# A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Pottell, Herbert Brace

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​POTTELL. (Captain, 1822. f-p., 19; h-p., 31.)
Herbert Brace Pottell, a native of Leominster, co. Hereford, is nephew of the late Vice-Admiral Sir Edw. Brace, K.C.B. He lost a brother in the Hero 74, Capt. Jas. Newman Newman, 25 Dec. 1811.
This officer entered the Navy, in Oct. 1797, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Kangaroo 18, Capts. Edw. Brace and Geo. Clarke Pulling, under the former of whom he was twice, in Oct. 1798, engaged in a very gallant manner with 'La Loire' of 46 guns (part of a force originally under the orders of Commodore Bompart, and destined for the invasion of Ireland), previously to the surrender of that ship to the Kangaroo and her consort the Anson 44, Between the close of 1800 and June, 1804, Mr. Powell, besides being borne as a Supernumerary on the books of other vessels, served as Midshipman, chiefly on the Home station, in the Nemesis 28, Capt. Edw. W. C. K. Owen, Isis 50, Capts. Edw. Thornbrough, Edw. Brace, and Wm. Grenville Lobb, and Dryad 36, Capt. John Giffard. He then joined the Castor 32, of which frigate, commanded by his uncle, he became, in Sept. 1804, an Acting-Lieutenant, and, 26 Jan. 1805, a confirmed one. In the following March he removed with Capt. Brace into the Iris 32, commanded subsequently by Capt. Thos. Lavie. Rejoining his relative, in Sept. of the same year, on board La Virginie of 46 guns and 281 men, he assisted in that ship at the capture, 19 May, 1808, after an obstinate conflict of an hour and ahalf, of the Dutch frigate Guelderland, of 36 guns and 253 men, 25 of whom were slain and 50 wounded, with a loss to the British of not more than 1 man killed and 2 wounded. Previously to the latter affair he appears to have acted, from May to July, 1807, as Commander of the Amsterdam at Cork, and to have contributed, 28 Sept. in the same year, to the gallant defence made by the Louisa tender, a vessel mounting only 4 three-pounders, with a complement of 18 men, against the French privateer Marsouin of 14 six-pounders. On the occasion of the capture of the Jesus Maria Josef, a notorious Spanish privateer of 14 guns and 45 men, Capt. Brace, relying on his exertions, detached him in the prize for the purpose of endeavouring to retake several vessels which she had captured, and of also affording information to the different cruizers. In Sept. 1810, six months after he had left La Virginie, Mr. Powell was again placed under the orders of Capt. Brace on board the St. Albans 64, to which ship he continued attached, with Capts. Chas. Grant and John Ferris Devonshire, in the capacity of First-Lieutenant, until Oct. 1812. During that period he distinguished himself by his conduct at the defence of Cadiz, and held, from 21 May to 15 July, 1811, the acting-command of the Basilisk. He was afterwards employed, on the coasts of Spain and Portugal, in the Stag 36, Capt. Wolrige, Impétueux 74, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Geo. Martin, Onyx 10, Capt. Cobb, San Juan 74, bearing the flags of Commodore Chas. Vinicombe Penrose and Vice-Admiral Sam. Hood Linzee, Papillon 16, Capt. Jas. Hay, and Rodney 74, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Martin. On 15 June, 1814, he was advanced to the rank of Commander. Embarking next, in July, 1816, as a volunteer, on board the Impregnable 104, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral David Milne, he was afforded an opportunity of accompanying the ensuing expedition against Algiers. During the hottest period of the conflict fought on the memorable 27 Aug., Capt. Powell was despatched to Lord Exmouth for the purpose of representing to him the dreadful state of the Impregnable, and of requesting that he would, if possible, send a frigate to divert some of the enemy’s fire from her. On his return he was ordered by the Rear-Admiral to superintend the placing of the explosion-vessel, which, charged; with 143 barrels of powder, blew up close under the semicircular battery to the northward of the lighthouse. From 23 Oct. 1816 until paid off in Feb. 1819, Capt. Powell commanded the Heron 18, on the Milford station. He has since been on half-pay. He attained his present rank 26 Dec. 1822.
He was left a widower 10 July, 1847.
* ↑ Including the Apollo 36, Capt. John Wm. Taylor Dixon, under whom he was wrecked, off the Coast of Portugal, 1 April, 1804. The Captain and 60 of the crew wore lost; and Mr. Powell and the remainder left for three days on the wreck without sustenance, and only partially clothed.
* ↑ Vide Gaz. 1807, p. 1351.