Jesse Elliott
Encyclopedia
Jesse Duncan Elliot was a United States naval officer and commander of American naval forces in Lake Erie
during the War of 1812
, especially noted for his controversial actions during the Battle of Lake Erie
.
. His childhood home, the Elliot-Bester House
, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1975. He enlisted in the US Navy as a midshipman in April 1804 and saw action in the Mediterranean Sea
during the Barbary Wars
between 1805 and 1807, serving on board the USS Essex
under Commodore James Barron
. In June 1807, Elliott was on board USS Chesapeake
when Commodore Barron was forced to allow a search of the ship by HMS Leopard
.
to oversee construction of the US naval fleet upon the outbreak of the War of 1812. On 8 October 1812, he and Capt. Nathan Towson captured the British brigs HMS Caledonia and Detroit formerly the United States brig Adams
anchored near the British Fort Erie
in the upper reaches of the Niagara River
. The Caledonia escaped to an American port with a load of furs and became the USS Caledonia. The Detroit was swept down the Niagara River into range of the British guns. Elliot battled the shore emplacement until his ammunition ran out and then beached the ship on Squaw Island and fled to the American side of the river. British and American guns destroyed the beached ship. They were later commended for this action by Congress. In February 1813, however, Elliot was replaced by Master Commandant
Oliver H. Perry.
Transferred to Lake Ontario
, Elliot served under Commodore Isaac Chauncey
as Captain on board the flagship the USS Madison
, and took part in the Battle of York
on 27 April 1813 and the Battle of Fort George
on 27 May. He was promoted to Master Commandant in July and reassigned to the Erie fleet, to serve as Commodore Perry's second-in-command. He felt Perry had insufficient combat experience, and was particularly critical of Perry's choice of Presque Isle for his shipyard.
against a British squadron under Captain Robert Barclay
on 10 September, Elliott commanded the brig USS Niagara
. Perry commanded the Niagaras sister-ship, USS Lawrence
. In the centre of the American line of battle, the Niagara was astern of the Caledonia which in turn was astern of the Lawrence. During the early stages of the battle, the Lawrence fought alone against several of the heaviest British ships while the Niagara was scarcely engaged. After the Lawrence was battered into a wreck, Perry took command of the Niagara while Elliot was dispatched by boat to urge the smaller American gunboats at the rear of the line of battle into closer action. The battle ended with the surrender of the entire British squadron.
Elliot won distinction for his actions and official praise from Perry, and was given command of the Erie fleet the next month. There was nevertheless controversy over his actions during the battle. Some (including Perry) suspected that he had deliberately held Niagara out of the battle in the beginning, and they would feud over this point to the end of their lives.
On January 6, 1814, he and Perry were each honored with a Congressional Gold Medal, the Thanks of Congress
. See 3 Stat. 141. This was the first time in history when an entire British naval squadron surrendered. Compare Congressional Gold Medal Honoring Jesse D. Elliott and Congressional Gold Medal Honoring Oliver Hazard Perry.
Even before the medals were given, Elliott and Perry became embroiled in a thirty year long controversy over their respective conduct and fault in the Battle—Perry claimed that Elliott failed to offer timely support; Elliott decried lack of communication and signals. Indeed, charges were filed, although not acted upon.
during the Second Barbary War
, and was promoted to Captain in 1818, serving on a naval commission selecting sites for navy yards, lighthouses, and other coastal fortifications, until 1822. In 1820, Elliott was second to Commodore James Barron when the latter fatally shot Stephen Decatur
in a duel. He was transferred to the Brazil Squadron in 1825, served as captain of the USS Cyane
for two years, and later commanded the West Indies Squadron
from 1829 to 1832.
He was appointed commander of the Boston Navy Yard in 1833 and of the Mediterranean Squadron in 1835. During the Mediterranean assignment, he was charged with minor offenses by several of his junior officers, and was recalled to the United States in 1838. Elliott was politically unpopular at the time (possibly stemming back to his performance during the Battle of Lake Erie and subsequent feud with Perry), and was convicted of these charges and suspended from duty for four years until the remaining charges were dismissed by President John Tyler
in October 1843. Appointed commander of the Philadelphia Navy Yard in December 1844, Elliot remained there until his death on 10 December 1845.
