John Elliott (governor)
Encyclopedia
John Elliot was a Scottish officer of the Royal Navy
who served during the Seven Years' War
and the American War of Independence. He rose to the rank of Admiral, and served briefly as colonial governor of Newfoundland.
Elliot was born into the gentry in Scotland
, and entered the navy. Little is known about his early service, but he received a promotion to post-captain
during the Seven Years' War, and commanded the 32-gun frigate
with distinction, first capturing a small French frigate, and then taking command of a squadron of three ships and bringing to action the notorious privateer
François Thurot
, who had been raiding the coast of Ireland
in 1760. After a short but bitter engagement, Thurot was killed and his ships captured. Elliot was widely hailed as a hero and he and his captains received several rewards. He commanded several other ships during the remainder of the war, and after a period of unemployment during the peace, returned to active service during the American War of Independence
.
His service in this conflict involved carrying the members of the Carlisle Peace Commission
to America, and playing a minor role in operations off the coast, before returning to European waters. He was present at the relief of Gibraltar
and the Battle of Cape St Vincent
with Admiral Sir George Rodney
, and saw action at the Battle of Ushant
with Admiral Richard Kempenfelt
. Promoted to flag rank after the end of the war he served as governor of Newfoundland during the peace, but was unable to take any commands during the French Revolutionary Wars
owing to his infirmity, and died in 1808 with the rank of admiral.
in 1732, the fourth son of Sir Gilbert Elliott, 2nd Baronet and his wife Helen. Little is known about his early life but he joined the Royal Navy
after graduating from the Royal Naval Academy
, Portsmouth
in 1740, and went aboard in July that year. From there he went to the hospital ship
, and after a period probably spent in the merchant service, Elliot served aboard and , and for two years aboard the sloop
. He passed his lieutenant's examination on 1 May 1752, though he did not receive a commission until 30 April 1756, when he joined . It was about this time that his brother, Gilbert Elliot
, who had entered parliament, became one of the Lords of the Admiralty, and so was able to speed his brother's rise through the ranks. John Elliot was promoted to commander on 21 January 1757 and then advanced to post-captain
on 5 April 1757. His first appointment was to command with the Channel Fleet
, and he took part in the reconnaissance of Rochefort
in early 1758.
In November 1758 he was appointed to the newly launched 32-gun . On 19 March 1759, while sailing off Brittany
in company with the 50-gun came across a squadron of four French corvettes escorting a convoy. While the convoy and two frigates fled, pursued by Isis, the remaining two French ships, the 36-gun Blonde and the 20-gun Mignonne came up to prevent Aeolus from following. Elliot fought an action with the Mignonne, capturing her after a hard-fought engagement, though Blonde escaped. The battle cost Mignone the lives of her commander, and many of her crew, with the second captain and 25 men being wounded. Aeoluss casualties amounted to two or three men wounded. Elliot spent the rest of the year cruising off the French coast with Sir Edward Hawke's
fleet, and on 27 December sailed on a cruise from Quiberon Bay
with the 64-gun . The ships were caught in bad weather, and on being unable to reach the appointed rendezvous point of Groix
, and with provisions running low, Elliot made instead for Kinsale
to resupply, putting in there on 21 January 1760. He remained trapped there by the weather, and while waiting for the opportunity to sail again a letter reached him from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
, the Duke of Bedford
, asking for assistance. The French privateer
François Thurot
had landed near Carrickfergus
with several ships and had occupied the town
. The letter had been sent to all the ports in the hopes of there being ships available to intercept the French, but no ships were stationed on the coast, and only by chance was Elliot at Kinsale. Also there sheltering from the weather were the 36-gun ships and .
