Cuthbert Collingwood
Collingwood joined the Preston in 1774 under Vice-Admiral Samuel Graves and sailed for Boston. During the battle of Bunker Hill on 17 June 1775 the Preston landed supplies to the army. Collingwood’s actions on that day led to his immediate promotion to lieutenant.
Collingwood had been a friend of Horatio Nelson since 1773 and was destined to follow him into several posts. He succeeded Nelson as second lieutenant of the Lowestoffe (1778), in command of the Badger (1779) and in command of the Hinchinbroke (1780).
Time ashore was brief for Collingwood during his long career but, at the end of the American War of Independence, he spent a year ashore before being posted to the West Indies in command of the Mediator. After three years protecting the trade routes in the islands, Collingwood returned home and spent four years with his family in Northumberland.
After another brief command in the West Indies (1790-91) Collingwood married Sarah Blackett on 16 June 1791. The couple moved to Morpeth where their two daughters, Sarah and Mary Patience, were born, in 1792 and 1793 respectively.
With the outbreak of war with France in 1793, Collingwood returned to sea. Aboard the Barfleur under Rear-Admiral George Bowyer, Collingwood saw action in the battle of the Glorious First of June (1794). He took over command of Bowyer’s subdivision during the battle after the Rear-Admiral lost a leg but, despite his actions, he was not awarded the gold medal for the battle.
When gold medals were awarded to flag officers and captains after the battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797, against a much larger Spanish fleet, Collingwood refused to accept his unless he was also awarded a medal for the Glorious First of June. Both medals were sent to him by April 1797.
For the next few years Collingwood was involved in the blockades of the French and Spanish fleets at Brest and Cadiz. His career advanced as he was promoted to commodore (1797), rear-admiral of the white (1799) and rear-admiral of the red (1801).
Collingwood saw his wife and children for the last time on 3 June 1803. After the brief peace of Amiens, war broke out again in May 1803 and Collingwood continued the blockades. A further promotion to vice-admiral of the blue came in 1804 and on 21 May 1805 Collingwood left England for the last time.
After blockading Villeneuve’s fleet at Cadiz, Collingwood was joined by Nelson who took command of the British fleet. Collingwood transferred to the Royal Sovereign.
The Battle of Trafalgar
After Nelson’s death, Collingwood took command of the fleet and transferred to the Euryalus. Nelson had intended to anchor the British ships and their captured prizes but this proved impossible for many due to battle damage. So Collingwood took the damaged ships in tow. Many were lost in severe gales but all of the British ships and four of the prizes arrived safely in Gibraltar.
Collingwood was promoted to vice-admiral of the red for his service. He was also created Baron Collingwood of Caldburne and Hethpoole, given a pension of £2000 per annum and awarded his third gold medal. Only Nelson and Sir Edward Berry matched this accumulation of gold medals for the war.
The final five years of his career and life were very tiring for Collingwood. As commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean fleet it was his duty to protect British trade while disrupting that of the enemy. His request to be relieved of duty due to ill-health in August 1808 was denied and so he continued his service.
Collingwood applied to return to England eigthteen months later but died on 7 March 1810 before his successor, Admiral Sir Charles Cotton, could relieve him. His body was returned to England and buried in the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral, close to Nelson, on 11 May.
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