William Prowse: Difference between revisions

|liveddeath_date=1752 – 23 March 1826

|placeofdeathdeath_place =[[St Pancras, London|St Pancras]], [[London]]

'''William Prowse''' [[Order of the Bath|CB]] (1752 – 23 March 1826) was an officer of the [[Royal Navy]], who saw service during the [[American War of Independence]], and the [[French Revolutionary Wars|French Revolutionary]] and [[Napoleonic Wars]]. Rising from humble origins and joining the navy as an [[Able Seaman (rank)|able seaman]], he had a highly active career, serving under some of the most famous naval commanders of the [[age of sail]], and participating in some of their greatest victories. He was at [[Battle of Grenada|Grenada]] and [[Battle of Martinique (1780)|Martinique]] under [[John Byron|Byron]] and [[George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney|Rodney]], the [[Glorious First of June]] under [[Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe|Howe]]; and commanded ships at [[Battle of Cape St Vincent (1797)|Cape St Vincent]] under [[John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent|Jervis]], [[Battle of Cape Finisterre (1805)|Cape Finisterre]] under [[Robert Calder|Calder]] and [[Battle of Trafalgar|Trafalgar]] under [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Nelson]]. He finished his career by serving with distinction in the Mediterranean, and died with the rank of [[Rear-Admiral]].

Prowse appears to have been of very humble origins, little is known about his birth or childhood, but he appears to have been born to a working-class [[Devon]] family of [[Cornish people|Cornish]] origin in 1752.<ref name="Tracy300">{{cite book |last=Tracy |title=Who's who in Nelson's Navy |page=300}}</ref><ref name="Heathcote138">{{cite book |last=Heathcote |title=Nelson's Trafalgar Captains |page=138}}</ref><ref>White, G. Pawley, A Handbook of Cornish Surnames.(Prowse mentioned by name)</ref> He probably went to sea aboard merchant ships initially, but is first recorded in the Navy on 13 November 1771 as an able seaman aboard the [[Hamoaze ]] [[guardship]], the 74-gun {{HMS|Dublin|1757|6}}.<ref name="Tracy300"/><ref name="Heathcote138"/> Prowse remained aboard her for the next four years, only leaving her on 26 February 1776. His next posting was to the 74-gun {{HMS|Albion|1763|6}}, which he joined in November that year, being rated as [[midshipman]] and [[master's mate]] on 31 August 1778 by Captain [[Sir George Bowyer, 5th Baronet|George Bowyer]].<ref name="Tracy300"/> Prowse and the ''Albion'' were by then serving on the North American station, and went on to see action at the [[Battle of Grenada]] on 6 July 1779 and the

[[File:Battle of Grenada mg 9372.jpg|thumb|left|Jean-François Hue's depiction of the Battle of Grenada, one of Prowse's earliest experiences of fleet engagmentsengagements.]]

The ''Albion'' was paid off on 21 December 1781 and having passed his examination for lieutenancy on 17 January 1782 and by 6 December 1782 he had received his commission and was on 22 December 1782 appointed to the 90-gun [[second rate]] {{HMS|Atlas|1782|6}} under Captain [[George Vandeput]].<ref name="Heathcote138"/> Prowse was moved again on 14 April to join the 28-gun [[sixth rate]] {{HMS|Cyclops|1779|6}} under Captain Brabazon Christian. Prowse continued to serve off North America until March 1784.<ref name="Heathcote138"/> Prowse then disappears from naval records, and may have spent several years on merchant ships.<ref name="Tracy300"/> He briefly reappears in 1787, when tensions with the [[Netherlands]] led to his return to service under his old patron Captain Bowyer, now serving on the 74-gun {{HMS|Bellona|1760|6}}, but again left the service when the crisis had passed.<ref name="Tracy300"/><ref name="Heathcote138"/> The [[Nootka Sound]] crisis in 1790 led to another mobilisation of the fleet and Prowse returned to the navy, initially serving aboard the 98-gun {{HMS|Barfleur|1768|6}} and then aboard the 64-gun {{HMS|Stately|1784|6}} under Captain [[Robert Calder]].<ref name="Tracy300"/><ref name="Heathcote138"/> The last few years of peace for Prowse were spent aboard [[Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood|Lord Hood's]] [[flagship]] at [[Portsmouth]], the 90-gun {{HMS|Duke|1777|6}}, from August 1791 until January 1793.<ref name="Tracy300"/><ref name="Heathcote138"/>

[[File:Cleveley,The Battle of Cape St Vincent, 14 February 1797 RMG BHC0486.jpg|thumb|right|''The Battle of Cape St Vincent, 14 February 1797''

by [[Robert Cleveley]]. Prowse wasnarrowly heavilyavoided being engaged andby several badlySpanish woundedships duringof the battleline.]]