Elliot rushed his ships to sea and arrived off Carrickfergus on 26 February, but learnt that the French had already sailed. Elliot's force set off in pursuit, and caught up with them on 28 February. The French force, consisting of the ships Maréchal de Belle-Isle, Terpsichore and Blonde, were brought to battle off the Isle of Man
at 9 in the morning. After a close-fought action, Thurot's force was battered into submission, with his ships dismasted and reduced to a sinking condition. Thurot was hit by a musket ball and died during the action, with his body being thrown overboard. Around 300 of the French had been killed or wounded, while British losses amounted to four killed and 15 wounded on Aeolus, one killed and five wounded on Pallas and 11 wounded on Brilliant. Thurot's body was washed ashore at Port William and was buried with full military honours at Kirkmaiden
. Among the possessions found on him was a tobacco box of chased silver and engraved with his name, which was presented to Elliot by Sir William Maxwell, who arranged Thurot's funeral and acted as chief mourner. Elliot and his captains received the thanks of both the Westminster
and Irish
Houses of Parliament, and the freedom of the city
of Cork
. Elliot's cousin, Thomas Pasley
was serving on Aeolus during the battle, and having distinguished himself in the fighting, was promoted to lieutenant of the ship. Both Blonde and Terpsichore were taken into the Royal Navy, while on Elliot's return to Spithead
, he was presented to King George II
. Songs were written about the battle and images and depictions of it were widely distributed. Years later, in 1804, Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson
wrote a letter to John Elliot's nephew, then Lord Minto
:
laden with naval stores from under the guns of a French shore battery at Belle Île
on 17 May 1760. Aeolus was badly damaged during the action, and returned to port to be repaired. While these were being carried out it is possible that Elliot was temporarily appointed to command the 44-gun , aboard which he escorted an outward bound merchant convoy headed to the Baltic
. However, Elliot's records are often confused (or have been intermingled) with those of Captain John Eliot
(1742–1769), who may have commanded Gosport instead. With this service completed, and repairs on Aeolus being finished, Elliot resumed command of her, and spent 1761 cruising in the Bay of Biscay
. He captured a 4-gun French privateer named Carnival on 23 March, and brought her into Spithead. On his arrival there he was appointed to command the 70-gun . He spent the rest of the war in command of Chichester, going out to the Mediterranean in the later stages with Sir Charles Saunders's fleet, but they did not see any action.
guardships. He also briefly became Member of Parliament
for Cockermouth
that year. He was moved to the newly-built on 26 September 1770, but left her the following year and received no further commissions until 1777, when he took command of the 64-gun during the American War of Independence. He had been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in January 1776, during his time ashore. He was promoted to commodore
on 11 April 1778, and shortly afterwards took the Earl of Carlisle
, George Johnstone and William Eden to North America to negotiate with the colonists as the Carlisle Peace Commission
. After arriving at Delaware
Elliot joined Richard Howe's
command and took part in the relief of Rhode Island
. He left the Trident towards the end of 1778 and returned to England and a brief spell of unemployment until his appointment to command the 74-gun in May 1779. It was about this time that he was made a Colonel of Marines
, a post he held until 1787.
Elliot went out with Admiral Sir George Rodney
's fleet to relieve Gibraltar
in 1780 and took part in the defeat of the Spanish fleet under Juan de Lángara
at the Battle of Cape St Vincent
on 16 January 1780. Edgar played a large part in the fighting, suffering casualties of six killed and 20 wounded, the third highest casualty figures of the British ships. Having temporarily relieved Gibraltar, Rodney took his fleet to the West Indies, but left Elliot and Edgar at Gibraltar to support the garrison there. Elliot soon found that there was little assistance that he could render, and having a ship as large as Edgar on station there made her a target for Spanish gunboats. Rodney was rebuked for leaving him there, as it was against his orders, and necessitated sending a frigate to order his return. Elliot consequently returned to England.
