Born in Kensington, London, c.1818?
Enlisted at London on the 20th of April 1836.
Trade: Servant.
No other enlistment details are shown.
From Private to Corporal: 31st of December 1846.
Corporal to Sergeant: 3rd of October 1849.
Appointed to Troop Sergeant Major on the 22nd of February 1853.
Wounded in action and taken prisoner of war at Balaclava.
Died while in Russian captivity "of wounds and dysentery" in November 1854.
Next of kin: Wife, Sarah Fowler, living at 2, Queen's Gardens, Brompton, London.
James Wightman of the 17th Lancers tells of him in his "Memoirs":
"Sergeant Major Fowler of the 4th Light Dragoons had been run through the back by a Cossack lance and was sitting in a corner. He was a fine dignified soldier, a gentleman born I believe, and one of the handsomest men in the Light Brigade. To give more space in the carts to his fellow-comrades, he walked every step of the 50 miles to Simpheropol; his wound mortified, and he died within a month of his being captured."
Sergeant Major Fowler's death in captivity was mentioned in the London Gazette, Friday 1st of June 1855:
"Lord Panmure has received a despatch and its enclosures, of which the following are copies, addressed to his Lordship by Field-Marshal Lord Raglan, G.C.B.:
Before Sebastopol, May 19th.
My Lord,
I have the honour to enclose the copy of a letter from Captain Montague of the Royal Engineers, Prisoner of war, dated Simpheropol, April 28th, transmitting a list of British prisoners who died either there or on the road from Sebastopol. I beg to forward this return in duplicate.
Your Lordship will see with satisfaction that the British prisoners who are sick in Hospital at Simpheropol receive equal, if not greater attention than the Russian soldiers from the authorities, and are constantly receiving presents from visitors.
Raglan.
Enclosure (1)
Simpheropol, April 28th.
Sir, — I have the honour to enclose the accompanying list of prisoners who died either here, or on their road from Sebastopol.
There are some others dead, but Thomas Berry [sic] 8th Hussars, who furnished me with this list, could not remember the names of the rest.
I have, etc., etc.
H. Montague, Captain.
Royal Engineers.
[To:] Major General J.B. Bucknall Estcourt, Adjutant-General.
I have been given to understand that the prisoners who are sick in hospital have received equal, if not even greater attention from the authorities, and are constantly receiving presents, etc., from visitors.
There are some five or seven men who will be sent at the first opportunity to Odessa, for the purpose of being forwarded to England, they being incapable of serving again.
[See also records of 1550 John Boxall, 4th Light Dragoons and 1061 Matthew Keating, 11th Hussars.]
Enclosure (2)
Return of Non-commissioned Officers and Men, Prisoners of war, who have died either at Simpheropol or on their road there,-
4th Light Dragoons. Troop Sergeant Major William Fowler; — Privates, Thomas Fletcher — James Normoyle and George Linser.
8th Hussars. Corporal William Taylor.
11th Hussars. Corporal J. Wilson [sic] and Private John Berry.
13th Light Dragoons. Trumpeter William Howarth and Private William Bainton.
17th Lancers. Corporal James Hall; Privates Henry Young — Robert Edge — William Kirk and Alfred Jenner.
[Some 14 other men from various Line regiments are also named on the list.]
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Sebastopol.
The muster roll for the period shows him as being "On service in Scinde." From this he would also have been entitled to the medal for Ghuznee.
Died while in Russian captivity "of wounds and dysentery" in November 1854. Se above for more information.
A son, William Frederick, entered the Royal Military Asylum at Chelsea on the 9th of August 1859, aged 9 years and 3 months. He is shown as "being handed over to his mother," Sarah Fowler, then living in Knightsbridge, London, on the 7th of April 1864.
[PB: Roy Dutton writes: His wife was Sarah living at 2, Queen's Gardens, Brompton, London. They had four children, including a daughter called Sarah Ann who was born in August 1844. Hard times beset the family and Sarah Ann was placed in the Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum, Wandsworth, on the 3rd August 1859, the school at this time being maintained by the Royal Commissioners of the Patriotic Fund. We must assume the other three children were taken in by family members." (Forgotten Heroes, 2nd ed. p.41)]