William Rowan

He was the son of Robert Rowan of Mullans, County Antrim and Elizabeth Rowan (née Wilson),{{cite ODNB|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/24195?docPos=2 |title=Rowan, Sir William|date=2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/24195 |accessdate=7 December 2013 |last1=Moore |first1=Norman |editor-first1=James |editor-last1=Falkner }} Rowan was the younger brother of Sir Charles Rowan (c.1782–1852), Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in London,{{cite DCB |first=Richard A. |last=Preston |url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/rowan_william_10E.html |title=Rowan, Sir William |volume=10 |accessdate=7 December 2013}} and formerly an officer of the 52nd Light Infantry, a regiment in which their brother Robert and their father's brother Charles were also officers.Biographica.ca - William RowanBernard Burke and Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, [https://books.google.com/books?id=diHHDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22john%20rowan%22%22antrim%20militia%22%20-wikipedia&pg=PA609 A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Ireland] (London: Harrison & Sons, 1912), page 609

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At the age of 14 years, Rowan was commissioned as an ensign in the 52nd Light Infantry on 4 November 1803{{London Gazette|issue=15641|page=1546|date=8 November 1803}} and promoted to lieutenant on 15 June 1804.Heathcote, p. 256 He was deployed to Sicily in 1806 and to Sweden in 1808 before being promoted to captain and being given command of a company in the 2nd Battalion of his regiment on 19 October 1808.

During the Peninsular War he fought in Spain under General Robert Craufurd: although heavily engaged providing covering fire for Sir John Moore's famous retreat, he was not present at the Battle of Corunna in January 1809, having been detached to Vigo, from where he returned to England.

He was present at the capture of Flushing in August 1809 during the disastrous Walcheren Campaign.Fletcher (1994), p.164Heathcote, p. 257 After returning to Spain, he was present at the Battle of Sabugal in April 1811, the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813, the Battle of the Pyrenees in July 1813 and the Battle of the Bidassoa in October 1813 as well as the Battle of Nivelle in November 1813, the Battle of the Nive in December 1813, the Battle of Orthez in February 1814 and, having been promoted to brevet major on 3 March 1814, he also fought at the Battle of Toulouse in April 1814.Fletcher (1994), pp.164-165

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Rowan's promotion to brevet major was directly in recognition of his personal bravery and the success of his command in the fighting in the marsh which actually decided the Battle of Orthez in Wellington's favour.Dictionary of National Biography, Vol 21, p.337

During the Hundred Days Rowan fought at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815,Barbero (2006), pp.74-75 taking part in an important charge led by Sir John Colborne against the Imperial Guard, during which he was wounded in action and 150 of his men were killed or wounded.Adkin (2011), pp.198-199Bromley (2014), vol. 2 -Rowan After the War he served in the Army of Occupation of France and was put in charge of the 1st arrondissement of Paris.

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Promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel on 21 January 1819, Rowan was posted with his regiment to New Brunswick in 1823 before being promoted to the substantive rank of major on 4 May 1826.{{London Gazette|issue=18249|page=1191|date=20 May 1826}} He transferred to the 58th Regiment of Foot on 27 July 1826{{London Gazette|issue=18277|page=2016|date=15 August 1826}} and, having been promoted to the substantive rank of lieutenant colonel on 22 July 1830,{{London Gazette|issue=18714|page=1659|date=3 August 1830}} he became Military and Civil Secretary to Sir John Colborne, Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, in 1832. He was promoted to colonel on 10 January 1837 and assisted Colborne in Colborne's new role as Acting Governor General of British North America during the rebellions by the Patriote movement in 1837. Rowan was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 19 July 1838{{London Gazette|issue=19638|page=1660|date=20 July 1838}} before returning to England in 1839.