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, especially noted for his controversial actions during the Battle of Lake Erie
Battle of Lake Erie
The Battle of Lake Erie, sometimes called the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on 10 September 1813, in Lake Erie off the coast of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of Great Britain's Royal Navy...
.
Early life
Elliott was born in Hagerstown, MarylandHagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
. His childhood home, the Elliot-Bester House
Elliot-Bester House
Elliot-Bester House is a historic home located in Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland, United States. It is a two-story brick dwelling, painted yellow and trimmed with black and white. The home is associated with Commodore Jesse D...
, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975. He enlisted in the US Navy as a midshipman in April 1804 and saw action in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
during the Barbary Wars
Barbary Wars
The Barbary Wars were a series of wars between the United States of America and the Barbary States of North Africa in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. At issue was the Barbary pirates' demand of tribute from American merchant vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. If ships failed to pay, pirates...
between 1805 and 1807, serving on board the USS Essex
USS Essex (1799)
The first USS Essex of the United States Navy was a 36-gun or 32-gun sailing frigate that participated in the Quasi-War with France, the First Barbary War, and in the War of 1812, during which she was captured by the British in 1814 and served as HMS Essex until sold at public auction on 6 June...
under Commodore James Barron
James Barron
James Barron was an officer in the United States Navy. Commander of the frigate USS Chesapeake, he was court-martialed for his actions on 22 June 1807, which led to the surrender of his ship to the British....
. In June 1807, Elliott was on board USS Chesapeake
USS Chesapeake (1799)
USS Chesapeake was a 38-gun wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She was one of the original six frigates whose construction was authorized by the Naval Act of 1794. Joshua Humphreys designed these frigates to be the young navy's capital ships...
when Commodore Barron was forced to allow a search of the ship by HMS Leopard
HMS Leopard (1790)
HMS Leopard was a 50-gun Portland-class fourth rate of the Royal Navy. She served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and the War of 1812.-Construction and commissioning:...
.
War of 1812
Elliott won promotion to Lieutenant in April 1810 and was assigned to Lake ErieLake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
to oversee construction of the US naval fleet upon the outbreak of the War of 1812. On 8 October 1812, he and Capt. Nathan Towson captured the British brigs HMS Caledonia and Detroit formerly the United States brig Adams
Adams (brig)
HMS Detroit was a 6-gun brig of the Royal Navy. She served on Lake Erie during the War of 1812, giving the British control of the lake. She was briefly recaptured by the Americans, but came under heavy fire and had to be abandoned...
anchored near the British Fort Erie
Fort Erie
Fort Erie was the first British fort to be constructed as part of a network developed after the Seven Years' War was concluded by the Treaty of Paris at which time all of New France had been ceded to Great Britain...
in the upper reaches of the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...
. The Caledonia escaped to an American port with a load of furs and became the USS Caledonia. The Detroit was swept down the Niagara River into range of the British guns. Elliot battled the shore emplacement until his ammunition ran out and then beached the ship on Squaw Island and fled to the American side of the river. British and American guns destroyed the beached ship. They were later commended for this action by Congress. In February 1813, however, Elliot was replaced by Master Commandant
Master Commandant
Master commandant was a rank within the early United States Navy. The rank of master commandant was slightly higher than lieutenant, and a master commandant would often command warships too small to justify the command of a full captain. In the United States Navy, the rank was shortened to...
Oliver H. Perry.
Transferred to Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
, Elliot served under Commodore Isaac Chauncey
Isaac Chauncey
Isaac Chauncey was an officer in the United States Navy.-Biography:Chauncey, born in Black Rock, Connecticut, 20 February 1779, was appointed a Lieutenant in the Navy from 17 September 1798...
as Captain on board the flagship the USS Madison
USS Madison (1812)
USS Madison was a U.S. Navy corvette built during the War of 1812 for use on the Great Lakes.USS Madison was built at Sackets Harbor, New York by Henry Eckford. She was launched on Lake Ontario on 26 November 1812, Lieutenant Jesse D. Elliot in command. She was the first U.S...