He was invalided ashore, but recovered quickly and returned to service aboard Robert Calder's 74-gun {{HMS|Theseus|1786|6}} as his first lieutenant.<ref name="Tracy300"/> Calder and the ''Theseus'' sailed to the [[West Indies]] and after carrying out several minor engagements with French shore batteries, returned to Britain as a convoy escort in July 1795.<ref name="Heathcote139"/><ref name="Tracy301">{{cite book |last=Tracy |title=Who's who in Nelson's Navy |page=301}}</ref> Calder and Prowse transferred aboard the 32-gun [[fifth rate]] {{HMS|Lively|1794|6}} and sailed to the Mediterranean to join [[John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent|Sir John Jervis]] aboard his flagship {{HMS|Victory}}.<ref name="Heathcote139"/><ref name="Tracy301"/> Jervis appointed Prowse to his first independent command, the 14-gun [[sloop-of-war|sloop]] {{HMS|Raven|1796|6}} on 20 October 1796.<ref name="Tracy301"/> ''Raven'' was with Jervis's fleet at the [[Battle of Cape St Vincent (1797)|Battle of Cape St Vincent]] on 14 February 1797, and was used to repeat signals.<ref name="Tracy301"/> She also, in company with four frigates and another sloop, gave chase to the Spanish four-decker [[Spanish ship Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad (1769)|''Santísima Trinidad'']] but they eventually lost her.<ref name="Heathcote139"/> For his services Jervis promoted Prowse to [[post-captain]] on 6 March 1797and1797 and appointed him to command the captured Spanish prize [[Spanish ship Salvador del Mundo (1787)|''Salvador del Mundo'']].<ref name="Heathcote139"/> Prowse took his ship home for paying-off in November but since no ship could be found for him, went on half-pay.<ref name="Tracy301"/>

He finally returned to active service when Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Calder asked for him to be his [[flag-captain]] aboard his flagship {{HMS|Prince of Wales|1794|6}}.<ref name="Heathcote139"/><ref name="Tracy301"/> He briefly served in the West Indies, and returned to Britain on the [[Peace of Amiens]] in 1802.<ref name="Heathcote139"/><ref name="Tracy301"/> With the ''Prince of Wales'' paid off, Prowse was given command of the 36-gun frigate {{HMS|Sirius|1797|6}} in August 1802, where he took part in the blockades of the French and Spanish coasts.<ref name="Heathcote139"/><ref name="Tracy301"/> With the resumption of the war in May 1803 ''Sirius'' was deployed into the [[English Channel]] and the [[Bay of Biscay]], becoming part of Calder's fleet in 1804.<ref name="Heathcote139"/><ref name="Tracy301"/>

With Calder's fleet patrolling off [[Cape Finisterre]] in anticipation of the arrival of the combined Franco-Spanish fleet under [[Pierre-Charles Villeneuve]], Prowse and the ''Sirius'', in company with {{HMS|[[French frigate Egyptienne (1799)|1801|6}}HMS ''Egyptienne'']] were despatched to scout for the enemy. Villeneuve had been reported as having arrived in the area and on 22 July Prowse located the allied feet, with the frigate ''Siréne'' at the rear, towing a captured merchant.<ref name="Heathcote140">{{cite book |last=Heathcote |title=Nelson's Trafalgar Captains |page=140}}</ref> Prowse closed on the ''Siréne'', intending to cut her off and board her, but Villeneuve ordered his ships to wear in succession and reverse their course to meet Calder's advancing fleet.<ref name="Heathcote140"/> Prowse suddenly found himself facing the entire combined fleet, which was fast bearing down on him, led by the Spanish Admiral [[Federico Carlos Gravina y Nápoli|Federico Gravina]] aboard the [[Spanish ship Argonauta|''Argonauta'']].<ref name="Heathcote140"/> With his tiny frigate heavily outclassed, Prowse began to beat away to leeward as the fleet passed him on the opposite tack. Gravina, aware of the convention that a ship of the line did not open fire on a frigate, ordered that the ''Sirius'' not be fired upon and the next Spanish ships also held fire.<ref name="Heathcote140"/> Shortly afterwards Calder's van came into range of the fleet and a general action ensued, whereby the ''Sirius'' was fired on by the [[Spanish ship España|''España'']] and had two men killed and three wounded.<ref name="Heathcote140"/> After the battle Prowse was sent to [[Plymouth]] with the captured Spanish 74-gun [[Spanish ship Firme|''Firme'']] in tow.<ref name="Heathcote140"/>

