid frigate, on the Irish station. In 1787, we find him serving under the same officer in the Cumberland of 74 guns, stationed as a guard-ship at Plymouth, where he remained till 1789, when he was appointed Inspecting Agent of Transports in the river Thames. ”

“ Whilst absent in the performance of the service alluded to in the foregoing letter, Captain Bowen captured two of the enemy’s letters of marque. Early in the following year, the British Factory at Madeira, of which island he had some time before taken possession, requested his acceptance of a sword, as a mark of their respect for his professional character. On this occasion, similar resolutions concerning him were passed, as in the case of Captain Thomas Wolley, now a Vice-Admiral [10] . He was afterwards appointed to the chief command on the coast of Africa ”