Jesse Duncan Elliott was born in Maryland, on the 14th of July, 1780.
His father, Robert Elliott, was unfortunately killed by the Indians in
the year 1794, near the Muskingum river, while transacting business
for the army of the United States. The following resolution was passed
by Congress on this melancholy event. “Be it enacted,” &c., “that the
sum of two thousand dollars be allowed to the widow of Robert Elliott,
who was killed by a party of hostile Indians while he was conducting
the necessary supplies for the army commanded by Major-General Wayne,
in the year 1794,” &c. &c. Until the year 1804, Jesse Elliott was
engaged in prosecuting his studies at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, when he
was appointed a midshipman in the navy, and ordered on board the United
States frigate Essex. The United States being then engaged in a war
with the Barbary powers, the above-mentioned frigate was ordered to
cruise in the Mediterranean.
The little force that Congress was enabled to detach for that
service--their limited means of annoyance--the treachery and ferocity
of their barbarous antagonists, created a deep responsibility in the
officers, and conspired to introduce a system of masculine intrepidity,
severity of discipline, and promptitude of obedience, of which, even to
the present hour, we reap the benefits. The treachery of our opponents
taught our men to be ever on the alert, and their cruelty made them
bold and resolute, even to rashness. Knowing how much was expected, and
how scanty were their means, they supplied every deficiency by skill
and courage. Contempt of danger was so rigidly enforced, that when one
of our subordinate officers showed symptoms of fear in an engagement,
and was tried by a court martial, the commodore assigned for his
acquittal, a reason no less curious than just: viz., that the bare
supposition that one coward existed on board of the American fleet was,
of itself, a greater injury than the condemnation of this man could
possibly be a benefit, _as it would establish the fact_. The British
squadron in the Mediterranean minutely watched the movements of our
little fleet for the purpose of sarcasm and jest. Their sarcasms were,
however, soon converted into expressions of warm admiration. Amidst
such a band of brave and kindred spirits, our young midshipman learned
to smile at danger, while he grew familiar with it, and felt his ideas
expanded and enlarged. Returning to the United States, in July, 1807,
he obtained a lieutenancy on board the frigate Chesapeake, where he
remained until June, 1810, when he was appointed acting lieutenant on
board the schooner Enterprize, to cruise on the coast, and to enforce
the embargo laws. In this service he remained till 1810, when he was
appointed to carry dispatches to our minister at the court of Great
Britain. For a short time after his return, he served in the John
Adams, from which he was transferred to the Argus, as first lieutenant.
On the 5th of April, 1812, he married the daughter of William Vaughan,
Esquire, of Norfolk, Virginia. He had no sooner entered that happy
state, than he was obliged to relinquish the sweets of domestic life
for the hardier scenes of battle. War was declared against England, and
he, with all speed, repaired to New York, to rejoin the vessel from
which he had been furloughed, and to his mortification, found that she
had already sailed. Commodore Chauncey, being on the eve of departing
on a secret and novel expedition, to which he cordially assented,
had applied to the proper department to receive his instructions.
Lieutenant Elliott was immediately appointed to the command on Lake
Erie, and received orders to repair thither, with all possible
dispatch, purchase what private vessels he could, build two ships of
twenty guns, and as early as possible have his fleet in readiness to
meet that of the enemy. Lieutenant Elliott, aware of the importance of
the command of the lakes in our war against Canada, and the difficulty
and delay which would attend the building of the vessels, to say
nothing of the expense, had purchased some vessels, but was much
embarrassed with the difficulty in getting up the Niagara, and into the
lake. After revolving in his mind all these obstacles, he formed the
resolution of boarding and capturing two British brigs-of-war, called
the Detroit and Caledonia, lying under the protection of the batteries
of Fort Erie.
He accordingly embarked in two boats, with fifty men in each, and put
off from the mouth of Buffalo creek, and at one o’clock in the morning
came along side of the enemy.
He boarded, and captured the two vessels, and secured all the prisoners
in ten minutes. Unfortunately the wind was not strong enough to
enable him to make head against the rapid current in the lake. He was
compelled to anchor opposite the enemy’s forts, within four hundred and
fifty yards of their batteries, exposed to a heavy and incessant fire
of round, grape and canister shot, from a number of pieces of heavy
ordnance, and their flying artillery.
The Caledonia was, however, beyond the reach of the enemy’s guns,
under one of the batteries at Black Rock. Lieutenant Elliott ordered
all the guns of the Detroit to be mounted on one side, whence he
kept up a constant fire against the enemy’s batteries as long as his
ammunition lasted. He determined then to drop down the river out of
reach of their cannon, and make a stand against the flying artillery.
At this instant, he discovered, for the first time, that his pilot had
deserted him. He, however, cut the cable, and falling astern, made
good his way to Square Island. He sent the boarding boat ashore with
the prisoners, himself and four others only remaining in the Detroit,
directing the officer to return for him, and what property they might
be able to save from the brig.
The officer was unable to return on account of the rapidity of the
current. At length, discovering a skiff under the stern, he made for
the shore in her with the remaining part of the crew.
During all this time, an incessant fire was kept up from both sides of
the river, on the brig.
