In 1793, soon after the war broke out with France, Captain Elphinstone obtained the command of the Robust, of 74 guns; and under his direction the troops were landed at Toulon when Lord Hood took possession of that place. He was afterwards appointed Governer of Fort la Malgue and its dependencies. In this arduous and difficult post Captain Elphinstone displayed not only the greatest personal intrepidity and exertion, but a consummate knowledge of military tactics. On one occasion, a detachment of the republican army, about 750 strong, appearing on the heights near Toulon, he marched out with 300 British and the same number of Spaniards, routed the enemy, and took four pieces of cannon, together with their ammunition, horses, two stands of colours, &c.
On the 1st Oct. the combined British, Spanish, and Neapolitan forces, under the command of Lord Mulgrave, Captain Elphinstone, and Rear-Admiral Gravina, obtained a complete victory at the heights of Pharon over a body of nearly 2,000 men, the flower of the Eastern army, of whom about 1,500 were either killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. The loss on the side of the allies amounted to only 8 killed, 72 wounded, and 50 missing.
The enemy soon recovering from these defeats, seized on the heights of Cape Brun; and on the junction of the victorious army, which had lately captured Lyons, they at length threatened to storm the forts, and by the aid of Buonaparte, then an obscure officer of artillery, found means to carry some, and annoy all our posts.
It was therefore reluctantly determined, in a general council of war, that Toulon was no longer tenable; measures were accordingly adopted for the evacuation of the town and arsenal, as well as for the destruction of the ships of war[1]. Early in the morning of the 18th Dec. the embarkation commenced; and by day-break on the 19th, the whole of the combined troops were safe on board. This service was effected under the superintendence of Captains Elphinstone, Hallowell, and Matthews, to whose indefatigable attention and good dispositions Lord Hood attributed the fortunate success of so important an operation; and it is to their unre-
