George Collier
Vice-Admiral | |
|---|---|
| Commands held | |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight Bachelor |
| Relations | Francis Augustus Collier (son) |
Vice Admiral Sir George Collier (11 May 1732 – 6 April 1795) was an officer of the
Early life
George Collier was born on 11 May 1732 in Honiton, Devon, elder son of George Collier and Henrietta unknown. He was baptised Francis Lewis George, son of George and Henrietta Collier, on 21 May 1732 in Westminster, London. (See Westminster baptism records). On 9 January 1754 he passed the required examination and was appointed Lieutenant being 'over 21'. (It would appear that the previous erroneous date of birth has been copied and copied until it has been accepted as truth).
American War of Independence
With the outbreak of the
One anecdote of Rainbow during this period was written by Captain Alexander McDonald, paymaster of the 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants), on 20 December 1778:
...Flanking Companies. I am told they are a terror to All the Soldiers & Sailors about Halifax a few nights ago a boats Crew from the Rainbow was ashore & Committing some disorders & Riots in One of the Houses w'ch the Grenadiers frequent a party of them came in immediately beat the Sailors damnably and each of them took one upon his back threw them into their boat like so many bags of wool launched the boat & set them adrift.
Collier remained at Halifax until called upon to succeed the departing Admiral
On 30 May, Collier joined the British assault on
It is remarkable that Sir G. Collier, with so scanty a force, should have been during the five months able to effect more objects against the rebels than the admirals that commanded such large fleets.[4]
Replaced as commander-in-chief by Admiral
Later years
Collier took the opportunity of his time ashore to embark on a career in politics. He was elected as
Family and other achievements
Collier had married twice during his lifetime, once in 1763 to Christina Gwyn, with whom he had a son; and again in 1781 to Elizabeth Fryer, with whom he had two daughters and four sons.[2] Two of these sons went into the army, the other two followed their father into the Navy. One son was Francis Augustus Collier, who like his father achieved flag rank.[6] Sir George had written a stage version of Beauty and the Beast prior to the American War of Independence, entitled Selima and Asor. It was performed at Drury Lane in 1776, and received favourable reviews.[6] He had also written an account of his visits to Paris and Brussels in the summer of 1773, which were published by his granddaughter in 1885 under the title France on the Eve of the Great Revolution.[6]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h Laughton (1887), p. 339.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Laughton (1887), p. 340.
- ^ Bicheno (2003), p. 142.
- ^ a b Gwyn, Julian (1979). "Collier, Sir George". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. IV (1771–1800) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
- ^ Bicheno (2003), pp. 149–153.
- ^ a b c Laughton (1887), p. 341.
References
- Laughton, J. K. (1887). . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 11. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 339-341.
- Bicheno, Hugh (2003). Rebels and Redcoats: The American Revolutionary War. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-00-715625-2.
- The Naval Chronicle, for 1814: Containing a General and Biographical History of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. Vol. XXXII. Joyce Gold. 1814. pp. 353–399.
Further reading
- Cornwell, Bernard (2010). The Fort. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780007331727. Retrieved 1 September 2018. A historical novel depicting the Penobscot Expedition, with a non-fiction "Historical Note" (pp. 451–468) on sources and key details.
