A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Nowell, William
NOWELL. (Lieut., 1812. f-p., 14; h-p., 30.)
William Nowell was born 20 Sept. 1788. This officer entered the Navy, 25 March, 1803, as L.M., on board the Prince Frederick, Lieut.Commander Sam. Gordon, lying at Plymouth, where he attained the rating of Midshipman in Feb. 1804, and continued until transferred, in July, 1805, to the Captain 74, Capt. Geo. Hopewell Stephens. In that ship he witnessed, 22 Aug. following. Admiral Hon. Wm. Cornwallis’ pursuit of the French fleet into Brest, and was on one occasion very nearly lost. After cruizing for 12 months with Capts. Wm. Lukin and Willoughby Thos. Lake in the Gibraltar 80, he joined, in Feb. 1807, the Sprightly cutter, in which vessel (part of the force engaged in the expedition of 1809 to the Walcheren) and in the Dwarf, of 10 guns, he was for four years employed in the Channel and Downs, again under the orders of Lieut. Gordon. In the summer of 1808, during a dead calm and thick hazy weather, he contrived, in the Sprightly’s small boats, with only four hands, to recapture the American brig Washington, laden with a valuable cargo, although in tow, at the moment he boarded her, of a French lugger privateer, rowing 13 sweeps on each side. The next day he carried his prize in safety into Dartmouth harbour. In 1811, after his name had been borne for a short period as a Supernumerary on the books of the Princess Caroline, Royal William, and Despatch, he joined the Milford 74, bearing the flag of Sir Rich. Goodwin Keats at the defence of Cadiz; where, in the Devastation and Thunder bombs, Capts. Taylor and Watkin Owen Pell, end in command of gun-boats Nos. 1 and 12, he remained until Nov. 1812. He then (he had been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 21 of the preceding March) took a passage in the Bristol 50, armée en flûte, Capt. John Thompson, for the purpose of joining the Barfleur 98, Capt. Sir Edw. Berry, off Toulon. During a subsequent cruize off the coast of Catalonia aa Supernumerary-Lieutenant of the Pompée 74, Capt. Sir Jas. Athol Wood, we find him detached in command of a tender. On 13 March, 1813, having removed to the Scipion 74, Capt. Henry Heathcote, he took command of the launch belonging to that ship, and had the good fortune to rescue H.M. gun-brig Confounder from what had appeared inevitable destruction. Before, however, he had had time to regain his own vessel he was driven in a squall to sea, where he remained four days and three nights without either provisions or water. In the end he was picked up by a merchantman, and carried into Port Mahon, but so great had been the sufferings undergone, that 8 of his crew died from the effects. As to himself, he ultimately lost the sight of the right eye, and was injured in the other to an extent that he has ever since continued to feel. He was afterwards present in the Scipion in the partial action fought with the French fleet off Toulon, and in Nov. 1814 was paid off. His last appointments were, in 1823-4, to the Ocean 80, Capt. Lucius Ferdinand Hardyman, Britannia 120, flag-ship of Sir Jas. Saumarez, and Windsor Castle 74, Capts. Hugh Downman and Edw. Durnford King, all stationed at Plymouth, where, in July, 1825, he was superseded at his own request.
Lieut. Nowell married, 27 June, 1816, Mary Ann Sutherland, eldest daughter of the late Mr. A. Vine, of Stonehouse, Devon, and sister of the late Lieut. Wm. Vine, R.N. (1812), of Darland, near Chatham, co. Kent. By that lady he has issue nine children.