1703456A Naval Biographical Dictionary — Ellis, HenryWilliam Richard O'Byrne

ELLIS. (Commander, 1821. f-p., 34; h-p., 15.)

Henry Ellis entered the Navy, 5 Jan. 1798, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Galatea 32, Capt. Hon. Geo. Byng (afterwards Viscount Torrington), chiefly employed on the Irish station; and while in that frigate he witnessed a violent hurricane, in which she was almost totally dismasted, and barely escaped foundering. In June, 1802, he removed, as Master’s Mate, to L’Aigle 36, Capt. Geo. Wolfe, under whom we subsequently find him present, 12 July, 1804, at the destruction, off the coast of France, of La Charente of 20, and La Joie of 8 guns. He became Sub-Lieutenant, 15 Jan. 1805, of the Growler gun-brig, Lieut.-Commander Jas. Rose, and being promoted – for his satisfactory conduct at the capture, after a running action of an hour and a half, of the French national gun-brig No. 193, carrying 2 long 24-pounders, 1 18-pounder, and 4 swivels[1] – to a full Lieutenancy, 19 March, 1805, in the Rattler sloop, Capt. Fras. Mason, was afterwards appointed – 2 Nov. 1805, to the Formidable 98, Capt. Fras. Fayerman, with whom he went to the Mediterranean – 25 Aug. 1810, to the Armada 74, Capt. Adam Mackenzie – and, 8 May, 1811, 31 Jan. 1816, and 11 Sept. 1818, as Senior-Lieutenant, to the Egmont, Rivoli, and Ramillies 74’s, commanded, on the Home station, by Capts. Joseph Bingham, Chas. Ogle, and Aiskew Paffard Hollis. He assumed the rank he now holds 19 July, 1821; from 8 Dec. in which year, until 1832, he was next employed as an Inspecting Commander in the Coast Guard. He was re-appointed to that service 20 March, 1835; but since 1838 has been on half-pay. Agents – Coplands and Burnett.


  1. Vide Gaz. 1805, p. 244.