A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Macdonald, Colin
MACDONALD, C.B. (Captain, 1814. f-p, 20; h-p., 34.)
Colin Macdonald is second son of Colin Macdonald, second Laird of Boisdale, by his second wife, Isabella, daughter of Capt. Robt. Campbell, of Glenfalloch, whose family are next in succession to the Breadalbane titles and estates. One of his half-brothers, Alexander, served as Captain in the 71st Regt. during the American war; and another, Donald, on attaining, in 1796, the rank of Colonel, raised a regiment of the line, called the Macdonald Regiment, of which he was Colonel-Commandant. Capt. Colin Macdonald is a younger brother of the late Sir Reginald Macdonald, an Advocate and H.M. Sheriff-Depute for co. Stirling, and also of the present Lieut.-Colonel Robt. Macdonald, C.B., of Inchkenneth and Gribune, co. Argyle. He is uncle of Sir Henry Jas. Seton Steuart, Bart., of Allanton, co. Lanark, and of Lieut. Jas. Archibald Macdonald, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 2 April, 1793, as Ordinary, on board the Southampton 32, Capt. Hon. Robt. Forbes, which vessel was attached to the fleet under Lord Howe in the action of 1 June, 1794. In April, 1795, Mr. Macdonald, who on that occasion had performed the duties of Midshipman, removed to the Dryad, of 44 guns and 251 men, commanded at first by Capt. Forbes, and afterwards by Lord Amelius Beauclerk, on the coast of Ireland, where he took part, 13 June, 1796, in a close and spirited engagement of 45 minutes, which resulted in the capture, with a loss to the British of 2 killed and 7 wounded, and to the enemy of 30 killed and 45 wounded, of the French frigate La Proserpine, of 42 guns and 348 men. On 3 June, 1799, at which time he was serving on board the Andromache 32, Capt. Robt. Laurie, Mr. Macdonald was made Lieutenant into the Beaver sloop, Capt. C. B. Jones. His next appointments were – 4 Jan. 1800, to the Neptune 98, Capt. Jas. Vashon – 17 Nov. 1800, to the Resolution 74, Capt. Hon. Alan Hyde Gardner, whom he accompanied to the West Indies – 15 Jan. 1803 (after six months of half-pay), to the Constance 24, Capt. Anselm John Griffiths, employed in the North Sea – 19 Oct. 1803, to the Hero 74, Capt. Hon. A. H. Gardner, also on the Home station – and, 8 June, 1804, and 3 Aug. 1805, to the Monarch and Edgar 74’s, flag-ships, again in the North Sea, of Admiral Lord Keith. Obtaining a second promotal commission 4 June, 1807, Capt. Macdonald successively assumed command, 8 Aug. in that year and 13 Aug. 1812, of the Redpole 10 and Scylla 18. In the former of those vessels, after having co-operated in the reduction of Flushing, he made prize, 9 Dec. 1809, at the end of an action of half an hour, fought oif Beachy Head, of Le Grand Rodeur French privateer, of 16 guns and 80 men, 1 of whom was killed and 2 wounded;[1] and on 21 Sept. 1811 he contributed, in a very zealous manner, to the capture, in the course of a valiant contest with a division of the Boulogne flotilla, of La Ville de Lyons praam, of 12 long 24-pounders and 112 men.[2] When in the Scylla, and in company with the Royalist 18, Capt. Macdonald, after a long chase, commenced a spirited action, which lasted 1 hour and 40 minutes, and terminated in the surrender, 21 Oct. 1813, on the approach of the Rippon 74, of the French frigate Le Weser, of 40 guns and 340 men, at the time under jury main and mizen masts. The loss of the enemy appears to have been 4 killed and 15 wounded; and that of the sloops, united, of 2 killed and 11 wounded.[3] Capt. Macdonald attained Post-rank 7 June, 1814; was nominated a C.B. 4 June, 1815; and accepted the Retirement 1 Oct. 1846.