A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Lowe, Abraham
LOWE. (Captain, 1814. f-p., 20; h-p., 36.)
Abraham Lowe was born in July, 1771.
This officer (whose name had been borne from 1777 to 1779 on the books of the Levant, Capt. Geo. Murray) embarked, in Jan. 1791, as Midshipman (under the auspices of the late Sir Erasmus Gower), on board the London 98, Capt. Geo. Blagden Westcott, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Sam. Cranston Goodall in the Channel. In the following Oct. he joined the Edgar 74, Capts. Anthony Jas. Pye Molloy and Albemarle Bertie; and on becoming Master’s Mate, in 1792, of the Lion 64, commanded by his patron Sir E. Gower, he sailed with Lord Macartney on his embassy to China, and while there was intrusted with the charge of the Jackal tender. Being promoted, on his return home, to a Lieutenancy, 24 Nov. 1794, in the Triumph 74, Capt. Sir E. Gower, he was present in that ship, which bore the brunt of the enemy’s attack, in Cornwallis’ celebrated retreat of 16 and 17 June, 1795. His succeeding appointments, it appears, were – 22 June, 1797, to the Diamond 38, Capt. Sir Rich. John Strachan, on the Channel station – 18 Dec. following to the Neptune 98, Capts. Sir E. Gower and Jas. Vashon, in which ship he proceeded to the Mediterranean – 31 July, 1800, as Senior, to the Thames 32, Capts. Wm. Lukin and Aiskew Paffard Hollis, under the latter of whom (after having witnessed the capture of two privateers carrying between them 32 guns and 287 men, and of L’Aurore national corvette of 16 guns) he bore a part in Sir Jas. Saumarez’ action of 12 July, 1801, in the Gut of Gibraltar – in Oct. of the latter year, to the Princess Royal 98, bearing the flag of Sir E. Gower in the Channel – 31 Jan. 1804 (he had been for nearly two years on half-pay), to the command of the Conflict gun-brig in the North Sea – 22 May, 1804, to the Isis 50, flag-ship at Newfoundland of Sir E. Gower, who in 1806 authorized him to act as Magistrate and Surrogate for that island – and in July, 1807, to the Prince of Wales 98, bearing the flag of the late Lord Gambier. Being First of the latter ship in the ensuing attack upon Copenhagen, Lieut. Lowe, at the conclusion of the operations, was nominated by his Admiral to the command, 13 Oct. 1807, of the Curlew sloop. This appointment the Admiralty confirmed. From Dec. in the same year, however, until June, 1809, Capt. Lowe remained unemployed. He then volunteered to serve in the expedition against Walcheren, and his offer being accepted he was intrusted by Sir Rich. Strachan with the command of a division of the light flotilla engaged at the bombardment of Camvere, and by his conduct won the admiration of that officer. After the surrender of Camvere and the reduction of the fort of Bammekens, we find him employed in cutting off the communication between Flushing and Cadsand; and then assisting Sir Home Popham in sounding and buoying the channels of the West Scheldt for the purpose of enabling the line-of-battle ships and frigates to advance, and of thus aiding the ulterior objects of the expedition – a service performed with much judgment and correctness. During his stay in the Scheldt,[1] Capt. Lowe was invested by Rear-Admiral Wm. Albany Otway with the charge, in Nov. 1809, of the Sabrina sloop. His next appointments were – 12 Jan. 1810, to the Diligence 16, attached to the force in the Baltic, where he was most actively employed, and effected the capture of three or four Danish privateers – and 12 Aug. 1812, to the Jalouse 18. He served in the latter vessel on the Cork and Jamaica stations until posted 7 June, 1814; and with the exception of a few months during the summer of 1815, had command, from 12 Jan. in that year until paid off 19 Jan. 1819, of the Larne 20, among the Western Islands, and in the Channel and West Indies. He accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.
Commander Lowe married, in 1802, a daughter of R. Rogers, Esq., of Beaulieu, near Southampton; by whom he has had, with other issue, two sons, the present Commander Gower Lowe, R.N., and the late Lieut. W. H. J. Lowe, R.N. Agent – J. Hinxman.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1809, p. 1298.