whom he successively followed into the Colossus and Russel third rates, in which latter ship he continued as a midshipman, under the respective commands of Captains Grindall[1], Archibald Dickson, Henry Trollope, Herbert Sawyer, and William Cuming, until she was put out of commission, at Plymouth, in the spring of 1802; after sharing in two of our most brilliant naval engagements, under Duncan and Nelson, off Camperdown and Copenhagen, Oct. 11, 1797, and April 2, 1801[2].
After passing the usual examination, Mr. Elliot was ordered by Earl St. Vincent to join the Audacious 74, then about to sail for Jamaica, where he received his first commission, dated Mar. 17, 1802, and from whence he returned home in la Nereide frigate.
Lieutenant Elliot’s next appointment was to the Plantagenet 74 in which ship he assisted at the capture of a large French privateer, and a beautiful corvette mounting 22 guns[3]. In 1805, he was appointed first of the Rattler sloop, commanded by Captain Francis Mason, with whom he afterwards joined the Daphne 24, at the particular request of that very respectable officer.
In our memoir of Captain Mason, we have already noticed the dreadful weather encountered by the Rattler, when proceeding to Newfoundland[4]; but without mentioning the circumstance of her falling in with a merchant-brig belonging to Poole, lying on her beam ends, and her crew, with two women, lashed to the weather side, expecting each succeeding moment to be their last. These poor creatures, 9 in number, were rescued from their perilous situation, through the intrepidity and great personal exertions of Lieutenant Elliot, who volunteered to attempt their deliverance, notwithstanding it then blew a perfect hurricane, and success appeared impossible. The Rattler first lowered
- ↑ Captain Grindall commanded the Irresistible in Lord Bridport’s action, on which occasion he bore a distinguished part, and was severely wounded: he resigned the Russel on account of ill-health; commanded the Prince 98, at Trafalgar; was nominated a K.G.B. in 1815; and died at Wickham, Hants, May 23, 1820, aged 70 years.
- ↑ See Vol. I., pp. 150 et seq., and note at p. 847.
- ↑ See Vol. II., Part I., p. 175.
- ↑ See Suppl. Part I, p. 60, Par. 3.
