No truer description of the man as a fact was ever penned than the words that Thackeray years afterwards used of Collingwood: “Another true knight of those days was Cuthbert Collingwood, and I think since heaven made gentlemen, there is not record of a better one than that.”
Collingwood’s officers at Trafalgar, those who served with him on board the Royal Sovereign, were these. According to the muster book the ship was two lieutenants short on the 21st of October.
Captain—Edward Rotherham.
Lieutenants—John Clavell, Joseph Simmons, James Bashford (wounded), Edward Barker, Brice Gilliland (killed), Francis Blower Gibbes.
Master—William Chalmers (killed).
Surgeon—Richard Lloyd.
Purser—Brinsley S. Oliver.
Chaplain—Rev. John Rudall.
Secretary—W. R. Cosway.
Gunner—Nicholas Brown.