Promoted to major-general on 9 November 1846,{{London Gazette|issue=20660|page=3988|supp=y|date=10 November 1846}} Rowan returned to Canada as Commander-in-Chief, North America in Spring 1849. In this role he made an important conciliatory speech in response to the burning of the Parliament Buildings in Montreal by an angry mob in April 1849. Rowan was promoted to the local rank of lieutenant general on 22 June 1849.{{London Gazette|issue=20991|page=2013|date=22 June 1849}}

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Promoted to substantive rank of lieutenant-general on 20 January 1854,{{London Gazette|issue=21564|page=1932|date=22 June 1854}} Rowan returned to England in 1855 and retired to a house in Gay Street, Bath. He was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 5 February 1856.{{London Gazette|issue=21846|page=426|date=5 February 1856}}

Rowan was also colonel of the 19th Regiment of Foot{{London Gazette|issue=21563|page=1903|date=20 June 1854}} and later of the 52nd Light Infantry.{{London Gazette|issue=22497|page=1373|date=29 March 1861}} He was promoted to full general on 13 August 1862{{London Gazette|issue=22658|page=4308|date=2 September 1862}} and, having been advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 28 March 1865,{{London Gazette|issue=22952|page=1730|date=28 March 1865}} he was promoted to field marshal on 2 June 1877.{{London Gazette|issue=24467|page=3497|date=2 June 1877}} He died on 26 September 1879 at No. 9 Gay Street, BathEngland & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966 and was buried at Lansdown Cemetery in Bath.

Rowan married Martha Spong of Aylesford, Kent, daughter of John and Rosamond Spong on 21 January 1811 at West Malling in Kent; they had no children. From at least 1860 he resided with his wife, a Chelsea Pensioner man-servant (James Wise) and household staff at No. 9 Gay Street, Bath.England & Wales Census 1861 and 1871

• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath 1838,
• Waterloo Medal 1815.[https://books.google.com/books?id=5IOuCAAAQBAJ&dq=%22sir+william+rowan%22+army&pg=RA5-PA1801 Wellington's Men Remembered - William Rowan]
• Military General Service Medal 1848 with clasps Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes and Toulouse.

{{Reflist|35em}}

• {{cite book|last=Heathcote|first=Tony|title=The British Field Marshals, 1736–1997: A Biographical Dictionary |publisher= Leo Cooper|location=Barnsley|year= 1999|isbn= 0-85052-696-5}}

• {{cite book|last=Adkin|first=Mark|year=2011|title=The Waterloo Companion|publisher=Aurum|isbn=978-1854107640}}
• {{cite book|last=Barbero|first=Alessandro|year=2006|title=The Battle - Waterloo|publisher=Atlantic Books|isbn=978-1843543107}}
• {{cite book|last=Bromley|first=Janet|year=2015|title=Wellington's Men Remembered|publisher=Pen & Sword|asin=B011T8G46U}}
• {{cite book|last=Fletcher|first=Ian|year=1994|title=Wellington's Regiments|publisher=Spellmount|isbn=1-873376065}}
• {{cite book|last=Heathcote|first=T A|year=2012|title=Dictionary of Field Marshals of the British Army|publisher=Pen & Sword|isbn=978-1848848818}}

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{{S-bef | before=Sir Benjamin D'Urban}}

{{S-ttl | title=Commander-in-Chief, North America | years=1849–1855}}

{{S-aft | after=Sir William Eyre}}

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{{Succession box| title= Colonel of the 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot | before= Sir Archibald Maclaine| after=John Leslie Dennis| years=1861–1879}}

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{{Succession box| title= Colonel of the 19th (The 1st Yorkshire North Riding) Regiment of Foot | before= Charles Turner| after=Sir Abraham Josias Cloëté| years=1854–1861}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rowan, William}}

Category:1789 births

Category:1879 deaths

Category:Manx people

Category:Ulster Scots people

Category:British field marshals

Category:Recipients of the Waterloo Medal

Category:Governors of British North America

Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

Category:52nd Regiment of Foot officers

Category:58th Regiment of Foot officers

Category:People of the Battle of Waterloo

Category:British Army personnel of the Peninsular War