Born in 1837 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Brazell was still living in that city when he joined the Navy. He served during the Civil War first on the . In the April 1862 Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, "Brooklyn" fought Confederate ships in the Mississippi and passed artillery batteries at Chalmette, Louisiana, leading to the capture of New Orleans. The ship then proceeded up the river and Brazell participated in the passage of Vicksburg, Mississippi, in mid-1862 before transferring to the . At the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, he showed "coolness and good conduct" while serving as a quartermaster and gun captain aboard "Richmond". For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor four months later, on December 31, 1864.