Collingwood

Collingwood, CUTHBERT, LORD, admiral, was born at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 26th September 1750. Sent to sea as a volunteer at the age of eleven, his life thenceforth, with the exception of some half-dozen years, was spent wholly on board ship. From 1778 his career was closely connected with that of Nelson, whom he followed up the ladder of promotion step by step, until Nelson's death left the topmost round vacant for himself. Among the great naval victories in which Collingwood bore a prominent part, were those of Lord Howe off Brest in 1794; of Lord Jervis off Cape St Vincent in 1797; and of Trafalgar in 1805, where he held the second command. In the last-named engagement, his ship was, by Nelson's command, the first to break through the line of the combined French and Spanish fleets; and after Nelson had received his death-wound, he assumed the chief direction. A peerage was his reward for his gallant conduct in this battle. He died at sea, March 7, 1810, but was buried beside Nelson, in St Paul's. Collingwood was not the stuff great tacticians are made of, and his talents as a commander-in-chief were at best mediocre; but he was a brave and capable seaman, earnest and pious as a man, firm and mild as an officer, and admirable as a second in command. See his Correspondence and Life, by his son-in-law (1828), and shorter Lives of him by W. Davies (2d ed. 1878) and Clark Russell (1891).