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Re: Edward Henry Collingwood b.1817 - d.1878 Old Hong Kong
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https://archive.org/stream/cihm_37593/cihm_37593_djvu.txtFRANCIS EDWARD COLLINGWOOD, Esq.
Is descended from a very ancient family, the CoUingwoods,
of Eslington, co. Northumberland, Avho, led by their attach-
ment to the House of Stuart, suffered a great reverse of for-
tune, in J 71 5. His grandfather, Edward, successively
master- attendant of the dock-yards at Plymouth, Ports-
mouth, Chatham, and Deptford, (the first person of the name
of Collingwood whom we find mentioned in our naval annals),
sailed round the world, as midshipman, with Anson, by whom
he was ever afterwards patronised, and was master of the
Victory, first rate, flag- ship of Admiral Sir John Balchen, a
short time previous to her loss, in Oct. 1744 *.
• On the 3d Oct, 1744, the fleet under Sir John Balchen, then return-
ing home from Gibraltar, encountered a violent storm, in which several
of the ships were much shattered. On the 4th, the "Victory separated
from her consorts, and was never more heard of. It is supposed that she
struck upon a ridge of rocks off the Caskets ; as from the testimony of
the men ^vho attended the lights, and the inhabitants of the island of ......
. Mr. Francis. Edward, Collingwood, only son of Francis Collngwood,
of Greenwich, Esq., by Sarah, sister to the hite Captain
Thomas Richbell, K. N., chief magistrate of the Thames
Police, was born at Milford, co. Pembroke, Mar. 23(1, IZHi ;
and entered the royal navy, as midshipman on board the
America 64, commanded by his uncle-in-law, the late Vice-
Admiral Sir William Parker, IJart., in IJiB*; and subse-
quently served in the Pheasant sloop, Beaulieu and Alligator
frigates. Elephant 7'lj and Victory of 1(X) guns, the latter
ship bearing the flag of the immortal Nelson, whose death he
avenged by shooting the French rifleman who had, after re-
peated attempts, succeeded in mortally wounding that illus-
trious hero at the ever memorable battle of Trafalgar. During
that tremendous conflict, he was sent from his quarters on
the poop, where the carnage was most dreadful, with a few
men, to assist in extinguishing a fire on board the French 74-
gun ship, le Redoubtable, which service he performed in a
manner highly satisfactory to his captain, the present Sir
Thomas M. Hardy. His promotion to the rank of lieutenant
took place on the 22d Jan. 1806.
After serving for some time in the Queen 98, flag-ship of
Lord Collingwood, and Bahama 74, one of the Spanish ships
captured off Trafalgar, this officer was appointed to the. Pal-
las 32, in which frigate we find him present, under the com -
mand of Captain (now Sir George F.) Seymour, at the de-
struction of five French men-of-war, in Aix Roads, April
12th, 1809 f. In the ensuing summer, he accompanied the
grand expedition sent against Antwerp, and was constantly
employed, in guard boats and on shore, during the occupation
of Walcheren. His next appointment was, Dec. 13th, 1809,
to be first lieutenant of the Iris 30, in M'hich ship he con-
tinued for a period of five years.
Alderney, many guns were heard on the nights of the 4th and 5th, but
the weather was too tempestuous to hazard boats out to their assisiaute.
In this ship perished near one thousand men, besides fifty volunteers,
sons of the first nobility and gentry in the kingdom.
COMMANDERS.
The Iris was principally employed in co-operation with the
patriots on the north coast of Spain, where Lieutenant Col-
lingwood appears to have been a constant volunteer for boat
and shore service; and on many occasions obtained the par-
ticular approbation of Captain Sir George Collier, senior
officer of the squadron on that station. A sketch of the
transactions in which he was engaged in the years 1811,
1812, and 1813.
In 1813, the Iris, then commanded by Captain H. H.
Christian, captured three American letters of manpie. In
Nov. 1814, Mr. Coliingwood was appointed first lieutenant
of the Niger 38, Captain Peter Rainier, under whom he served
for a short time on the Cape of Good Hope station. In Dec.
1820, he obtained the command of the Kite revenue cruiser,
employed on the coast of Ireland, wliere he continued for the
usual period of three years. During this time he had two
ribs and his breast bone fractured, was wounded by a pike
through the leg, and received two severe contusions on the
head, hie was also washed overboard in a heavy gale of
wind, and must have perished, all his boats having been pre-
viously lost, had not a following sea thrown him on the
square-sail brace, to which he clung until assisted in-board.
His promotion to the rank of commander took place Jan.
15th, 1828.
This officer married, in May 1822, Ellen second daughter
of the late Rev. Samuel Collis, of Fort William, co. Kerry,
-ly whom he has several children. His only surviving sister
•vas tlie wife of Dr. J. D. Burke, late surgeon of H. M. dock-
yard at Pembroke, and is now the widow of the Rev. Hugh
Taylor. . .
