William Rowan

Field Marshal Sir William Rowan, GCB (18 June 1789 – 26 September 1879) was a British military commander.

Military career
Born in the Isle of Man, Rowan was commissioned into the 52nd Light Infantry in 1803. He was present at the capture of Flushing in 1809 and then took part in various actions in Spain, Portugal and France. He fought at the Battle of Waterloo and took part in the charge of the 52nd Light Infantry. After the War he was put in charge of the 1st arrondissement of Paris.

In 1823 he was posted with his Regiment to New Brunswick and in 1826 he transferred to the 58th Regiment of Foot. In 1828 he became Military Secretary to Sir John Colborne, Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada.

In 1849 Rowan became Commander-in-Chief, North America. He retired to Bath and died in 1879.

Sir William was the younger brother of Sir Charles Rowan (c.1782–1852), joint first Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in London, and Lieutenant-Colonel John Rowan (1778–1855) who was an officer in the Antrim Militia regiment that fought against the United Irishmen in the uprising of 1798. He was High Sheriff of Antrim (1814) and a leading light in Belfast society.