A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Potbury, John Moon
POTBURY. (Commander, 1844.)
John Moon Potbury died at the commencement of 1848.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 Nov. 1805, as Second- cl. Vol., on board the Acasta 40, Capt. Rich. Dalling Dunn, under whom he fought in the action off St. Domingo, 6 Feb. 1806. Between Dec. in the latter year and July, 1808, he served on the Plymouth station, part of the time as Midshipman, in the Porcupine 24, Capt. Hon. Henry Duncan, in another ship, the name of which has escaped us, and in the El Firme, Capt. Wells. He was next, from June, 1810, to March, 1811, employed in the North Sea on board the Christian VII. 80; and in May, 1812, he joined the Namur 74, stationed at first on the coast of North America, and then in the West Indies; where, prior to his return to England in April, 1817, we find him serving for two years and 10 months in the Emulous 16, Capt. Rich. John Lewin, Shark sloop, Electra 14, Capt. R. J. Lewin, Emulous again, Capt. Thos. Wren Carter, a second time in the Shark, Capt. Hunter, Pique 36, Capt. Jas. Haldane Tait, Salisbury 50, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral John Erskine Douglas, and Primrose 18, Capt. Chas. Geo. Rodney Phillott. In May, 1822, until within a few weeks of which period he had been further employed, on Home service, in the Impregnable 104, flag-ship of Sir John Thos. Duckworth, Northumberland 74, Capt. Sir Michael Seymour, and, for two years and five months as Admiralty Midshipman, in the Lee and Redwing sloops, Capts. Stewart Blacker and Hon. Geo. Rolle Walpole Trefusis, he was appointed, in the capacity last mentioned, to the Alligator 28, Capt. Thos. Alexander, fitting for the East Indies. Being there confirmed a Lieutenant 22 Oct. 1823 – six months and 17 days after he had been ordered to act as such – in the Tees 26, Capt. Thos. Coe, he was afforded an opportunity, both in that vessel and in the Liffey 50, commanded by the same officer, of participating in the hostilities against the King of Ava. His appointments, after he left the Liffey, were – 24 April, 1827, to the Cadmus 10, Capts. Chas. Gordon and Sir Thos. Raikes Trigge Thompson, on the South American station, whence he returned in May, 1830 – 26 Jan. 1831, to the command of the Nimble schooner, at Jamaica, where he was superseded in Feb. 1833 – 13 Nov. 1835, to the Flamer steamer, which vessel, deducting a few months in 1836, he commanded for three years and a half on the Home and North America and West India stations – 10 Aug. 1841, to the command of the Spy brigantine, at Sheerness – and 22 Dec. following to the San Josef 110, Flag-Lieutenant to Sir Sam. Pym, Admiral-Superintendent at Devonport. On 16 Sept. 1844 he was advanced to the rank of Commander. His last appointment was, 30 March, 1847, to the Growler steam-sloop of 280 horse-power.