, and took part in the Battle of York
Battle of York
The Battle of York was a battle of the War of 1812 fought on 27 April 1813, at York, Upper Canada . An American force supported by a naval flotilla landed on the lake shore to the west, defeated the defending British force and captured the town and dockyard...
on 27 April 1813 and the Battle of Fort George
Battle of Fort George
The Battle of Fort George was a battle fought during the War of 1812, in which the Americans defeated a British force and captured the Fort George in Upper Canada...
on 27 May. He was promoted to Master Commandant in July and reassigned to the Erie fleet, to serve as Commodore Perry's second-in-command. He felt Perry had insufficient combat experience, and was particularly critical of Perry's choice of Presque Isle for his shipyard.
Lake Erie
During the Battle of Lake ErieBattle of Lake Erie
The Battle of Lake Erie, sometimes called the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on 10 September 1813, in Lake Erie off the coast of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of Great Britain's Royal Navy...
against a British squadron under Captain Robert Barclay
Robert Heriot Barclay
Robert Heriot Barclay was a British naval officer who was engaged in the Napoleonic Wars, and its North American counterpart, the War of 1812....
on 10 September, Elliott commanded the brig USS Niagara
USS Niagara (1813)
The US Brig Niagara or the Flagship Niagara, is a wooden-hulled brig that served as the relief flagship for Oliver Hazard Perry in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. It is one of last remaining ships from the War of 1812. The Niagara is usually docked behind the Erie Maritime Museum in...
. Perry commanded the Niagaras sister-ship, USS Lawrence
USS Lawrence (1813)
The first USS Lawrence was one of two 493-ton Niagara-class brigs built at Erie, Pennsylvania, by Adam and Noah Brown under the supervision of Sailing Master Daniel Dobbins and Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry, for United States Navy service on the Great Lakes during the War of 1812.She was...
. In the centre of the American line of battle, the Niagara was astern of the Caledonia which in turn was astern of the Lawrence. During the early stages of the battle, the Lawrence fought alone against several of the heaviest British ships while the Niagara was scarcely engaged. After the Lawrence was battered into a wreck, Perry took command of the Niagara while Elliot was dispatched by boat to urge the smaller American gunboats at the rear of the line of battle into closer action. The battle ended with the surrender of the entire British squadron.
Elliot won distinction for his actions and official praise from Perry, and was given command of the Erie fleet the next month. There was nevertheless controversy over his actions during the battle. Some (including Perry) suspected that he had deliberately held Niagara out of the battle in the beginning, and they would feud over this point to the end of their lives.
On January 6, 1814, he and Perry were each honored with a Congressional Gold Medal, the Thanks of Congress
Thanks of Congress
The Thanks of Congress are a series of formal resolutions passed by the United States Congress originally to extend the government's formal thanks for significant victories or impressive actions by American military commanders and their troops. Although it began during the American Revolutionary...
. See 3 Stat. 141. This was the first time in history when an entire British naval squadron surrendered. Compare Congressional Gold Medal Honoring Jesse D. Elliott and Congressional Gold Medal Honoring Oliver Hazard Perry.
Even before the medals were given, Elliott and Perry became embroiled in a thirty year long controversy over their respective conduct and fault in the Battle—Perry claimed that Elliott failed to offer timely support; Elliott decried lack of communication and signals. Indeed, charges were filed, although not acted upon.
Later career
Elliott commanded the sloop USS OntarioUSS Ontario (1813)
The second USS Ontario was a three-masted, wooden-hulled sloop of war in the United States Navy, bearing 16 guns, and saw service during and following the years of the War of 1812 and in the Second Barbary War...
during the Second Barbary War
Second Barbary War
The Second Barbary War , also known as the Algerine or Algerian War, was the second of two wars fought between the United States and the Ottoman Empire's North African regencies of Tripoli, Tunis, and Algeria known collectively as the Barbary states. The war between the Barbary States and the U.S...