Elliot spent most of the remaining years of the war commanding Edgar in the English Channel
. In November 1781, the Admiralty
had received intelligence that a large convoy was preparing to sail from Brest under Admiral de Guichen
. It was a convoy of transports carrying naval supplies for the West Indies and the French fleet in the East Indies
. Edgar was part of Admiral Richard Kempenfelt
's squadron of 18 ships, commanded from , which was ordered to intercept the convoy. Kempenfelt did so in the afternoon of 12 December in the Bay of Biscay
, approximately 150 miles (241.4 km) south-west of Ushant
. With the French naval escort to leeward of the convoy, Kempenfelt attacked immediately, capturing 15 of the transports before nightfall. The rest of the convoy scattered, most returning to [Brest; only five transports reached the West Indies. During the engagement, known as the Battle of Ushant
, Edgar fought a running battle with the 84-gun Triomphant
. Elliot was later praised by Kempenfelt for his actions during the battle. Elliot was moved into in June 1782, and there were plans to send him to the West Indies in command of a squadron of five ships of the line
and a frigate
, but the end of the war prevented this.
of Newfoundland. He fulfilled the post for its usual term, sailing out in June each year and returning in October, with his principle duties being the regulation of the fisheries. He was succeeded by a new commander, Vice-Admiral Mark Milbanke
in 1789, having been promoted to rear-admiral of the red on 24 September 1787. He was further advanced to vice-admiral of the blue on 21 February 1790, and as tensions rose with the Spanish Armament that year, Elliot hoisted his flag aboard , but with the easing of the crisis soon struck it. Increasingly infirm, he was promoted to vice-admiral of the red on 12 April 1794, after the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars
, but was unable to take up any posts. He was promoted to admiral of the blue on 16 April 1795, and then to admiral of the white. He settled at his estate at Mount Teviot, Roxburghshire
during his last years and died there on 20 September 1808. He never married. His nephews included Thomas Pasley, William Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart
and Admiral Robert Digby
. Another nephew was Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto
, who inherited John Elliot's estates.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
who served during the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
and the American War of Independence. He rose to the rank of Admiral, and served briefly as colonial governor of Newfoundland.
Elliot was born into the gentry in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and entered the navy. Little is known about his early service, but he received a promotion to post-captain
Post-Captain
Post-captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of captain in the Royal Navy.The term served to distinguish those who were captains by rank from:...
during the Seven Years' War, and commanded the 32-gun frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
with distinction, first capturing a small French frigate, and then taking command of a squadron of three ships and bringing to action the notorious privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
François Thurot
François Thurot
François Thurot was a French privateer, merchant naval captain and smuggler who terrorised British shipping in the early part of the Seven Years' War....
, who had been raiding the coast of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1760. After a short but bitter engagement, Thurot was killed and his ships captured. Elliot was widely hailed as a hero and he and his captains received several rewards. He commanded several other ships during the remainder of the war, and after a period of unemployment during the peace, returned to active service during the American War of Independence
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
His service in this conflict involved carrying the members of the Carlisle Peace Commission
Carlisle Peace Commission
The Carlisle Peace Commission was a group of British negotiators who were sent to North America in 1778, during the American War of Independence, with an offer to the rebellious Thirteen Colonies, who had declared themselves to be the United States, of self-rule within the British Empire...
to America, and playing a minor role in operations off the coast, before returning to European waters. He was present at the relief of Gibraltar
Great Siege of Gibraltar
The Great Siege of Gibraltar was an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British during the American War of Independence. This was the largest action fought during the war in terms of numbers, particularly the Grand Assault of 18 September 1782...
and the Battle of Cape St Vincent
Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1780)
The naval Battle of Cape St Vincent, took place off the coast of Portugal on 16 January 1780 during the American War of Independence. A British fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney defeated a Spanish squadron under Don Juan de Lángara. The battle is sometimes referred to as the Moonlight Battle,...
with Admiral Sir George Rodney
George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney
George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, KB was a British naval officer. He is best known for his commands in the American War of Independence, particularly his victory over the French at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782...
, and saw action at the Battle of Ushant
Battle of Ushant (1781)
The Second Battle of Ushant was a naval battle fought between French and British squadrons near Ushant on 12 December 1781, during the American War of Independence.-Battle:...
with Admiral Richard Kempenfelt
Richard Kempenfelt
Richard Kempenfelt was a British rear-admiral who gained a reputation as a naval innovator. He is best known for his victory against the French at the Second Battle of Ushant and for his death when the HMS Royal George accidentally sank at Portsmouth the following year.He was born at Westminster...
