A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Collier, Edward (a)
COLLIER, C.B. (Capt., 1814. f-p., 27; h-p., 24.)
Edward Collier was born, in 1783, at Blockley, co. Worcester.
This officer entered the Navy, in Feb. 1796, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Formidable 98, Capt. Hon. Geo. Cranfield Berkeley, flag-ship afterwards of Sir Chas. Thompson, under whom he attained the rating of Midshipman, 1 April, 1797. Between May, 1798, and the close of 1802, he next served, in the East and West Indies, on board the Maidstone and Seahorse frigates, Capts. Ross Donnelly and Edw. Jas. Foote, and Victorious 74, and Centurion 50, flag-ships of Vice-Admiral Peter Rainier; and, for his contributory exertions in saving the latter vessel, when on the point of foundering during a fearful hurricane, was appointed, 13 Dec. 1802, Acting-Lieutenant of the Arrogant 74, Capt. John Batt. Being soon afterwards lent to the Teignmouth brig, he accompanied Capt. Jas. Giles Vashon in an expedition sent in Feb. 1803 against the pirates of Guzzurat, on which occasion, after the hazardous destruction of thirty of the enemy’s vessels, he headed a division of seamen and marines in an attack made on one of their forts, where the British were completely repulsed, with a loss of 40 men killed and wounded. Mr. Collier, who was confirmed a Lieutenant 17 June, 1803, exchanged, in Nov. following, into the St. Fiorenzo 36, Capts. Jos. Bingham, Henry Lambert, and Geo. Nich. Hardinge, the second-named of whom he ably supported in a desperate conflict of several hours, which, on 14 Feb. 1805, rendered captive to the St. Fiorenzo the French 32-gun frigate La Psyché, after a loss to the former of 12 men killed and 36 wounded, and to her opponent of 57 killed and 70 wounded.[1] Having invalided home in March, 1808, on board the Monmouth 64, Capt. Edw. Durnford King, he next, on 14 Jan. 1809, joined, as First Lieutenant, the Thames 32, Capt. Hon. Granville Geo. Waldegrave, on the Mediterranean station, where his gallantry in command of the boats of that ship, and the Pilot brig, at the capture and destruction of a large and well protected convoy near Amanthea, 25 July, 1810, procured him a second promotal commission, bearing the same date.[2] Obtaining command, 27 Oct. 1812, of the Manly brig, Capt. Collier proceeded to the Scheldt, and then sailed with convoy for Newfoundland, whence he afterwards went to Halifax, where the Manly was driven high and dry on shore, during a heavy gale, 13 Nov. 1813, and only got off after an incessant labour of three weeks. In May, 1814, having volunteered with the whole of his ship’s company to co-operate with Sir Jas. Lucas Yeo on the Canadian lakes, Capt. Collier gallantly assisted, with the gun-boats under his orders, in the attack on Oswego.[3] After bearing a part in many other arduous enterprizes he was officially advanced, 18 Nov. following, to the command of the Princess Charlotte 42. He returned to England in 1816; commanded subsequently, from 8 Sept. 1818, until 30 Nov. 1821, the Mersey 26, on the Halifax station; and, on 3 April, 1837, joined the Castor 36, in which frigate, during the Syrian campaign, he conducted a series of successful operations against the towns of Caiffa, Jaffa, and Tsour, and shared in the bombardment of St. Jean d’Acre, where, after highly distinguishing himself, he had the misfortune to have his leg severely fractured, and received other hurts of a slighter description.[4] Capt. Collier, who was nominated a C.B. 18 Dec. 1840, and paid off the Castor in 1841, has been in command, since 4 Feb. 1845, of the Rodney 92, one of an experimental squadron employed under the orders of Rear-Admirals Hyde Parker and Sir Sam. Pym. Capt. Collier is deputy-lieutenant for the co. of Worcester. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.