Vice Admiral Rowland Cotton (c. 1740 – 30 November 1794) was a senior Royal Navy officer.
He was given command of the sloop, HMS Druid in 1762.
Promoted to captain on 7 May 1764, he went on to command the frigate, HMS Alarm in 1764, the fifth-rate, HMS Pallas in 1776 and the storeship HMS Buffalo in 1780.
He was then promoted to Rear-Admiral of the White and appointed Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth in 1793.
He was promoted to Rear-Admiral of the Red[1] and then Vice-Admiral of the Blue in 1794.