Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v4p2.djvu/278

  Mr., only son of Francis Collingwood, of Greenwich, Esq., by Sarah, sister to the late Captain Thomas Richbell, R.N., chief magistrate of the Thames Police, was born at Milford, co. Pembroke, Mar. 23d, 1785; 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, Bart., in 1799 ; and subsequently served in the Pheasant sloop, Beaulieu and Alligator frigates. Elephant 74, and Victory of 100 guns, the latter ship bearing the flag of the immortal Nelson, whose death he avenged by shooting the French rifleman who had, after repeated attempts, succeeded in mortally wounding that illustrious 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. Pallas 32, in which frigate we find him present, under the command of Captain (now Sir George F.) Seymour, at the destruction of five French men-of-war, in Aix Roads, April 12th, 1809. 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 which ship he continued for a period of five years.

