Terpsichore was in harbour, tied alongside the Mole in late May, and taking advantage of her apparent unreadiness to put to sea, two Spanish frigates carrying troops and money, attempted to leave Algeciras on 29 May. This was reported to Bowen, who quickly got Terpsichore to sea, and joining , gave chase. Rather than risk an engagement the two Spanish ships rushed back to port. Terpsichore had by now gained the nickname 'Little Devil' amongst the Spanish. Pallas returned to port, but Terpsichore lingered, and that night captured a small prize from under the guns of the Spanish shore batteries. Cutting Out of the Principe Fernando In April Jervis sent Bowen in the Terpsichore accompanied by the Dido to reconnoitre off Tenerife, where they found the Cadiz-bound Philippine frigates Principe Fernando and El Principe d'Asturia in the Bay of Santa Cruz. On the night of 17/18 April a joint cutting out expedition was mounted by the two British frigates, each sending three boats of which those from the Terpsichore under the command of its First Lieutenant (Lieutenant George Thorp) successfully captured the nearer of the Indiamen to the shore, Principe Fernando, sailing and towing her to sea while under fire from shore batteries for two hours. Santa Cruz and death Bowen took part in the first bombardment of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on 5 July, and worked with Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson to prepare plans for an assault on the town. In the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on 24 July Bowen was assigned to lead the landing parties onto the mole. At the head of forty or fifty of his men he gained the mole, took the battery covering the harbour by storm and spiked its guns, and was advancing into the town in pursuit of the fleeing Spanish. As he did so the Spanish fired a large round of grapeshot onto his party, causing heavy casualties. Bowen and his first lieutenant (George Thorp) were among those killed, while Nelson and his men, who were just landing, were caught in the fire, Nelson being hit in his right arm. Bowen's body was recovered the next morning and returned to the British ships after the withdrawal. Nelson said of Bowen that '...a more enterprising, able, and gallant officer, does not grace His Majesty's naval service!' Bowen was buried at sea on 27 July. Legacy There were applications after Bowen's death