ton. However, Collier declared his “inexpress-
ible astonishment and concern” when the
fleeing Americans escaped by boat to New
York City, without any interference from the
Royal Navy. He was not aware of, and cer-
tainly did not agree with, Lord Howe’s at-
tempts to mollify the rebels by going easy on
them. Perhaps for this reason, the admiral dis-
patched Collier and a naval squadron to Nova
Scotia to organize naval defenses there.
Within months his ships were responsible for
the seizure of 76 American vessels, and in July
1777 Collier capped his success by the signal
capture of the new 32-gun American frigate
Hancock. At length, he also became involved
with events on land by forwarding a squadron
with reinforcements to relieve Fort Cumber-
land, New Brunswick, then under siege. The
following June, intelligence arrived regarding
an impending rebel attack against Nova Sco-
tia by troops concentrated at Machias (in
present-day Maine). Collier reacted swiftly by
sending six vessels crammed with soldiers
who landed and quickly dispersed enemy
forces. Many vessels were burned, and large
quantities of military stores were also taken.
Collier’s excellent reputation held him in
good stead in April 1779, when he replaced
Adm. James Gambier as acting commander in
chief with the rank of commodore. He was
also unique among naval commanders in
American waters for his uncanny ability to get
along with Gen. Henry Clinton, the prickly
senior military commander at New York. That
May, Collier prevailed upon Clinton to lend
him 2,000 troops for an ambitious foray into
Chesapeake Bay. Clinton was duly impressed
by the plan and assigned Gen. Edward
Mathew to the task. On May 10 the two men
attacked and burned Fort Nelson before also
putting the ports of Norfolk and Suffolk to the
torch. Over the next two weeks Collier
cruised the lightly defended coastline, burn-
ing ships, supplies, and anything useful to the
enemy. By the time the endeavor ended in
June, Collier had accounted for 28 vessels and
more than 1,000 hogsheads of tobacco, a vital
cash crop. He then returned to New York and
shortly after assisted Clinton in the capture of
Fort Lafayette (present-day Verplanck, New
York). He subsequently provided material as-
sistance throughout a protracted raid along
the Connecticut coast for several weeks.
Compared to his unpopular predecessor, Col-
lier was an extremely aggressive, cooperative
naval leader. Clinton came to value his coop-
eration highly—and would miss it dearly
when he departed.
Collier’s greatest contribution to the
British war effort occurred in August 1779,
when he learned that a major American naval
expedition had entered Penobscot Bay,
Maine. Mustering every vessel that floated, he
left New York and sailed quickly, hoping to
trap the enemy in place. On August 13, his
squadron captured two American vessels be-
fore they could get out an alarm, then sealed
the entire expedition of 38 vessels inside the
bay. The Americans quickly sortied up the
Penobscot River, where they beached and
then burned their flotilla. In one fell swoop,
Collier single-handedly annihilated the largest
American amphibious effort of the Revolu-
tionary War. It was a humiliating rebel defeat,
and the captain was roundly praised by King
George III. The Royal Navy, then headed by
the Earl of Sandwich, was desperate for ag-
gressive, competent naval commanders. How-
ever, Collier suffered a major disappointment
when he returned in triumph back to New
York. There he learned, much to his disgust,
that he had been replaced by the aging and in-
decisive Adm. Marriot Arbuthnot. Incensed
by this continuing lack of recognition, Collier
sought and obtained an immediate transfer
home. The British Admiralty, then under the
indolent Sandwich’s sway, apparently had no
place for a man of his caliber.
Back in England, Collier resumed his naval
career by serving in the Channel Fleet, and in
1781 he assisted in a major relief effort at
Gibraltar. On the return trip, he captured the
Spanish frigate Leocadia after a stiff engage-
ment. However, Collier never again held an in-
dependent command, and this gratuitous ne-
glect prompted his resignation.COLLIER, GEORGE