She received twelve shots of large dimensions in her bends, her sails
were reduced to ribbons, and her rigging cut to pieces. Finding all
attempts to carry off the Detroit were unavailing, he dismantled her
of all her ordnance and stores, and set her on fire. The Caledonia was
found to be a vessel belonging to the Northwest Company, loaded with
peltry. Lieutenant Elliott’s party consisted of one hundred men. He was
fortunate enough to capture one hundred and thirty prisoners with their
officers, and to release from captivity forty of his own countrymen,
belonging to the fourth United States regiment. Lieutenant Elliott,
on boarding, opposed three of the enemy with no other weapon than his
cutlass. During the hottest of the fire from the batteries, a cannon
shot passed through, and striking a large silver wedge deposited in a
trunk belonging to one of the officers, bent it double. This wedge is
still preserved as a curiosity. As a proof of the gallantry displayed
in this exploit, Congress presented to Lieutenant Elliott a splendid
sword, with suitable emblems and devices, in testimony of the just
sense entertained by that body, of his gallantry and brave conduct in
boarding, and capturing the British brigs Detroit and Caledonia, while
anchored under the protection of Fort Erie.
Shortly after this brilliant exploit, Lieutenant Elliott joined
Commodore Chauncey at Sacket’s Harbor, and proceeded with six
schooners, in quest of the enemy’s fleet. The next day he fell in
with the Royal George, and followed her into Kingston channel, where
he engaged her and the batteries for an hour and three-quarters, and
determined to board her in the night, but from adverse winds, the
pilot refused to take charge of the vessels; and the commodore was
reluctantly compelled to forego his determination. Lieutenant Elliott,
shortly after, was promoted over thirty lieutenants to the rank of
master-commandant, and having the command of the Madison in Commodore
Chauncey’s fleet, in the preparation for the attack on York, Upper
Canada, he discovered that the ships could not be brought into action
from the shoalness of the water. He asked, and obtained the commodore’s
permission to lead the small vessels employed in covering the troops
while they were landing and attacking the batteries. The troops under
General Dearborne, amounting to seventeen hundred men, were embarked
on board Commodore Chauncey’s fleet, and arrived at York, while the
squadron taking a position to the westward and southward of the fort,
covered the debarkation of the troops. The riflemen landed under a
heavy fire, and seven hundred regulars, with one hundred Indians,
marched to oppose the landing of the American army. General Pike, with
seven hundred men, having effected a landing, routed the enemy, and
pushed direct for the principal batteries. At this time the enemy blew
up his magazine, and during the confusion precipitately retreated.
Thirty-eight of our men were killed by this explosion, amongst whom
we have to lament the gallant Pike, and two hundred and thirty were
wounded. The town surrendered by capitulation, and Captain Elliott was
appointed by Commodore Chauncey to see that the articles were carried
into execution on the part of the navy.
In the beginning of August, 1813, Captain Elliott was directed to
proceed to Lake Erie and take the command of the Niagara, under the
orders of Commodore Perry. The battle of Lake Erie, which resulted in
the capture of the entire fleet of the enemy, was fought on the 10th
of September following. Of the conduct of Captain Elliott on this
occasion, it will suffice to state here, that Commodore Perry, in his
official account of the battle, dated September 13th, said, “Of Captain
Elliott, already so well known to the government, it would be almost
superfluous to speak. In this action he evinced his characteristic
bravery and judgment, and since the close of the action has given me
the most able and essential assistance.”
Let the highest authority known to our laws speak for themselves, on
this occasion. Congress passed the following resolution:--“Resolved,
That the President of the United States be requested to cause gold
medals to be struck, emblematic of the action between the two
squadrons, and to be presented to Captain Perry and to Captain Jesse
Elliott, in such manner most agreeable to them,” &c. (_See_ Plate XI.)
In October following, Commodore Perry left the lake service, and
Captain Elliott succeeded him in the command of the naval forces
on Lake Erie. On this station he did not remain long, but at his
own request, he obtained the command of the sloop-of-war Ontario.
Peace with Great Britain being proclaimed, Captain Elliott, in the
Ontario, joined the squadron which sailed in the spring of 1815 to
the Mediterranean to exact reparation from the Barbary powers for
injuries to our commerce. This service being performed, he returned
to his own country and remained with his own family until 1817. From
that time until 1824 he was employed as one of the commissioners to
examine the coast of the United States. From 1825 to 1827, with a
promotion to captain in the navy, he commanded the United States ship
Cyane, cruising on the coasts of Brazil and Buenos Ayres, to protect
our commerce in that quarter. Captain Elliott’s next appointment in
1829, was to the command of the squadron on the West India station,
consisting, besides the Peacock, of five sloops-of-war and two
schooners. On this station he remained three years. In 1833 he was
appointed to the charge of the navy yard at Charlestown, Massachusetts.
In 1835 he sailed for the Mediterranean to take command of the
squadron there; and during the several years spent in that service,
he visited some of the most interesting parts of the world, of Italy,
Greece, Constantinople, Palestine, Egypt, &c. &c., at the same time
making collections of such objects of curiosity as would add to the
interest of our institutions. After several years’ absence from the
United States, he returned, and in November, 1844, was appointed to
the command of the Philadelphia navy yard. His health soon after began
to decline, and he died on the 10th of December, 1845. Commodore
Elliott was a strict disciplinarian, yet his personal friends can
bear unequivocal testimony to the amiability of his deportment in his
intercourse through life. The excellence of his private character was
never called in question. His correspondence at different times with
the functionaries of foreign governments, was highly creditable to
him. He possessed much useful knowledge, the result as well of his own
observation as of his reading.