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Joseph Ellison
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Joseph Ellison
Captain Joseph Ellison (1753 – 1 October 1816) was a Royal Navy officer. Having joined the service at the age of nine, he served during the Falklands Crisis in 1770 and went on to participate in the Battle of Bunker Hill and Siege of Pondicherry during the American Revolutionary War, during which he was promoted to lieutenant. On 4 July 1780 Ellison was serving on board HMS Prudente when they engaged, with another British frigate, two French frigates off Cape Ortegal. Ellison was badly wounded in the back during the battle and had an arm destroyed by a cannon ball that was amputated after the British had attained their victory. Having recuperated from his injuries Ellison was appointed to the impress service where he performed so well that he was promoted to commander in 1782 and post-captain in 1783. He took command of HMS Ariadne in April of that year and served in her off Ireland investigating fisheries, but in September he temporarily retired from the navy when his wounds began to become more problematic.
By 1785 Ellison's condition had improved once again and he was given command of HMS Druid, which he would command almost unbrokenly into the French Revolutionary Wars. In June 1794 he played a prominent part in an action against a much superior French squadron while under the command of Sir James Saumarez in the Channel Islands, where the smaller British force successfully escaped the French attack. In June 1795 he was given command of HMS Standard in which he participated in the Quiberon Bay Expedition where he unsuccessfully attempted to force the island of Belle Île to surrender. After this Ellison left Standard to again rest and recover his health, and was given HMS Marlborough in August 1797.
Marlborough had removed her previous captain during the Spithead mutiny and Ellison was brought in as a captain more favourable to seamen. Despite this, while sailing to join the Mediterranean Fleet on 7 May 1798 the crew attempted to mutiny, but Ellison was warned and was able to get on deck before the attack unfolded. He left Marlborough in November because of another deterioration in his health, and re-joined the impress service until 1801. In 1803 he was appointed a captain of Greenwich Naval Hospital, where he served until his death in 1816.
Joseph Ellison was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1753. His family were of a respectable background, and he was distantly related to the member of parliament Richard Ellison and General Cuthbert Ellison. His father, who was also named Joseph Ellison, died when Ellison was six months old. He was then adopted by a childless aunt who lived in Portsmouth. He joined the Royal Navy at the age of nine.
Ellison went to sea initially with Admiral Sir Edward Hawke in the 100-gun ship of the line HMS Royal George. That ship was paid off on 18 December 1762 and then in 1763 he transferred to the 60-gun fourth rate HMS Rippon. He soon after moved to the 74-gun ship of the line HMS Arrogant, the guardship at Portsmouth, in which he served until 1767. At this point he transferred ships again, joining the 32-gun frigate HMS Glory which was in ordinary at Chatham, where he served until he left for the 20-gun frigate HMS Aldborough in 1769. Ellison's quick progression through ships continued into 1770, with him then joining the 70-gun ship of the line HMS Boyne. Boyne was freshly commissioned for the Falklands Crisis and she sailed to Jamaica on 3 June 1771. She returned home in 1772 and became guardship at Plymouth in April 1773, at which point Ellison moved to the 90-gun ship of the line HMS Ocean, another Plymouth guardship. Soon after this he moved into the 70-gun ship of the line HMS Somerset and was then briefly seconded from her to the 74-gun ship of the line HMS Albion.
After a few months Ellison returned to Somerset, and the ship was sent to Boston on 24 October 1774 to serve on the North America Station. The American Revolutionary War having by now begun, Captain Edward Le Cras of Somerset gave Ellison command over three flat-bottomed boats to assist in obstructing groups of American rebels from connecting with one another. This duty required almost constant alertness by the men involved and they were frequently harassed by rebel forces. Ellison re-joined Somerset only when the craft being used were discharged as being unsuitable for further service. Soon after this Major-General Sir William Howe arrived at Boston to serve as Commander-in-Chief of British land forces in North America. Having heard that American forces were attacking Charleston, Howe was conveyed there by Ellison in Somerset's barge. Upon arriving there on 16 June 1775 Ellison assisted Howe's army in burning the town, and he then volunteered to continue on land with the army. It was decided however that he should stay with the barge in case the army needed to retreat. On the following day Howe fought the Battle of Bunker Hill and then re-embarked in Ellison's barge to sail back to Boston.
Ellison's successes in these endeavours led Howe to offer him a commission in the British Army after they reached Boston, but he declined it. Ellison left North America in March 1776 when Somerset sailed home. When he reached England, he removed into Rippon, now the flagship of Commodore Sir Edward Vernon. They sailed to join the East Indies Station on 24 November and soon after Rippon's arrival in 1778 the Anglo-French War began. Having been promoted to lieutenant on 29 July, he fought in a skirmish between the British and French fleets on 10 August off Pondicherry. After this Vernon sent him to serve in the 14-gun sloop HMS Cormorant, in which he participated in the successful Siege of Pondicherry in October.
After the siege Cormorant was sent to serve in the Red Sea, sailing for Suez. Once the ship arrived there a portion of the crew deserted to live with the local population. Ellison was sent ashore to recover the men, but was then captured by some Turks and set before a military tribunal. Cormorant's captain, Commander William Owen, threatened to sail in to the coast and bombard the town Ellison was being held in unless he was given up. The threat was successful and Ellison was released soon after. Cormorant subsequently sailed to Madras, where Owen died in an accident on 24 October. Ellison took temporary command of the ship and sailed her to Trincomalee where Commander Charles Pole took over. They then sailed home to England carrying dispatches from the army and the navy, arriving in March 1779 after a journey of four months and thirteen days. Pole was appointed to another ship upon his return; Ellison was left in temporary command again, and he sailed Cormorant to Sheerness.
