nothing specific is known about powell's life before his arrival on st helena, but it is clear that he was one of the soldiers, who retook the island from the dutch in may 1673. captain richard munden was leading a small convoy of east indiamen on its way back from the east, when he found the island annexed by the dutch. munden caught three fully loaded dutch ships and landed a small force of marines behind jamestown and recaptured the island on 4 may. he installed a temporary garrison to hold the island.