Royal Naval Biography/Dickson, Archibald Collingwood
SIR ARCHIBALD COLLINGWOOD DICKSON,
Baronet; and Rear-Admiral of the White.
This officer is the eldest surviving son of the late Admiral William Dickson, by Jane, daughter of Alexander Collingwood, of Unthank, co. Northumberland, Esq., and nephew of Admiral Sir Archibald Dickson, the first Baronet, on whose demise in 1803, he succeeded to the title. He was born, June 30, 1772; received his first commission in 1791; and served as a Lieutenant of the Royal George, bearing the flag of Sir Alexander Hood, (afterwards Lord Bridport,) in the memorable action of June 1, 1794[1]. He subsequently commanded the Megaera fire-vessel, and was promoted to the rank of Post-Captain, Dec. 12, 1796.
In 1799, when his father succeeded the late Sir Richard Onslow as commander of a division of the North Sea fleet, Captain Dickson was appointed to his flag-ship, the Monarch, of 74 guns; from which he afterwards removed into the Veteran, 64, and in her assisted at the capture of the Dutch Rear-Admiral Storey and his squadron in the Texel[2]. He subsequently accompanied the armament sent to Elsineur to give weight to the remonstrances of Lord Whitworth, whom the British government had sent over to adjust the dispute that had arisen on the subject of searching neutrals supposed to be carrying supplies to the enemy. The Veteran also formed part of Sir Hyde Parker’s fleet employed against the Northern Confederacy in the spring of 1801.
During the greater part of the late war, Sir Archibald commanded the Orion, 74; and on that ship being put out of commission, in the spring of 1813, he was appointed to the Akbar, of 50 guns, in which he served on the South American station until the conclusion of hostilities. His last appointment was in July, 1815, to the Rochfort, 80, the command of which he retained during a period of three years. He was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral Aug. 12, 1819. lonely Dickson is a daughter of the late Admiral John Bourmaster. His son, David John Dickson, is a Lieutenant, R.N.