Peter Bover
Encyclopedia
Captain Peter Turner Bover (5 October 1772 – late 1802) was an officer of the Royal Navy
during the French Revolutionary Wars
, who fired the first shot at the Spithead mutiny of 1797
.
the same year, and then to HMS Crown
, then the flagship of Commodore Cornwallis
. Cornwallis took a great interest in Bover's career, as did Admiral Affleck
, who wrote that "Bover... is a name which will always be dear to the service". He was appointed a lieutenant on January 3rd 1794, serving in HMS Minerva
, HMS Excellent
and HMS Caesar
, before being appointed the First Lieutenant of HMS London
, a 98‐gun first‐rate, in 1797; it served as the flagship of Admiral Sir John Colpoys
.
began to move a gun to point at the quarterdeck
, where the ship's officers stood. Bover, on deck as the first lieutenant, ordered them to stop and threatened to fire on them; all but one did so. The remaining seaman, however, dared Bover to fire and carried on; Bover fired a moment later, killing the sailor. This sparked a riot, with men storming up from below decks; in the ensuing violence, several men on both sides were wounded (three sailors fatally) and the Marines defected to the mutineers. On seeing this, Admiral Colpoys immediately surrendered to avert further bloodshed.
Bover was quickly seized by a group of sailors, who dragged him to the foremast and were intending to hang him summarily, before being released through the intercession of Valentine Joyce, one of the delegates, who embraced him and — according to a witness — cried out "If you hang this young man you shall hang me, for I shall never quit him". In the moment of confusion, during which some more of the crew shouted in support of the "brave boy", Admiral Colpoys ran forward and insisted that the responsibility was his own.
The two found themselves on the forecastle, stood among seven or eight hundred angry (and armed) seamen. The situation was defused, and further violence averted, in "the most paradoxical thing in this paradoxical mutiny" (Manwaring & Dobrée, p. 90) A voice from the mob yelled that the Admiral was "a damned bloody scoundrel"; the seamen immediately lowered their guns and began to rebuke the speaker with cries of "How dare you speak to the Admiral in that manner!" In the ensuing lull, the ship's surgeon, who was popular among the men, argued that they should let the Admiral speak in Bover's defence. Colpoys promptly announced that Bover had been following orders — recent Admiralty orders insisting that any signs of mutiny be handled strongly. Eventually Bover was released, through the intercession of Joyce and another of the delegates, Mark Turner, a midshipman from Terrible
, and helped by his previous status as a favourite among the crew.
Colpoys, Bover, and Griffith, the captain of the London, were kept on board as prisoners whilst the other officers of the fleet were turned ashore. On the 8th they were tried for murder by a court of the sailors, with Colpoys found guilty but released some days later. Bover himself was saved through an enthusiastic speech given by John Fleming, an able seaman of the London who sat on the court as a delegate, in which he pleaded with the court not to seek revenge for revenge's sake. Speaking for the crew of the London, he described Bover as "...a deserving worthy gentleman, who is an ornament to his profession in every respect", and stated that before he would sign his name to Bover's death warrant he would insist on being killed with him.
The speech — it survives as a written letter, and it is unclear if he delivered it personally or if it was read — was decisive, coming as it did from the comrades of the man who had been killed originally; Bover was released by order of the delegates on the evening of the 9th, and allowed to remain on the London.
On the 11th he, Colpoys, and Griffiths were taken ashore to be tried by a civil court for the death of a seaman who had died in hospital at Haslar; a verdict of justifiable homicide was returned. The crew had been unwilling to let Bover leave the ship, but he promised to return; despite the urging of many of his colleagues he did so, being greeted with three cheers when he came back aboard and requested not to leave again.
He recorded afterwards that his standing with the ship's company was greatly increased by the whole event, not only through being cleared by the court but through being the only officer to remain on ship during the mutiny — all others had been sent ashore and not permitted to return. He continued to serve aboard the London until promoted in February 1798, with no negative effects to his career from having remained with the mutineers.
and the Magnificent
. Ordered to the West Indies with Magnificent in 1802, he died there of a sudden illness shortly after arriving in port.
He married in 1800, to a Miss Cole, the sister of Dr. Cole, vice‐chancellor of the University of Oxford, and of Sir Christopher Cole, a fellow officer who he had served with as a midshipman; they had no children.
A general biographical sketch is taken from Memoirs of the Bover Family by "J. N." in the Gentleman's Magazine, July 1843 (digitised copy; also included are extracts from Bover's letters during the mutiny. This source contradicts the dates in Syret, and is inconsistent with other sources — for example, the Memoirs statement that he commanded the Hecla in 1797 is contradicted by the Naval History of Great Britain, vol. 2. p. 118, which places it under the command of Thomas Hand, and contrary to their statement it is not recorded as serving at Camperdown (ibid., vol. 2 appendix 3).
