[2][3] Among his ancestors was Sir Richard Herbert of Coldbrook, who was beheaded with his brother William, Earl of Pembroke at Banbury, the day after the Battle of Edgecote Moor on 26 July 1469.

[2] Herbert joined the Royal Navy on 23 July 1803 as a first-class volunteer on board HMS Excellent under Captain Frank Sotheron.

On 1 August 1809, as a reward for his conduct as prize-master of L'Alert, containing 20 guns and 149 men, Herbert was made a lieutenant by Sir Alexander Cochrane in his flagship HMS Neptune, on the recommendation of Ballard.

[2] From March 1810 to June 1814, Herbert served as a lieutenant on board HMS Pompee under Captain James Athol Wood in the West Indies, Home, and Mediterranean stations.

In 1814, he became first lieutenant under Captain Charles John Napier of the frigate HMS Euryalus, in which he served in the War of 1812 against the United States.

[2][4] He was mentioned in the dispatches of Sir James Gordon for his ability and exertions displayed throughout the operations on the Potomac River, including the capture of Fort Washington and Raid on Alexandria.

Herbert was directed to assume command of the naval force in the Río de la Plata to protect British interests at Buenos Aires during a blockade by a French squadron, and at Monte Video.

[5][6] The ships fired on the island's lower fort of sixteen guns facing the sea, and silenced the Chinese batteries in less than an hour.

[10] Herbert returned to England by the Cape of Good Hope, thus completing a circumnavigation of the globe, and paid off Blenheim in March 1843.

On 11 January 1847, he was employed as commodore on the South East Coast of America Station until 1849, with a broad pennant on HMS Raleigh.