Villeneuve led the rest of his fleet into [[CadizCádiz]] on 21 August 1805, and the ''Sirius'' was sent to form part of the British fleet blockading them there.<ref name="Heathcote140"/> With [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Nelson's]] arrival to take command of the fleet, the main body was moved out to sea, with a chain of four frigates and four ships of the line established to observe the fleet in Cadiz and transmit signals about their movements to the British fleet.<ref name="Heathcote140"/> ''Sirius'' was the closest to the port and at first light on 19 October it was observed that the enemy were preparing to put to sea.<ref name="Heathcote140"/> ''Sirius'' immediately signalled the next frigate in the line, [[Henry Blackwood]]'s {{HMS|Euryalus|1803|6}}, 'Enemy have their topsails hoisted'.<ref name="Heathcote141">{{cite book |last=Heathcote |title=Nelson's Trafalgar Captains |page=141}}</ref> Thus Prowse began the process that would lead to the interception of the combined fleet two days later.<ref name="Adkin472">{{cite book |last=Adkin |title=The Trafalgar Companion |page=472}}</ref> An hour later at 7 a.m. ''Sirius'' ran up three flags to signal code number 370, 'Enemy ships are coming out of port or getting under sail'. The signal was repeated down the line, reaching Nelson 48 miles away aboard HMS ''Victory'' at 9.30 a.m.<ref name="Heathcote141"/>

During the battle ''Sirius'' maintained her station out of the immediate battle , and suffered no casualties. After its end, she moved in and took the ''Victory'' under tow, but as the weather worsened she handed over to the larger 64-gun {{HMS|Polyphemus|1782|6}}.<ref name="Heathcote142">{{cite book |last=Heathcote |title=Nelson's Trafalgar Captains |page=142}}</ref> The week after the battle Prowse was sent into Cadiz with a note from Collingwood to the Marquis de Solana, requesting the use of the town's facilities for the Spanish prisoners.<ref name="Clayton344">{{cite book |last=Clayton |title=Trafalgar|page=344}}</ref>

Prowse remained aboard the ''Sirius'' in the Mediterranean serving under Vice-Admiral Collingwood. On 17 April 1806 he engaged an enemy flotilla off [[Civitavecchia]]. The flotilla consisted of the 18-gun [[corvette]] ''Bergère'', three armed [[brig]]s, a [[bomb vessel]], a [[cutter (boat)|cutter]] and three gunboats. The ''Bergère'' held off the ''Sirius'' until Prowse forced her surrender.<ref name="Heathcote142"/> For this action Prowse was [[mentioned in despatches]] and awarded a sword from the [[Lloyd's of London|Lloyd's]] Patriotic Fund.<ref name="Heathcote142"/> The ''Sirius'' was paid off in May 1808 and in March 1810 Prowse took command of the 74-gun HMS ''Theseus''.<ref name="Tracy301"/><ref name="Heathcote142"/> He was nominated a [[Order of the Bath|Companion of the Bath]] on 4 June 1815, and a Colonel of the [[Royal Marines]] on 12 August 1819.<ref name="Tracy301"/><ref name="Heathcote142"/><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=17061|page=1877|date=16 September 1815}}</ref> He commanded her in the [[North Sea]] until 23 December 1813, after which he went onshore and saw no further active service. He was promoted to rear-admiral on 19 July 1821 and died on 23 March 1826 in [[St Pancras, London|St Pancras]], [[London]] at the age of 72.<ref name="Tracy301"/><ref name="Heathcote142"/><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=17727|page=1512|date=20 July 1821}}</ref>

{{Reflist|2}}

*{{citebookcite book|last =Adkin|first= Mark|title=The Trafalgar Companion: A Guide to History's Most Famous Sea Battle and the Life of Admiral Lord Nelson|location=London|publisher=Aurum Press|year=2007|isbn=978-1-84513-018-93|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/trafalgarcompani0000adki}}

*{{cite book |first=Tim|last=Clayton|coauthorauthor2=Craig, Phil |title=Trafalgar: The Men, the Battle, the Storm|url=https://archive.org/details/trafalgarmenbatt0000clay|url-access=registration|year=2004|publisher=Hodder|location=London|isbn=0-340-83028-X}}

[[Category:BritishRoyal navalNavy personnel of the American Revolutionary War]]

[[Category:BritishRoyal navalNavy personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars]]

[[Category:BritishRoyal navalNavy personnel of the Napoleonic Wars]]