, and was promoted to Captain in 1818, serving on a naval commission selecting sites for navy yards, lighthouses, and other coastal fortifications, until 1822. In 1820, Elliott was second to Commodore James Barron when the latter fatally shot Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur, Jr. , was an American naval officer notable for his many naval victories in the early 19th century. He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland, Worcester county, the son of a U.S. Naval Officer who served during the American Revolution. Shortly after attending college Decatur...
in a duel. He was transferred to the Brazil Squadron in 1825, served as captain of the USS Cyane
HMS Cyane (1806)
HMS Cyane was a Royal Navy Banterer-class sixth-rate post ship of nominally 22 guns, built in 1806 at Topsham, near Exeter, England. She was ordered in January 1805 as HMS Columbine but renamed Cyane on 6 December of that year...
for two years, and later commanded the West Indies Squadron
West Indies Squadron (United States)
The West Indies Squadron, or the West Indies Station, was a United States Navy squadron that operated in the West Indies in the early nineteenth century. It was formed due to the need to suppress piracy in the Caribbean Sea, the Antilles and the Gulf of Mexico region of the Atlantic Ocean...
from 1829 to 1832.
He was appointed commander of the Boston Navy Yard in 1833 and of the Mediterranean Squadron in 1835. During the Mediterranean assignment, he was charged with minor offenses by several of his junior officers, and was recalled to the United States in 1838. Elliott was politically unpopular at the time (possibly stemming back to his performance during the Battle of Lake Erie and subsequent feud with Perry), and was convicted of these charges and suspended from duty for four years until the remaining charges were dismissed by President John Tyler
John Tyler
John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States . A native of Virginia, Tyler served as a state legislator, governor, U.S. representative, and U.S. senator before being elected Vice President . He was the first to succeed to the office of President following the death of a predecessor...
in October 1843. Appointed commander of the Philadelphia Navy Yard in December 1844, Elliot remained there until his death on 10 December 1845.
Sources
- McHenry, Robert. Webster's American Military Biographies, Springfield, Mass.: G & C. Merriam Co., 1978.
- Jesse D. Elliot, Address of Com. Jesse D. Elliot, U.S.N., Delivered in Washington County, Maryland, to His Early Companions at Their Request, on November 24, 1843 (Philadelphia: G.B. Zeiber & co., 1844).
Further reading
- Bibliography .
- Axelrod, Alen; Phillips, Charles. The MacMillan Dictionary of Military Biography (New York: MacmillanMacmillan Publishers (United States)Macmillan Publishers USA, also known as Macmillan Publishing, is a privately held American publishing company owned by the Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than 30 others....
, 1998.) p. 343. - Bancroft, George, 1800-1891;George BancroftGeorge Bancroft was an American historian and statesman who was prominent in promoting secondary education both in his home state and at the national level. During his tenure as U.S. Secretary of the Navy, he established the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1845...
Dyer, Oliver, 1824-1907. (1891) History of the battle of Lake Erie: and miscellaneous papers (New York : R. Bonner's sons) 292 pp. at American Library AssociationAmerican Library AssociationThe American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
. - Barnes, James, 1866-1936 (1898) The hero of Erie (Oliver Hazard Perry) (microform) (1898) New York: D. Appleton at Internet archiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
and here for other formats. - Burges, Tristam (1770-1853)Tristam BurgesTristam Burges was a U.S. Representative from Rhode Island, great-great-uncle of Theodore Francis Green.Born in Rochester, Massachusetts, Burges attended the common schools.He studied medicine at a school in Wrentham....
(1839) Battle of Lake Erie, with notices of Commodore Elliot's conduct in that engagement (Providence, Brown & Cady). - Conners, William James, 1857-; Emerson, George Douglas. (1916) The Perrys victory centenary. Report of the Perry’s victory centennial commission, state of New York (Albany, J.B. Lyon Company, Printers).
