How does one organize a Lightroom collection by date of capture?

Wow--I'd have thought I could figure this out---but I can't! I've got a collection that I've made of 1100 photos and I'd have thought they'd drop into the collection folder organized by time and date---just like a regular folder in the library. They are all helter skelter though. I've used collections a lot over the years and it never mattered---or never noticed it. BUT---I need it now. Thanks!