. Promoted to flag rank after the end of the war he served as governor of Newfoundland during the peace, but was unable to take any commands during the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
owing to his infirmity, and died in 1808 with the rank of admiral.
Family and early life
Elliot was born in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1732, the fourth son of Sir Gilbert Elliott, 2nd Baronet and his wife Helen. Little is known about his early life but he joined the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
after graduating from the Royal Naval Academy
Royal Naval Academy
The Royal Naval Academy was established at Portsmouth Dockyard as a facility to train officers for the Royal Navy. The founders' intentions were to provide an alternative means to recruit officers and to provide standardised training, education and admission.-Training:In 1773, a shore side...
, Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
in 1740, and went aboard in July that year. From there he went to the hospital ship
Hospital ship
A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital; most are operated by the military forces of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones....
, and after a period probably spent in the merchant service, Elliot served aboard and , and for two years aboard the sloop
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
. He passed his lieutenant's examination on 1 May 1752, though he did not receive a commission until 30 April 1756, when he joined . It was about this time that his brother, Gilbert Elliot
Sir Gilbert Elliot, 3rd Baronet
The Rt. Hon. Sir Gilbert Elliot, 3rd Baronet of Minto was born at Minto, Roxburghshire, and was a Scottish statesman, philosopher and poet.-Early life and education:...
, who had entered parliament, became one of the Lords of the Admiralty, and so was able to speed his brother's rise through the ranks. John Elliot was promoted to commander on 21 January 1757 and then advanced to post-captain
Post-Captain
Post-captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of captain in the Royal Navy.The term served to distinguish those who were captains by rank from:...
on 5 April 1757. His first appointment was to command with the Channel Fleet
Channel Fleet
The Channel Fleet was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1690 to 1909.-History:The Channel Fleet dates back at least to 1690 when its role was to defend England against the French threat under the leadership of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of...
, and he took part in the reconnaissance of Rochefort
Rochefort, Charente-Maritime
Rochefort is a commune in southwestern France, a port on the Charente estuary. It is a sub-prefecture of the Charente-Maritime department.-History:...
in early 1758.
In November 1758 he was appointed to the newly launched 32-gun . On 19 March 1759, while sailing off Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
in company with the 50-gun came across a squadron of four French corvettes escorting a convoy. While the convoy and two frigates fled, pursued by Isis, the remaining two French ships, the 36-gun Blonde and the 20-gun Mignonne came up to prevent Aeolus from following. Elliot fought an action with the Mignonne, capturing her after a hard-fought engagement, though Blonde escaped. The battle cost Mignone the lives of her commander, and many of her crew, with the second captain and 25 men being wounded. Aeoluss casualties amounted to two or three men wounded. Elliot spent the rest of the year cruising off the French coast with Sir Edward Hawke's
Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke
Admiral of the Fleet Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke KB, PC was an officer of the Royal Navy. He is best remembered for his service during the Seven Years' War, particularly his victory over a French fleet at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759, preventing a French invasion of Britain...
fleet, and on 27 December sailed on a cruise from Quiberon Bay
Quiberon Bay
The Baie de Quiberon is an area of sheltered water on the south coast of Brittany. The bay is in the Morbihan département.-Geography:The bay is roughly triangular in shape, open to the south with the Gulf of Morbihan to the north-east and the narrow peninsular of Presqu'île de Quiberon providing...
with the 64-gun . The ships were caught in bad weather, and on being unable to reach the appointed rendezvous point of Groix
Groix
Groix is an island and a commune in the Morbihan department of the region of Brittany in north-western France.Groix lies a few kilometres of the coast off Lorient. Several ferries a day run from Lorient to Groix....
, and with provisions running low, Elliot made instead for Kinsale
Kinsale
Kinsale is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Located some 25 km south of Cork City on the coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon and has a population of 2,257 which increases substantially during the summer months when the tourist season is at its peak and...
to resupply, putting in there on 21 January 1760. He remained trapped there by the weather, and while waiting for the opportunity to sail again a letter reached him from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, the Duke of Bedford
John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford
John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford KG, PC, FRS was an 18th century British statesman. He was the fourth son of Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford, by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of John Howland of Streatham, Surrey...
