Alexander Collville
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The Honorable Lord Alexander Collville served as the Commodore and Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Ship's and Vessels in North America from 1757 to 1762
Collville came to Canada during the summer of 1757 with the rank of Captain R.N., in command of the 70 gun HMS Northumberland, which formed part of Vice-Admiral Holburne's fleet ordered to attack Louisbourg. The attack was called off due to the strength of the French fleet, and because the British squadron had been caught and scattered by a September hurricane. On 14th November, 1757, Colville assumed command at Halifax with the rank of Commodore as instructed by Holburne. He remained in Halifax over the winter flying his broad pendant in the NORTHUMBERLAND (Capt. Henry Martin, R.N.). On 19th March, 1758, Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Hardy arrived at Halifax from England and took over the squadron with instructions from Vice-Admiral Edward Boscawen to blockade Louisbourg. Colville reverted to Captain and reassumed command of the NORTHUMBERLAND in which he served under Boscawen at the successful siege of Louisbourg. He returned to England with Boscawen, spent the winter there, and came out to Louisbourg again in the spring of 1759, arriving on 14th May still in command of the NORTHUMBERLAND.
He served at the siege of Quebec as part of Rear-Admiral Durell’s force of great ships which patrolled the Gulf of St. Lawrence during the campaign. On 16th October, 1759, Colville was appointed by Vice-Admiral Saunders, Commander-in-Chief in North America to the rank of Commodore. He spent the winter at Halifax, flying his broad pendant in the NORTHUMBERLAND, (Capt. W. Adams). In April, 1760, he led his squadron to Quebec to find that a small force under Captain Swanton in the VANGUARD had relieved the British garrison which was under attack by 11,000 French troops commanded by General Lévis. Colville remained in the St. Lawrence until early October when, observing that Vaudreuil had surrendered Canada to General Amherst, he dispersed the ships and returned to Halifax, sailing from the Île d'Orléans on 13th October and arriving in Halifax 24th October. The following day the GREYHOUND arrived with Admiralty instructions for Swanton to relieve Colville as Commander-in-Chief, with the rank of Commodore. Swanton had been instructed by Colville to escort the transports to England as soon as the French prisoners were on board—a date estimated to be 20th October. The GREYHOUND was therefore sent back to the St. Lawrence to look for the VANGUARD with instructions to return to England if the latter had sailed. Colville reported that he would carry on as Commander-in-Chief until relieved. Swanton was not found and Colville spent his third winter in command at Halifax, still a Commodore and still in the NORTHUMBERLAND.
He remained as Commander-in-Chief over the winter of 1761-62 also, and went to the relief of St. John's, Newfoundland in August 1762. Finally he got back to England in the autumn of that year and was promoted Rear-Admiral of the White on 21st October, 1762.
After less than a year in the United Kingdom Colville was again appointed to the North America Station. He sailed in the ROMNEY on 31st August 1763 and arrived in Halifax on 13th October. He remained there for the next three years thus establishing a record for command of the station. Little of importance occurred during these years and the Admiral’s dispatches report that his main concerns were smuggling and desertion.
Lord Colville was succeeded by Vice-Admiral of the Blue, Philip Durell, but the latter died on 26th August 1766 just four days after his arrival at Halifax. However, this melancholy event did not delay Colville in his departure. He sailed for England on 5th September leaving instructions for Captain Joseph Deane of the MERMAID to take command until the arrival of a new Commander-in-Chief.
Colville apparently held no other command and received no further promotion. He died in Scotland 21st May, 1770.
Colville was well known for his well preserved seried of detailed, well written letters to various other military leaders, his family, the King, and other influential people. These letters have provided more historical information about that time period than many other forms available. His writing was so prolific, that many of his letters can still be found in antique shops from London, to Halifax to New York City. A less remembered, but important contributor to the UK control of the North American seas and in the battles of the Seven Years War. Not to survive long enough for the American Revolution, clearly Collvile, if younger, would have played a critical role in those battles.
[edit] References
- Maier, Pauline Popular Uprisings and Civil Authority in Eighteenth-Century America The William and Mary Quarterly. 3rd Ser., Vol. 27, No. 1 (Jan., 1970), pp. 3-35
