BOWIE, James, soldier, b. in Burke co., Ga., about 1790; d. in Alamo, Texas, 6 March, 1836. He settled in 1802 in Chatahoula parish, Louisiana, with his parents, and became notorious from his participation in a severe contest that took place opposite Natchez, on the Mississippi, in August, 1827. A duel having been arranged between Dr. Maddox and Samuel Wells, they met on a low sand-bar near the city, outside the state limits. After the difficulty had been adjusted by the exchange of two shots without effect, the principals were joined by parties of friends, and a general melée took place, in which fifteen of the number were wounded and six killed. Bowie, who had been shot early in the engagement, drew his knife, which had been made from a blacksmith's rasp or large file, and killed Maj. Norris Wright with it. After the conflict, the weapon was sent to Philadelphia, where it was fashioned by a cutler into the form of a knife, which style of weapon has since become famous as the “Bowie knife.” When the original was received by Bowie, he was told: “It is more trustworthy in the hands of a strong man than a pistol, for it will not snap.” Later he emigrated to Texas with his brother, and took a prominent part in the Texan revolution. He fought in the engagement near San Saba, 2 Nov., 1831, and in the battles with the Mexicans near Nacogdoches and at Concepcion during 1835. He attained the grade of colonel and commanded at Grass Fight, 25 Oct., 1835. In January, 1836, he was ordered to Bexar; later he joined Cols. Travis and Crockett, and was killed with them at the taking of the Alamo.
BOWIE, Robert, governor of Maryland, b. in Prince George's co., Md., about 1750; d. in Nottingham, Md., 8 Jan., 1818. He received an excellent education, and in 1776 was a captain of flying artillery. Later he became prominent in political affairs, and was governor of the state in 1803-'6, and in 1811-'2, and presidential elector in 1808.
BOWLER, Metcalf, patriot, b. about 1730. He was speaker of the Rhode Island assembly in 1774,
when the obnoxious royal decree reached Boston,
closing the port and transferring the board of customs to Marblehead, and the seat of government
to Salem. A conference was called to meet in
Faneuil Hall, and on 12 May, at noon, Bowler
came before the meeting with the official announcement, received in answer to a circular letter
from the Rhode Island assembly, that all the thirteen colonies had pledged themselves to union in
opposing the decree. He was thus the first to announce, in a public and official way, the first united action toward resistance to royal authority.
BOWLES, Samuel, journalist, b. in Springfield, Mass., 9 Feb., 1826; d. there, 16 Jan., 1878.
His education was of the usual public-school
character, and, after some time spent at the high school,
was finished at the private institution of George
Eaton, in Springfield. At the age of seventeen
years he began his work in the printing-office of
the Springfield “Republican,” a weekly paper,
which his father had established in 1824, and of
which he was the proprietor. For a year his work
consisted in the miscellaneous duties of office-boy,
and included everything except the writing of leading
editorials. In 1844 he persuaded his father to
publish the paper daily, and on 27 March of that
year the first daily issue appeared. The principal
duties of the management of the new journal
fell on young Bowles, but early as the winter of
1844-'5 his health gave out, and he was obliged
to spend some time in the south. A series of
fifteen letters, descriptive of southern experiences,
contributed to the paper at this time, were widely
read. In December, 1845, the “Republican”
became a morning paper, and with the change
followed the severe night-work for the editors. The
father meanwhile devoted more attention to the
counting-room, and the son occupied himself more
exclusively with the editorial duties, in which he
was ably assisted by Dr. J. G. Holland, who
continued with the paper as editor until 1857, and as
a contributor until 1864. By 1850 the
“Republican” had acquired the largest circulation of any daily paper in New England, outside of Boston,
and as fast as the money came in it was expended
in increasing the plant. In 1851 the father died,
and the entire management devolved on the young
Bowles, who was then twenty-five years old. During
the years that followed the time was occupied
with incessant work and hard struggles. The
paper was steadily growing in reputation and
circulation, and its editor becoming known as an
industrious, bold, and fearless journalist. He was
frequently in opposition to public sentiment. During
1856 he supported Frémont for the presidency,
and early in 1857 he accepted the editorship of the
Boston “Traveller,” with which he continued for
but a few months. In the autumn of 1857, after a
brief rest, he returned to Springfield, and, buying
Dr. Holland's interest, resumed editorial control of
the “Republican.” From 1857 till 1865 the influence of Mr. Bowles made itself felt, not only during
the warm political discussions of Buchanan's
administration, but also during the civil war itself,
when his journal had acquired a national reputation.
In 1865 he made a journey to the Pacific
coast with a large company, and in 1868 travelled
as far as Colorado. In 1869 he again crossed the
continent. He visited Europe in 1862, and again
in 1870, 1871, and 1874; indeed, frequent trips
were a necessity to him on account of ill health,
his constitution having long since been impaired
by over-work. In 1872 the “Republican”
supported Mr. Greeley in his campaign for the presidency,
and it has since continued independent in
politics. Mr. Bowles's letters, sent to the paper
during his western trips, were collected and
published under the titles of “Across the Continent” (Springfield, 1865) and “The Switzerland of America” (1869). These were afterward
condensed and sold by subscription as “Our New
West” (Hartford, 1869). “The Pacific Railroad
Open, How to Go, What to See,” was a small
collection of papers that originally appeared in the
“Atlantic Monthly” (Boston, 1869). See “The Life and Times of Samuel Bowles,” by George S. Merriam (New York, 1885).
BOWLES, William Augustus, adventurer, b. in Frederick co., Md., in 1763; d. in Havana, Cuba, 23 Dec, 1805. He was the son of an English school-master, and when thirteen years of age ran away from home, and, joining the British army at Philadelphia, soon obtained a commission, but at Pensacola was, for some neglect, dismissed from the service. Afterward he entered the service of the Creek Indians, and married an Indian woman. He instigated many of their excesses, for which he was rewarded by "the British. On 9 May, 1781, when Pensacola surrendered to the Spaniards, Bowles commanded the Indians, whom he had brought there to assist the English, and for this service he was reinstated in the British army. After the war he joined a company of players in New York, and performed in the Bahamas, where he also painted portraits. Gov. Dunmore appointed him trading-agent for the Creeks, and he established a house on the Chattahoochie, but was driven
