General Sir Edward Bowater KCH (13 July 1787 – 14 December 1861) was a British soldier and courtier.

Background and education

Born in

St James's Palace St James's Palace is the most senior royal palace in London, England. The palace gives its name to the Court of St James's, which is the monarch's royal court, and is located in the City of Westminster. Although no longer the principal residence ...

, Bowater descended from a

Coventry Coventry ( or rarely ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centurie ...

family and was the only son of the Admiral Edward Bowater. His mother Louisa was the daughter of Thomas Lane and widow of George Edward Hawkins, who had served as serjeant surgeon to King

George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...

.Dod (1860), p. 127 He was educated at

Harrow School Harrow School () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English boarding school for boys) in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England. The school was founded in 1572 by John Lyon (school founder), John Lyon, a local landowner an ...

and went then to the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

, where he graduated with a Doctor of Civil Law.

Military career

He entered the British Army in 1804 and was commissioned as ensign into the 3rd Foot Guards.Rivington (1862), p. 405 Bowater was present in the Battle of Copenhagen (1807) and was then transferred with his regiment to

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

. He joined the Taking of Porto and following the Battle of Talavera, where he was wounded, he purchased a lieutenancy in August 1809. In December he left for

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, however returned to the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...

after two years. He fought in the

Battle of Salamanca The Battle of Salamanca (in French and Spanish known as the Battle of the Arapiles) took place on 22July 1812. An Anglo-Portuguese Army, Anglo-Portuguese army under the Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, Earl of Wellington (future ...

in July 1812 and the

Siege of Burgos At the siege of Burgos, from 19 September to 21 October 1812, the Anglo-Portuguese Army led by General Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington tried to capture the castle of Burgos from its French garrison under the command of General ...

in October. In the following year Bowater took part in the

Battle of Vitoria At the Battle of Vitoria (21 June 1813), a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British, Kingdom of Portugal, Portuguese and Spanish Empire, Spanish army under the Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, Marquess of Wellington bro ...

in June and then was commanded to the Siege of San Sebastián until September 1813. A month later, he served in the Battle of the Bidassoa and in December was involved in the fightings of the Battle of the Nive. Bowater was advanced to a captain and lieutenant-colonel in 1814, receiving command of a company, and when

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

returned from his exile in 1815, he led his men in the Battle of Quatre Bras. He was wounded again in the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...

in June. In 1826, Bowater was promoted to colonelUrban (1862), p. 110 and in 1837 to major-general, after which he was awarded a Knight Commander of the

Royal Guelphic Order The Royal Guelphic Order (), sometimes referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Kingdom of Hanover, Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent (later King George IV). It takes its name from the House ...

. He obtained the colonelship of the 49th Regiment of Foot in April 1846 and became lieutenant-general in November. In 1854 he was made a full general.

At court

Bowater was nominated an equerry to King William IV in 1832, a position he held until the King's death six years later.Walford (1860), p. 67 In 1840 he was admitted to Prince Albert, who had shortly before arrived at the court, until 1846, when he was appointed Groom in Waiting in Ordinary to the latter's wife

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

Personal life

In 1839, Bowater married Emilia Mary, the daughter of Colonel Michael Barne. Their only daughter Louisa became the wife of Rainald Knightley, 1st Baron Knightley.Fox-Davies (1895), p. 578 Bowater died after short illness in

Cannes Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...

in 1861, on the same day as his former master the Prince Consort, while accompanying the latter's son Prince Leopold on a sojourn.Urban (1862), p. 109

Notes

References

;Attribution

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bowater, Edward 1787 births 1861 deaths Alumni of the University of Oxford People educated at Harrow School People of the Battle of Waterloo Scots Guards officers Military personnel from Westminster British Army personnel of the Napoleonic Wars British Army generals Equerries Residents of Thatched House Lodge