Alexander Colville, 7th Lord Colville of Culross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexander Colville
7th Lord Colville of Culross |
|
|---|---|
| Born | 28 February 1717 Dundee, Scotland |
| Died | 21 May 1770 (aged 53) Drumsheugh, Scotland |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Rank | Vice-Admiral |
| Commands held | HMS Leopard HMS Northumberland North American Station Devonport Command |
| Battles/wars | War of Jenkins' Ear Seven Years' War |
Vice-Admiral Alexander Colville, 7th Lord Colville of Culross (born February 28, 1717 – died May 21, 1770) was an important British naval officer. He was in charge of the British ships in North America from 1757 to 1762.
Colville wrote many detailed letters. These letters give us a lot of information about his time. They tell us about battles and life in the 1700s. Even today, some of his letters are found in old shops. He helped Britain control the seas around North America. He also played a key role in the Seven Years' War.
Contents
Alexander Colville joined the Royal Navy in 1732. He was a volunteer, learning about life at sea. In 1739, he took part in attacks on cities like Portobelo in Panama. He also helped attack Cartagena in Colombia. These events were part of a conflict called the War of Jenkins' Ear. In 1740, he became the commander of a ship called HMS Leopard. With this ship, he captured or destroyed many enemy vessels.
The Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a big global conflict. It lasted from 1756 to 1763. Great Britain fought against France and its allies.
Fighting at Louisbourg
Colville arrived in Canada in the summer of 1757. He was a Captain and commanded HMS Northumberland. This ship had 70 guns. It was part of a British fleet planning to attack Louisbourg. However, the attack was called off. The French fleet was too strong. Also, a hurricane scattered the British ships.
In November 1757, Colville became a Commodore. He took command at Halifax. He stayed there for the winter. In March 1758, another admiral arrived. Colville then went back to being a Captain. He served under Vice-Admiral Edward Boscawen. They successfully attacked Louisbourg in 1758. This was known as the Siege of Louisbourg. Colville then returned to England. He came back to Louisbourg in the spring of 1759. He was still in command of the Northumberland.
The Siege of Quebec
Colville also helped at the siege of Quebec. His ships patrolled the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This was important for the British campaign. In October 1759, he became the Commander-in-Chief in North America. He was promoted to Commodore again.
He spent the winter in Halifax. In April 1760, he sailed his ships to Quebec. They found that a small British force had already helped the British soldiers there. These soldiers were being attacked by French troops. Colville stayed in the St. Lawrence area. He left in October when Canada surrendered to the British. He sailed back to Halifax.
He remained in command at Halifax for a third winter. He was still a Commodore.
The Burying the Hatchet Ceremony
Colville stayed as commander-in-chief through the winter of 1761-1762. On June 25, 1761, he took part in a special event. It was called the "Burying the Hatchet ceremony." This ceremony took place in Governor Jonathan Belcher's garden in Halifax. The ceremony officially ended seventy years of fighting between the Mi'kmaq people and the British.
Helping at St. John's
In August 1762, he went to help at St. John's, Newfoundland. After this, he finally returned to England. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral in October 1762. In January 1763, he became the Port Admiral at Plymouth.
Back to Halifax
After less than a year in England, Colville was sent back to North America. He sailed in HMS Romney in August 1763. He arrived in Halifax in October. He stayed there for the next three years. This was a long time to command the station. During these years, his main tasks were to stop illegal trade and prevent sailors from leaving their posts.
Who Took Over After Colville?
Lord Colville was replaced by Vice-Admiral Philip Durell. However, Durell died just four days after arriving in Halifax in August 1766. This sad event did not stop Colville from leaving. He sailed for England in September. He left instructions for Captain Joseph Deane to take command until a new leader arrived.
Colville's Final Years
Colville did not hold any other commands after this. He also did not receive any more promotions. He passed away in Drumsheugh, Scotland, on May 21, 1770. He was 53 years old.
