A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Brand, William Henry
BRAND. (Commander, 1846. f-p., 34; h-p., 8.)
William Henry Brand, born 8 Oct. 1790, is son of the late Alex. Brand, Esq., R.N.; and brother of Major Brand of the 16th Regiment, of the present Lieut. Charles, and of the late Lieuts. Geo. Rowley and Thos. Dickson Brand, R.N.[1]
This officer entered the Navy, 18 May, 1805, as Midshipman, on board the Revenge 74, Capts. Robt. Moorsom and Sir John Gore, under the former of whom he was present at the battle of Trafalgar, 21 Oct. 1805; and, under the latter, at the capture of four French frigates by a squadron under Sir Sam. Hood, off Rochefort, 25 Sept. 1806. From Aug. 1807, to July, 1808, he was next borne on the books of the Redwing 18, Capt. Thos. Ussher, and during that period was constantly engaged with the batteries and gun-boats in the Gut of Gibraltar – was on one occasion, while in a detained vessel, taken prisoner by a Spanish flotilla – and, on again joining the Redwing, shared, 7 May, 1808, in her gallant annihilation of an opposing force of seven armed vessels, carrying in all 22 guns and 271 men, and having in escort a convoy of 12 sail, near Cape Trafalgar. During a subsequent attachment of two years and a half to the Apollo 38, Capt. Bridges Watkinson Taylor, Mr. Brand co-operated much with the patriots on the coast of Catalonia, particularly at the blockade of Barcelona, where he was frequently under the fire of the batteries and troops. He further assisted at the capture, 13 Feb. 1812, of the French frigate-built store-ship Merinos, of 20 guns and 126 men, under the batteries of Corsica – also, at the reduction by the Apollo’s boats, 21 Dec. following, of the tower of St. Cataldo, the strongest between Brindisi and Otranto – as well as, with great credit, at the taking, 29 Jan. and 3 Feb. 1813, of the islands of Augusta and Curzola, on both which occasions he was despatched with the intelligence to the Commander-in-Chief, Rear-Admiral Thos. Fras. Freemantle, then at Liesa;[2] and in the following summer he contributed, again in the boats, to the capture, by boarding, of a French gun-vessel, in which was taken prisoner the Colonel and Chief of Engineers at Corfu. On returning from the latter place, whither he had been sent with a flag of truce to convey the wounded, Mr. Brand rejoined his party, who were shortly afterwards attacked by a strong flotilla and obliged to run on shore near Parga, where, after expending all their ammunition, they took refuge for several days in the mountains. It is also our duty to record that on 21 Aug. 1812, while acting pro tem, as Lieutenant of the Weasel 18, Capt. John Wm. Andrew, the subject of the present memoir commanded the boats at the boarding and capture of an armed settee and trabacolo near St. Nicolo; that he subsequently aided in bringing out a vessel of the same description as the latter from a creek not far from Otranto; that, while attached, in a similar capacity, after the surrender of Curzola, to the Imogene 16, Capt. Taylor, he was for nearly three months employed in erecting batteries on that island; and that, in one instance, after marching three miles at the head of a hody of sea-men and marines, he surprised the guard at Sabionetta, and brought away captive the Préfêt and his secretary. Mr. Brand, who received his first commission 30 Dec. 1813, afterwards served, from 28 Feb. 1814, to 22 Aug. 1816, in the Badger 10, Capts. Sam. Trevor Dickins and Hon. Chas. Orlando Bridgeman, with the latter of whom he witnessed the reduction of Guadeloupe in 1815. He was appointed, 2 June, 1824, and 5 March, 1825, to the Ramillies and Hyperion, Capts. Wm. M‘Culloch and Wm. Jas. Mingaye, both employed on the Coast Blockade; and, from 25 Sept. 1826, until advanced to his present rank, 9 Nov. 1846, was next occupied in the Coast Guard, in which he held the Inspecting-Commandership of the Shetland district from Sept. 1828, until its abolition in Feb. 1844. He is now on half-pay.
Commander Brand married, 17 May, 1832, Christina Cecilia, second daughter of Jas. Greig, Esq., Procurator Fiscal of Shetland, by whom he has issue two sons and three daughters. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.
- ↑ Lieut. Geo. Rowley Brand, an officer of distinguished valour, who had served at Camperdown, and had on different occasions, while combating the enemies of his country, received upwards of 20 severe wounds, commanded the Unique schooner, and was killed in action with a French privateer of twice his own force, 23 Feb. 1806, when the British vessel, after a glorious resistance, went down with her colours flying. In testimony of their sense of his son’s services and gallantry on this and various other occasions, Lloyd’s presented Mr. Alexander Brand with the sum of 300l.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1813, p. 1307.