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
, who fired the first shot at the Spithead mutiny of 1797
Spithead and Nore mutinies
The Spithead and Nore mutinies were two major mutinies by sailors of the Royal Navy in 1797. There were also discontent and minor incidents on ships in other locations in the same year. They were not violent insurrections, being more in the nature of strikes, demanding better pay and conditions...
.
Early career
He entered the Royal Navy, following in the footsteps of his father (Captain John Bover) and two of his elder brothers, as a volunteer aboard HMS Perseus. He transferred to HMS QueenHMS Queen (1769)
HMS Queen was a three-deck 90-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 18 September 1769 at Woolwich Dockyard. She was designed by William Bateley, and was the only ship built to her draught...
the same year, and then to HMS Crown
HMS Crown (1782)
HMS Crown was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 15 March 1782 at Blackwall Yard.She was converted to serve as a prison ship in 1798, and was broken up in 1816....
, then the flagship of Commodore Cornwallis
William Cornwallis
Admiral the Honourable Sir William Cornwallis GCB was a Royal Navy officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was the brother of Charles Cornwallis, the 1st Marquess Cornwallis, governor-general of India...
. Cornwallis took a great interest in Bover's career, as did Admiral Affleck
Philip Affleck
Philip Affleck was a British admiral — a younger brother of Sir Edmund Affleck. Although not equally fortunate in having had opportunities afforded to him to win for himself a degree of distinction similar to that which had been acquired by the commodore; still Philip, when serving afloat,...
, who wrote that "Bover... is a name which will always be dear to the service". He was appointed a lieutenant on January 3rd 1794, serving in HMS Minerva
HMS Minerva (1780)
HMS Minerva was a 38-gun fifth-rate Royal Navy frigate. The first of four Minerva-class frigates, she was launched on 3 June 1780, and commissioned soon thereafter. In 1798 she was renamed Pallas and employed as a troopship...
, HMS Excellent
HMS Excellent (1787)
HMS Excellent was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Harwich on 27 November 1787. She was the captaincy of John Gell before he was appointed an Admiral.Excellent took part in the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797....
and HMS Caesar
HMS Caesar (1793)
HMS Caesar, also Cæsar, was an 80-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 16 November 1793 at Plymouth. She was designed by Sir Edward Hunt, and was the only ship built to her draught.-Battle of Algeciras Bay:...
, before being appointed the First Lieutenant of HMS London
HMS London (1766)
HMS London was a 90-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 24 May 1766 at Chatham Dockyard.London was originally launched as a 90-gun ship, as was standard for second rates at the time, but was later increased to 98-guns when she had eight 12 pounders installed on her...
, a 98‐gun first‐rate, in 1797; it served as the flagship of Admiral Sir John Colpoys
John Colpoys
Admiral Sir John Colpoys, GCB was an officer of the British Royal Navy who served in three wars but is most notable for being one of the catalysts of the Spithead Mutiny in 1797 after ordering his marines to fire on a deputation of mutinous sailors...
.
Mutiny at Spithead
In early May, the Spithead mutiny had been active for around three weeks, but remained subdued; the commanders had not yet brought matters to a head by a forcible confrontation with the sailors. On Sunday 7th, a boat of delegates pulled around various ships of the fleet, urging them to overthrow their officers and set sail; on coming to the London, it was refused permission to come aboard. The atmosphere grew tense — the seamen of the London were clearly in favour of receiving the delegates — and a group of men on the forecastleForecastle
Forecastle refers to the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters...
began to move a gun to point at the quarterdeck
Quarterdeck
The quarterdeck is that part of a warship designated by the commanding officer for official and ceremonial functions. In port, the quarterdeck is the most important place on the ship, and is the central control point for all its major activities. Underway, its importance diminishes as control of...
, where the ship's officers stood. Bover, on deck as the first lieutenant, ordered them to stop and threatened to fire on them; all but one did so. The remaining seaman, however, dared Bover to fire and carried on; Bover fired a moment later, killing the sailor. This sparked a riot, with men storming up from below decks; in the ensuing violence, several men on both sides were wounded (three sailors fatally) and the Marines defected to the mutineers. On seeing this, Admiral Colpoys immediately surrendered to avert further bloodshed.
Bover was quickly seized by a group of sailors, who dragged him to the foremast and were intending to hang him summarily, before being released through the intercession of Valentine Joyce, one of the delegates, who embraced him and — according to a witness — cried out "If you hang this young man you shall hang me, for I shall never quit him". In the moment of confusion, during which some more of the crew shouted in support of the "brave boy", Admiral Colpoys ran forward and insisted that the responsibility was his own.