, asking for assistance. The French privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
François Thurot
François Thurot
François Thurot was a French privateer, merchant naval captain and smuggler who terrorised British shipping in the early part of the Seven Years' War....
had landed near Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus , known locally and colloquially as "Carrick", is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,201 at the 2001 Census and takes its name from Fergus Mór mac Eirc, the 6th century king...
with several ships and had occupied the town
Battle of Carrickfergus (1760)
The Battle of Carrickfergus took place in February 1760 in Carrickfergus, Kingdom of Ireland during the Seven Years War. A force of 600 French troops landed under the command of the Privateer François Thurot overwhelmed the small garrison of the town and captured its castle.When word of the capture...
. The letter had been sent to all the ports in the hopes of there being ships available to intercept the French, but no ships were stationed on the coast, and only by chance was Elliot at Kinsale. Also there sheltering from the weather were the 36-gun ships and .
Defeating Thurot
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
at 9 in the morning. After a close-fought action, Thurot's force was battered into submission, with his ships dismasted and reduced to a sinking condition. Thurot was hit by a musket ball and died during the action, with his body being thrown overboard. Around 300 of the French had been killed or wounded, while British losses amounted to four killed and 15 wounded on Aeolus, one killed and five wounded on Pallas and 11 wounded on Brilliant. Thurot's body was washed ashore at Port William and was buried with full military honours at Kirkmaiden
Kirkmaiden
Kirkmaiden is a civil parish in the Rinns of Galloway, the most southerly in Scotland; the present Church of Scotland parish has the same name as and is approximately coterminous with the original pre-Reformation parish....
. Among the possessions found on him was a tobacco box of chased silver and engraved with his name, which was presented to Elliot by Sir William Maxwell, who arranged Thurot's funeral and acted as chief mourner. Elliot and his captains received the thanks of both the Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
and Irish
Irish Houses of Parliament
The Irish Houses of Parliament , also known as the Irish Parliament House, today called the Bank of Ireland, College Green due to its use as by the bank, was the world's first purpose-built two-chamber parliament house...
Houses of Parliament, and the freedom of the city
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
. Elliot's cousin, Thomas Pasley
Sir Thomas Pasley, 1st Baronet
Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, 1st Baronet was a senior and highly-experienced British Royal Navy officer of the eighteenth century, who served with distinction at numerous actions of the Seven Years War, American Revolutionary War and French Revolutionary Wars...
was serving on Aeolus during the battle, and having distinguished himself in the fighting, was promoted to lieutenant of the ship. Both Blonde and Terpsichore were taken into the Royal Navy, while on Elliot's return to Spithead
Spithead
Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds, except those from the southeast...
, he was presented to King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
. Songs were written about the battle and images and depictions of it were widely distributed. Years later, in 1804, Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...
wrote a letter to John Elliot's nephew, then Lord Minto
Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto
Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto PC , known as Sir Gilbert Elliott between 1777 and 1797 and as The Lord Minto between 1797 and 1813, was a Scottish politician diplomat....
:
Last years of war
Elliot further distinguished himself by cutting out an French brigBrig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
laden with naval stores from under the guns of a French shore battery at Belle Île
Belle Île
Belle-Île or Belle-Île-en-Mer is a French island off the coast of Brittany in the département of Morbihan, and the largest of Brittany's islands. It is 14 km from the Quiberon peninsula.Administratively, the island forms a canton: the canton of Belle-Île...
on 17 May 1760. Aeolus was badly damaged during the action, and returned to port to be repaired. While these were being carried out it is possible that Elliot was temporarily appointed to command the 44-gun , aboard which he escorted an outward bound merchant convoy headed to the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. However, Elliot's records are often confused (or have been intermingled) with those of Captain John Eliot
John Eliot (Royal Navy officer)
John Eliot was a Royal Navy captain. He was appointed Governor of West Florida in 1767, and committed suicide shortly after his arrival in Pensacola in 1769.-Life:...
