A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Elwin, Joseph
ELWIN. (Lieut., 1814. f-p., 38; h-p., 5.)
Joseph Elwin is brother of Lieut. Jas. Elwin, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 19 July, 1804, as Midshipman, on board the Tigress gun-brig, Lieut.Commander Edw. Nathaniel Greensword, from which vessel he removed, in Dec. 1805, to the Pompée 74, bearing the flag of Sir Wm. Sidney Smith. In that ship, while actively employed on the coast of Italy, he had the misfortune to lose a hand by the explosion of some arms taken from the enemy. After serving, in 1807, at the passage of the Dardanells, the destruction of the Turkish squadron at Point Pesquies, and the siege of Copenhagen, Mr. Elwin accompanied Sir W. S. Smith into the Foudroyant 80. On his return from a visit to South America he became attached, in May, 1809, to the Dryad 36, Capt. Edw. Galwey; and while under that officer he appears to have been much engaged in co-operation with the patriots on the north coast of Spain, where he landed with the naval brigade, and assisted, in 1810, in destroying all the batteries (with the exception of Castro) from St. Sebastian to St. Andero, on which were found altogether about 100 pieces of heavy cannon. Rejoining Sir W. S. Smith, afterwards, in the Hibernia 120, Mr. Elwin, on 18 Aug. 1813, served in the boats of that ship, and of a small squadron under Capt. Thos. Ussher, in a very gallant attack on the batteries at Cassis, where, after sustaining a loss of 4 men killed and 16 wounded, the British in four hours succeeded in capturing 3 heavy gun-boats, and 26 vessels laden with merchandise. On 24 March, 1814, he became Acting-Lieutenant of the Scipion 74, Capt. Henry Heathcote. Being officially promoted 2 Aug. following, he was subsequently appointed – 6 May, 1815, to the command of the Telegraph at Barham Downs, where he continued for about twelve months – in March, 1820, to the Coast Guard – in Oct. 1825, to the Hound Revenue-cruizer – 18 April, 1831, again to the Coast Guard – 30 Dec. 1839, and 23 Aug. 1843, to the Sprightly and Active, also Revenue-vessels – 1 April, 1845, a third time to the Coast Guard – and 27 June, 1846, to be Agent in a contract mail steam-vessel, in which capacity he was but for a short time employed.
For his frequent exertions in saving life from shipwreck, Lieut. Elwin has elicited the expressed approbation of the Admiralty and the thanks of the Committee at Lloyd’s, and been rewarded with a medal from the Royal National Shipwreck Institution. In acknowledgment of the important assistance afforded by him to a dismasted Dutch man-of-war off Alderney, 13 Jan. 1844, the King of the Netherlands has also presented this officer with a valuable piece of plate.