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Joseph Ellison
Captain Joseph Ellison (1753 – 1 October 1816) was a Royal Navy officer. Having joined the service at the age of nine, he served during the Falklands Crisis in 1770 and went on to participate in the Battle of Bunker Hill and Siege of Pondicherry during the American Revolutionary War, during which he was promoted to lieutenant. On 4 July 1780 Ellison was serving on board HMS Prudente when they engaged, with another British frigate, two French frigates off Cape Ortegal. Ellison was badly wounded in the back during the battle and had an arm destroyed by a cannon ball that was amputated after the British had attained their victory. Having recuperated from his injuries Ellison was appointed to the impress service where he performed so well that he was promoted to commander in 1782 and post-captain in 1783. He took command of HMS Ariadne in April of that year and served in her off Ireland investigating fisheries, but in September he temporarily retired from the navy when his wounds began to become more problematic.
By 1785 Ellison's condition had improved once again and he was given command of HMS Druid, which he would command almost unbrokenly into the French Revolutionary Wars. In June 1794 he played a prominent part in an action against a much superior French squadron while under the command of Sir James Saumarez in the Channel Islands, where the smaller British force successfully escaped the French attack. In June 1795 he was given command of HMS Standard in which he participated in the Quiberon Bay Expedition where he unsuccessfully attempted to force the island of Belle Île to surrender. After this Ellison left Standard to again rest and recover his health, and was given HMS Marlborough in August 1797.
Marlborough had removed her previous captain during the Spithead mutiny and Ellison was brought in as a captain more favourable to seamen. Despite this, while sailing to join the Mediterranean Fleet on 7 May 1798 the crew attempted to mutiny, but Ellison was warned and was able to get on deck before the attack unfolded. He left Marlborough in November because of another deterioration in his health, and re-joined the impress service until 1801. In 1803 he was appointed a captain of Greenwich Naval Hospital, where he served until his death in 1816.
Joseph Ellison was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1753. His family were of a respectable background, and he was distantly related to the member of parliament Richard Ellison and General Cuthbert Ellison. His father, who was also named Joseph Ellison, died when Ellison was six months old. He was then adopted by a childless aunt who lived in Portsmouth. He joined the Royal Navy at the age of nine.
Ellison went to sea initially with Admiral Sir Edward Hawke in the 100-gun ship of the line HMS Royal George. That ship was paid off on 18 December 1762 and then in 1763 he transferred to the 60-gun fourth rate HMS Rippon. He soon after moved to the 74-gun ship of the line HMS Arrogant, the guardship at Portsmouth, in which he served until 1767. At this point he transferred ships again, joining the 32-gun frigate HMS Glory which was in ordinary at Chatham, where he served until he left for the 20-gun frigate HMS Aldborough in 1769. Ellison's quick progression through ships continued into 1770, with him then joining the 70-gun ship of the line HMS Boyne. Boyne was freshly commissioned for the Falklands Crisis and she sailed to Jamaica on 3 June 1771. She returned home in 1772 and became guardship at Plymouth in April 1773, at which point Ellison moved to the 90-gun ship of the line HMS Ocean, another Plymouth guardship. Soon after this he moved into the 70-gun ship of the line HMS Somerset and was then briefly seconded from her to the 74-gun ship of the line HMS Albion.
After a few months Ellison returned to Somerset, and the ship was sent to Boston on 24 October 1774 to serve on the North America Station. The American Revolutionary War having by now begun, Captain Edward Le Cras of Somerset gave Ellison command over three flat-bottomed boats to assist in obstructing groups of American rebels from connecting with one another. This duty required almost constant alertness by the men involved and they were frequently harassed by rebel forces. Ellison re-joined Somerset only when the craft being used were discharged as being unsuitable for further service. Soon after this Major-General Sir William Howe arrived at Boston to serve as Commander-in-Chief of British land forces in North America. Having heard that American forces were attacking Charleston, Howe was conveyed there by Ellison in Somerset's barge. Upon arriving there on 16 June 1775 Ellison assisted Howe's army in burning the town, and he then volunteered to continue on land with the army. It was decided however that he should stay with the barge in case the army needed to retreat. On the following day Howe fought the Battle of Bunker Hill and then re-embarked in Ellison's barge to sail back to Boston.
Ellison's successes in these endeavours led Howe to offer him a commission in the British Army after they reached Boston, but he declined it. Ellison left North America in March 1776 when Somerset sailed home. When he reached England, he removed into Rippon, now the flagship of Commodore Sir Edward Vernon. They sailed to join the East Indies Station on 24 November and soon after Rippon's arrival in 1778 the Anglo-French War began. Having been promoted to lieutenant on 29 July, he fought in a skirmish between the British and French fleets on 10 August off Pondicherry. After this Vernon sent him to serve in the 14-gun sloop HMS Cormorant, in which he participated in the successful Siege of Pondicherry in October.
After the siege Cormorant was sent to serve in the Red Sea, sailing for Suez. Once the ship arrived there a portion of the crew deserted to live with the local population. Ellison was sent ashore to recover the men, but was then captured by some Turks and set before a military tribunal. Cormorant's captain, Commander William Owen, threatened to sail in to the coast and bombard the town Ellison was being held in unless he was given up. The threat was successful and Ellison was released soon after. Cormorant subsequently sailed to Madras, where Owen died in an accident on 24 October. Ellison took temporary command of the ship and sailed her to Trincomalee where Commander Charles Pole took over. They then sailed home to England carrying dispatches from the army and the navy, arriving in March 1779 after a journey of four months and thirteen days. Pole was appointed to another ship upon his return; Ellison was left in temporary command again, and he sailed Cormorant to Sheerness.
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