A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Howe, Alexander Borgoyne
HOWE. (Lieut., 1803. f-p., 35; h-p., 17.)
Alexander Borgoyne Howe, born 30 June, 1783, is second son of Alex. Howe, Esq., of Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia; and grandson of Edw. Howe, Esq., of Annapolis, who was treacherously murdered while under a flag of truce and in parley with a French officer in New Brunswick in 1752. This officer entered the Navy 6 Jan. 1795 (under the patronage of H.R.H. Prince Edward) as Midshipman, on board the Africa 64, Capt. Roddam Home; and in March, 1796, was present in the unsuccessful attack made by the forces under Rear-Admiral Wm. Parker and Major-General Forbes on the town of Leogane, St. Domingo. After serving for upwards of three years in the Channel and on the coast of Ireland in the Unité frigate, Capt. Chas. Rowley, and Caesar 80, Capts. R. Home and Sir Jas. Saumarez, Mr. Howe joined the America 64, which ship, bearing the flag of Sir Wm. Parker, struck, 13 Dec. 1800, upon the Formigas rocks, and was rendered unfit for further service. He then became attached in succession to the St. Albans 64, Capt. John Okes Hardy, flag-ship at Halifax, and Pheasant 16, Capt. Henry Carew; and in the latter vessel he was employed throughout the summer of 1801 in blockading an enemy’s ship, Le Berceau, lying in the port of Boston. From May, 1802, until Dec. 1805, we find him serving on board the Leviathan 74, at first under Sir John Duckworth in the West Indies (where he beheld the capture of the national vessels, La Mignonne and La Supérieure), and then under Capt. Henry Wm. Bayntun in the Mediterranean; on which station he had the fortune to participate in the battle of Trafalgar. In Jan. 1806 Mr. Howe, who had been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 28 May, 1803, was appointed to the Renown 74, Capt. Philip Chas. Durham. Towards the close of the same year, having been intermediately employed in blockading the port of Rochefort, he returned to the Mediterranean, and was there very actively employed until March, 1810. In Oct. 1809 he united in the pursuit which led to the self-destruction, near Cape Cette, of the French ships of the line Robuste and Lion. On leaving the Renown, Lieut. Howe became First of the Theseus 74, Capt. Wm. Prowse, under whom, with the exception of a voyage made to St. Helena for the purpose of bringing home an East India convoy, he served on the North Sea station until Dec. 1813. The ship he next joined was the Newcastle 50, Capt. Lord Geo. Stuart, stationed off the coast of North America, where he further served as Senior Lieutenant, from Feb. 1814 until compelled to invalid from the effects of rheumatism in Jan. 1815. His last appointments were – 2 Oct. 1827 and 27 March, 1828, to the successive command of the Sprightly and Greyhound Revenue-vessels, the latter of which he left in Oct. 1830 – 16 Sept. 1831, to the command of the Onyx, on the Cork station, where he remained until paid off in Nov. 1832 – and 13 Nov. 1833, to an Agency for Transports Afloat. He left the latter service in June, 1844.
Lieut. Howe married, 15 April, 1815, Elizabeth, relict of Robt. Carpenter, Esq., of Bradford, co. Somerset, by whom he has issue two sons and one daughter. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.