- Coles, Harry L; Borstin, Daniel J., Ed. August 1966 The War of 1812 (Chicago: University of Chicago PressUniversity of Chicago PressThe University of Chicago Press is the largest university press in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including The Chicago Manual of Style, dozens of academic journals, including Critical Inquiry, and a wide array of...
) ISBN 9780226113500. - Cooper, James FenimoreJames Fenimore CooperJames Fenimore Cooper was a prolific and popular American writer of the early 19th century. He is best remembered as a novelist who wrote numerous sea-stories and the historical novels known as the Leatherstocking Tales, featuring frontiersman Natty Bumppo...
(1846) Lives of Distinguished American Naval Officers Google Books and here for American Library Association. - Dillon, Richard. (1978) We have met the enemy: Oliver Hazard Perry, wilderness commodore (New York: McGraw-Hill). ISBN 9780070169814.
- Dutton, Charles J.(1935) Oliver Hazard Perry (New York: Longmans, Green and Co.) 308 pp. (Scholar's Bookshelf; First Edition edition -- October 15, 2006) ISBN 0945726368; ISBN 978-0945726364.
- Downloadable resources regarding Oliver Hazard Perry, American Library Association.
- http://www.archive.org/details/perrysvictoryonl00eatoEaton, Joseph Giles (1847-1905) (1905) Perry's Victory on Lake Erie. Military Historical Society of Massachusetts (Boston, For the Society, by Houghton MifflinHoughton MifflinHoughton Mifflin Harcourt is an educational and trade publisher in the United States. Headquartered in Boston's Back Bay, it publishes textbooks, instructional technology materials, assessments, reference works, and fiction and non-fiction for both young readers and adults.-History:The company was...
)]at American Library Association. - Jesse D. Elliot, Address of Com. Jesse D. Elliot, U.S.N., Delivered in Washington County, Maryland, to His Early Companions at Their Request, on November 24, 1843 (Philadelphia: G.B. Zeiber & co., 1844).
- Lyman, Olin H. (1905) Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and the War on the Lakes.
- Mackenzie, Alexander Slidell, 1803-1848. (1915) Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry : famous American naval hero, victor of the battle of Lake Erie, his life and achievements (Akron, Ohio: Superior Printing Co.)
- Mackenzie, Alexander Slidell, 1803-1848 (1840) The life of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. (New York, Harper) Volume 1, Volume 2.
- Mahan, Alfree ThayerAlfred Thayer MahanAlfred Thayer Mahan was a United States Navy flag officer, geostrategist, and historian, who has been called "the most important American strategist of the nineteenth century." His concept of "sea power" was based on the idea that countries with greater naval power will have greater worldwide...
(1840 – 1914)(1905) Power in Its Relation to the War of 1812 (2 vols.) (Boston: Little Brown) American Library Association. - Niles, John Milton (Bedford, Mass.: Applewood Books, 1830) The Life of Oliver Hazard Perry.
- Reid, George. (1913) Perry at Erie:how Captain Dobbins, Benjamin Fleming and others assisted him. (Erie, Pennsylvania: Journal publishing company).
- Skaggs, David Curtis. (October 2006) Oliver Hazard Perry: honor, courage, and patriotism in the early U.S. Navy. Annapolis, Maryland:Naval Institute Press, ISBN 9781591147923; ISBN 1591147921.
- Skaggs, David Curtis. Perry Triumphant (April 2009 Volume 23, Number 2) Naval History Magazine United States Naval InstituteUnited States Naval InstituteThe United States Naval Institute , based at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, is a private, non-profit, professional military association that seeks to offer independent, nonpartisan forums for debate of national defense issues...
. - White, James T. (1895) p. 288. National Cyclopaedia of American Biography
External links
- War of 1812 - People & Stories: Jesse Elliot
- Jesse Duncan Elliott, Trustee 1831-1834
- Elliott, Jesse Duncan - The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-05.
- Jesse D. Elliot, Address of Com. Jesse D. Elliot, U.S.N., Delivered in Washington County, Maryland, to His Early Companions at Their Request, on November 24, 1843 (Philadelphia: G.B. Zeiber & co., 1844).