(1742–1769), who may have commanded Gosport instead. With this service completed, and repairs on Aeolus being finished, Elliot resumed command of her, and spent 1761 cruising in the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
. He captured a 4-gun French privateer named Carnival on 23 March, and brought her into Spithead. On his arrival there he was appointed to command the 70-gun . He spent the rest of the war in command of Chichester, going out to the Mediterranean in the later stages with Sir Charles Saunders's fleet, but they did not see any action.
American War of Independence
Left without a ship after the peace in 1763, Elliot did not return to active service until 1767, when he was given command of the 60-gun , one of the PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
guardships. He also briefly became Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Cockermouth
Cockermouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Cockermouth was the name of a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England in 1295, and again from 1641, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. It was a parliamentary borough represented by two...
that year. He was moved to the newly-built on 26 September 1770, but left her the following year and received no further commissions until 1777, when he took command of the 64-gun during the American War of Independence. He had been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in January 1776, during his time ashore. He was promoted to commodore
Commodore (Royal Navy)
Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear Admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to Brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force.-Insignia:...
on 11 April 1778, and shortly afterwards took the Earl of Carlisle
Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle
Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle, KG, KT, PC was a British diplomat and the son of Henry Howard, 4th Earl of Carlisle and his second wife Isabella Byron....
, George Johnstone and William Eden to North America to negotiate with the colonists as the Carlisle Peace Commission
Carlisle Peace Commission
The Carlisle Peace Commission was a group of British negotiators who were sent to North America in 1778, during the American War of Independence, with an offer to the rebellious Thirteen Colonies, who had declared themselves to be the United States, of self-rule within the British Empire...
. After arriving at Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
Elliot joined Richard Howe's
Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe
Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe KG was a British naval officer, notable in particular for his service during the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars. He was the brother of William Howe and George Howe.Howe joined the navy at the age of thirteen and served...
command and took part in the relief of Rhode Island
Battle of Rhode Island
The Battle of Rhode Island, also known as the Battle of Quaker Hill and the Siege of Newport, took place on August 29, 1778. Continental Army and militia forces under the command of General John Sullivan were withdrawing to the northern part of Aquidneck Island after abandoning their siege of...
. He left the Trident towards the end of 1778 and returned to England and a brief spell of unemployment until his appointment to command the 74-gun in May 1779. It was about this time that he was made a Colonel of Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
, a post he held until 1787.
George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney
George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, KB was a British naval officer. He is best known for his commands in the American War of Independence, particularly his victory over the French at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782...
's fleet to relieve Gibraltar
Great Siege of Gibraltar
The Great Siege of Gibraltar was an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British during the American War of Independence. This was the largest action fought during the war in terms of numbers, particularly the Grand Assault of 18 September 1782...
in 1780 and took part in the defeat of the Spanish fleet under Juan de Lángara
Juan de Lángara
Juan Francisco de Lángara y Huarte was a Spanish naval officer and Minister of Marine.-Life and career:He was born at Coruña, Galicia, the son of a renowned Basque family...
at the Battle of Cape St Vincent
Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1780)
The naval Battle of Cape St Vincent, took place off the coast of Portugal on 16 January 1780 during the American War of Independence. A British fleet under Admiral Sir George Rodney defeated a Spanish squadron under Don Juan de Lángara. The battle is sometimes referred to as the Moonlight Battle,...
on 16 January 1780. Edgar played a large part in the fighting, suffering casualties of six killed and 20 wounded, the third highest casualty figures of the British ships. Having temporarily relieved Gibraltar, Rodney took his fleet to the West Indies, but left Elliot and Edgar at Gibraltar to support the garrison there. Elliot soon found that there was little assistance that he could render, and having a ship as large as Edgar on station there made her a target for Spanish gunboats. Rodney was rebuked for leaving him there, as it was against his orders, and necessitated sending a frigate to order his return. Elliot consequently returned to England.
