Talk:William Augustus Bowles
This guy is shrouded in legend and misinformation, due to the pirate festival. I tried to cobble together an article from various online sources, but quickly realized I was in over my head. The "Billy Bowlegs" described by FWB folks seems to be a composite of Bowles and another pirate named William Rogers. (See here.) If anyone else wants to research this more thoroughly, be my guest, otherwise I'll try to sort it all out later. --Admin 08:24, 3 June 2007 (CDT)
Some errors need addressing.[edit]
William Augustus Bowles never joined the navy, but his unit was transported by the navy. He was an ensign in the Maryland Loyalists, and as such was a junior officer in training. It is believed he joined them at age 13, not 14, and served in the battle on Monmouth guarding the baggage train. The Maryland Loyalists were at half strength so were joined to another such unit, and command alternated between these units. There was much rivalry between these units'officers, and when William missed a ferry and acquired alternate transportation, he was defrocked by the rival command which was in charge at the time. William left the unit, but his charges were overturned post exodus. He was twice captured by the Spanish. His fast was imposed as he refused to acknowledge Spanish dominion over the Souther Creeks territory, and refused a substantial bride of land, rum and a general's commission but and was put on a diet of stale bread and lime-infused water until he signed an acknowledgement that Spain rightfully owned the Territory that they had regained from the British. Bowles refused to sign. The Spanish claimed he died in a hospital ward in Morro Castle, Cuba, but a British officer Who later investigated at Morro Castle alleges he found William Augustus Bowles's mouldering corpse still chained to a wall in the prison. There are a number of mysteries still regarding political intrigue, such as why there was a unit of Dutch Artillery in British employ about the ship that sunk of Sugar Island and Dog Island on the Florida Coast, and why the ship of the line HMS Thunderer was dispatched to rescue him. Also, his navy and privateers seemed to have clandestine support from some of the British Governors, such as the Bahamas. This can be seen in the Court case charging Captain Powers and his crew with Piracy where a ship and reimbursement for its cargo of Tuna were made to Spain, but the charge of Piracy was dismissed by the court as it acknowledged political intrigue. L. Allan Bowles, Canada (from the Maryland branch of the Bowles via William Augustus Bowles's estates King's grant, the birthplace of my grandfather Drexel Bowles)