The two found themselves on the forecastle, stood among seven or eight hundred angry (and armed) seamen. The situation was defused, and further violence averted, in "the most paradoxical thing in this paradoxical mutiny" (Manwaring & Dobrée, p. 90) A voice from the mob yelled that the Admiral was "a damned bloody scoundrel"; the seamen immediately lowered their guns and began to rebuke the speaker with cries of "How dare you speak to the Admiral in that manner!" In the ensuing lull, the ship's surgeon, who was popular among the men, argued that they should let the Admiral speak in Bover's defence. Colpoys promptly announced that Bover had been following orders — recent Admiralty orders insisting that any signs of mutiny be handled strongly. Eventually Bover was released, through the intercession of Joyce and another of the delegates, Mark Turner, a midshipman from Terrible
HMS Terrible (1785)
HMS Terrible was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 28 March 1785 at Rotherhithe.She became a receiving ship in 1823, and was broken up in 1836....
, and helped by his previous status as a favourite among the crew.
Colpoys, Bover, and Griffith, the captain of the London, were kept on board as prisoners whilst the other officers of the fleet were turned ashore. On the 8th they were tried for murder by a court of the sailors, with Colpoys found guilty but released some days later. Bover himself was saved through an enthusiastic speech given by John Fleming, an able seaman of the London who sat on the court as a delegate, in which he pleaded with the court not to seek revenge for revenge's sake. Speaking for the crew of the London, he described Bover as "...a deserving worthy gentleman, who is an ornament to his profession in every respect", and stated that before he would sign his name to Bover's death warrant he would insist on being killed with him.
The speech — it survives as a written letter, and it is unclear if he delivered it personally or if it was read — was decisive, coming as it did from the comrades of the man who had been killed originally; Bover was released by order of the delegates on the evening of the 9th, and allowed to remain on the London.
On the 11th he, Colpoys, and Griffiths were taken ashore to be tried by a civil court for the death of a seaman who had died in hospital at Haslar; a verdict of justifiable homicide was returned. The crew had been unwilling to let Bover leave the ship, but he promised to return; despite the urging of many of his colleagues he did so, being greeted with three cheers when he came back aboard and requested not to leave again.
He recorded afterwards that his standing with the ship's company was greatly increased by the whole event, not only through being cleared by the court but through being the only officer to remain on ship during the mutiny — all others had been sent ashore and not permitted to return. He continued to serve aboard the London until promoted in February 1798, with no negative effects to his career from having remained with the mutineers.
Later career
Following the mutiny, he was appointed to Hecla, a ten‐gun bomb ship, which served in support of landings on the Dutch coast in August 1797; he was appointed commander on February 14 1798. He was made post‐captain on August 11 1800, and later appointed to the command of the BlenheimHMS Blenheim (1761)
HMS Blenheim was a 90-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 5 July 1761 at Woolwich.-Service:Under the command of John Bazely, she took part in the Battle of Hyères Islands in 1795. Blenheim then fought at Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797. By 1801, she had become so badly...
and the Magnificent
HMS Magnificent (1766)
HMS Magnificent was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 20 July 1767 at Deptford Dockyard. She was one of the built to update the Navy and replace ships lost following the Seven Years' War...
. Ordered to the West Indies with Magnificent in 1802, he died there of a sudden illness shortly after arriving in port.
He married in 1800, to a Miss Cole, the sister of Dr. Cole, vice‐chancellor of the University of Oxford, and of Sir Christopher Cole, a fellow officer who he had served with as a midshipman; they had no children.
Sources
A detailed account of Bover's part in the events of the mutiny, drawing heavily on contemporary accounts, is on pp. 89–102 of The floating republic: an account of the mutinies at Spithead and the Nore in 1797, G.E. Manwaring & Bonamy Dobrée (Penguin, 1937). A copy of Fleming's speech is in Appendix III of that book. Dates of appointments are from vol. 1 of David Syret's Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy, 1660–1815.A general biographical sketch is taken from Memoirs of the Bover Family by "J. N." in the Gentleman's Magazine, July 1843 (digitised copy; also included are extracts from Bover's letters during the mutiny. This source contradicts the dates in Syret, and is inconsistent with other sources — for example, the Memoirs statement that he commanded the Hecla in 1797 is contradicted by the Naval History of Great Britain, vol. 2. p. 118, which places it under the command of Thomas Hand, and contrary to their statement it is not recorded as serving at Camperdown (ibid., vol. 2 appendix 3).