Elliot spent most of the remaining years of the war commanding Edgar in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. In November 1781, the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
had received intelligence that a large convoy was preparing to sail from Brest under Admiral de Guichen
Luc Urbain de Bouexic, comte de Guichen
Luc Urbain de Bouëxic, comte de Guichen - French admiral; entered the navy in 1730 as "garde de la Marine," the first rank in the corps of royal officers.His promotion was not rapid...
. It was a convoy of transports carrying naval supplies for the West Indies and the French fleet in the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
. Edgar was part of Admiral Richard Kempenfelt
Richard Kempenfelt
Richard Kempenfelt was a British rear-admiral who gained a reputation as a naval innovator. He is best known for his victory against the French at the Second Battle of Ushant and for his death when the HMS Royal George accidentally sank at Portsmouth the following year.He was born at Westminster...
's squadron of 18 ships, commanded from , which was ordered to intercept the convoy. Kempenfelt did so in the afternoon of 12 December in the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
, approximately 150 miles (241.4 km) south-west of Ushant
Ushant
Ushant is an island at the south-western end of the English Channel which marks the north-westernmost point of metropolitan France. It belongs to Brittany and is in the traditional region of Bro-Leon. Administratively, Ushant is a commune in the Finistère department...
. With the French naval escort to leeward of the convoy, Kempenfelt attacked immediately, capturing 15 of the transports before nightfall. The rest of the convoy scattered, most returning to [Brest; only five transports reached the West Indies. During the engagement, known as the Battle of Ushant
Battle of Ushant (1781)
The Second Battle of Ushant was a naval battle fought between French and British squadrons near Ushant on 12 December 1781, during the American War of Independence.-Battle:...
, Edgar fought a running battle with the 84-gun Triomphant
French ship Le Triomphant (1778)
The Triomphant was an 80-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.Laid down in Toulon in March 1778 by the designer-builder Joseph-Marie-Blaise Coulomb, she was launched on 31 March 1779 and completed in June 1779. She took part in the Battle of Martinique with the Comte de Guichen's fleet in 1780...
. Elliot was later praised by Kempenfelt for his actions during the battle. Elliot was moved into in June 1782, and there were plans to send him to the West Indies in command of a squadron of five ships of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
and a frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
, but the end of the war prevented this.
Later years
Again left unemployed by the peace, Elliot remained with out a command until 1786, when he was appointed Governor and commander-in-chiefCommander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of Newfoundland. He fulfilled the post for its usual term, sailing out in June each year and returning in October, with his principle duties being the regulation of the fisheries. He was succeeded by a new commander, Vice-Admiral Mark Milbanke
Mark Milbanke
Admiral Mark Milbanke was a British naval officer and colonial governor.-Military career:Born the son of Sir Ralph Milbanke Bt, Mark Milbanke graduated from the Royal Naval Academy, Portsmouth in 1740. He was made Lieutenant in 1744 and in 1746 was given command of HMS Serpent.In 1789, Milbanke...
in 1789, having been promoted to rear-admiral of the red on 24 September 1787. He was further advanced to vice-admiral of the blue on 21 February 1790, and as tensions rose with the Spanish Armament that year, Elliot hoisted his flag aboard , but with the easing of the crisis soon struck it. Increasingly infirm, he was promoted to vice-admiral of the red on 12 April 1794, after the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
, but was unable to take up any posts. He was promoted to admiral of the blue on 16 April 1795, and then to admiral of the white. He settled at his estate at Mount Teviot, Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
during his last years and died there on 20 September 1808. He never married. His nephews included Thomas Pasley, William Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart
William Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart
General William Schaw Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart KT, PC, PC , Scottish soldier and diplomatist, was born at Petersham, and educated at Eton.-Military career:...
and Admiral Robert Digby
Robert Digby (Royal Navy officer)
Admiral Robert Digby was an officer in the Royal Navy officer who also served briefly as an Member of Parliament .- Naval career :...
. Another nephew was Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto
Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto
Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto PC , known as Sir Gilbert Elliott between 1777 and 1797 and as The Lord Minto between 1797 and 1813, was a Scottish politician diplomat....
, who inherited John Elliot's estates.