A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Eliot, Henry Algernon
ELIOT. (Captain, 1830. f-p., 16; h-p., 29.)
Henry Algernon Eliot, born 23 Aug. 1790, at Shenstone Hall, near Lichfield, co. Stafford, is son of the late Percival Eliot, Esq., formerly Colonel of the Stafford Militia, and many years a Commissioner for auditing the Public Accounts; and grandson of Major-General Granville Eliot, a soldier of distinction, who served under the Duke of Marlborough. His great-grandfather, General Roger Eliot, was uncle-in-law of the hero of Gibraltar, the late celebrated Lord Heathfield.
This officer entered the Navy, 28 Dec. 1802, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Belleisle 74, Capts. John Whitby and Wm. Hargood; as Midshipman of which ship he accompanied Lord Nelson in pursuit of the combined squadrons of France and Spain to the West Indies in the summer of 1805. He then successively joined the Quebec 32, and Euryalus 36, both commanded by Capt. Hon. Geo. Heneage Lawrence Dundas, on the Mediterranean station, where he appears to have been frequently employed in cutting out vessels from under the enemy’s batteries. After a further servitude, latterly as Acting-Lieutenant, in the Royal William, flag-ship of Sir Geo. Montagu, Christian VII. 80, Capt. Sir Joseph Sydney Yorke, and Prince of Orange 74, and Thisbe 28, flag-ships of Admirals Geo. Campbell and Hon. Sir Henry Edwin Stanhope, all on the Home station, Mr. Eliot was confirmed, 8 June, 1810, to a Lieutenancy in the Ferret sloop, Capt. Rich. Wales, then off the coast of North America. Until Nov. 1816, we next find him employed, on the Lisbon, Mediterranean, and Home stations, on board the Tonnant 80, Capt. Sir John Gore, Pylades sloop, Capts. Geo. Ferguson and Jas. Wemyss, Cornwall 74, Capts. John Broughton and Edw. W. C. R. Owen, Scylla 16, Capt. Geo. Bennet Allen, Phoenix 36, Capt. Chas. John Austen, and Boyne 98, and Bombay 74, flag-ships of Lord Exmouth and Sir Chas. Vinicombe Penrose. During that period he commanded the Tonnant’s boats up the river Tagus, in co-operation, in 1810, with the British troops occupying the lines of Torres Vedras, and, while so employed, he was constantly engaged with the advanced guard, near Villa Franca, and on one occasion fell into the hands of the enemy, by whom he was held captive for several weeks. Mr. Eliot also, in the Pylades and Boyne, witnessed an attack upon Ciotat, and was present at the surrender of Naples, in 1812-15. After serving for about 12 months in the Créole 42, Commodore Wm. Bowles, on the Brazilian station, he was there promoted to the command, 2 Sept. 1819, of the Icarus sloop, in which he continued until June, 1821. Capt. Eliot, who has not since been afloat, obtained his Post-commission 22 July, 1830.
He married, in 1823, Jane, only daughter of the Rev. Alex. Crombie, LL.D., F.R.S., by whom he has issue. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.