Jesse Duncan Elliott (14 July 1782 – 10 December 1845) was a United States naval officer and commander of American naval forces in
Lake Erie
Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has t ...
during the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
, especially noted for his controversial actions during the
Battle of Lake Erie
The Battle of Lake Erie, sometimes called the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on 10 September 1813, on Lake Erie off the shore of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of the Briti ...
.
Early life
Elliott was born in
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in Washington County, Maryland,
United States and the county seat of Washington County. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2020 census was 43,527, and the population of the Hagerstown metropolitan area (exten ...
. His childhood home, the
Elliot-Bester House
Elliott-Bester House is a historic home in Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland, United States. It is a two-story brick dwelling, painted yellow and trimmed with black and white. The home is associated with Commodore Jesse D. Elliott who spe ...
, was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1975.
He enlisted in the US Navy as a midshipman in April 1804 and saw action in the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
during the
Barbary Wars
The Barbary Wars were a series of two wars fought by the United States, Sweden, and the Kingdom of Sicily against the Barbary states (including Tunis, Algiers, and Tripoli) of North Africa in the early 19th century. Sweden had been at war with ...
between 1805 and 1807, serving on board the
USS ''Essex'' under Commodore
James Barron
James Barron (September 15, 1768 – April 21, 1851) was an officer in the United States Navy. He served in the Quasi-War and the Barbary Wars, during which he commanded a number of famous ships, including and . As commander of the frigate , ...
. In June 1807, Elliott was on board
USS ''Chesapeake'' when Commodore Barron was forced to allow a search of the ship by
HMS ''Leopard''.
War of 1812
Elliott won promotion to lieutenant in April 1810 and was assigned to
Lake Erie
Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has t ...
to oversee construction of the US naval squadron on Lake Erie upon the outbreak of the War of 1812. On 8 October 1812, he and Army Captain
Nathan Towson
Nathaniel Towson (; January 22, 1784 July 20, 1854), also known as Nathan Towson, was a brevet major general in the United States Army. A career soldier, he fought in the War of 1812 as an artillery officer. He served as paymaster of the Army af ...
captured the British brigs and , formerly the United States brig ''Adams'', anchored near the British
Fort Erie
Fort Erie is a town on the Niagara River in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. It is directly across the river from Buffalo, New York, and is the site of Old Fort Erie which played a prominent role in the War of 1812.
Fort Erie is one of Ni ...
in the upper reaches of the
Niagara River
The Niagara River () is a river that flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the province of Ontario in Canada (on the west) and the state of New York (state), New York in the United States (on the east) ...
. ''Caledonia'' escaped to an American port with a load of furs and became the USS ''Caledonia''. ''Detroit'' was swept down the Niagara River into range of the British guns. Elliott battled the shore emplacement until his ammunition ran out and then beached the ship on Squaw Island (today known as
Unity Island
Unity Island is an approximately island separating the Niagara River and the Black Rock Canal, located within the city limits of Buffalo, New York. The historic island is home to two public parks and a water treatment facility. It is connected t ...
) and fled to the American side of the river. British and American guns destroyed the beached ship. Elliott and Towson were later commended for this action by Congress. In February 1813, however, Elliott was replaced as commander of the Lake Erie squadron by
Master Commandant
Master commandant was a rank within the early United States Navy. Both the Continental Navy, started in 1775, and the United States Navy created by the United States Congress, in 1796, had just two commissioned ranks, lieutenant and captain. Maste ...
Oliver H. Perry.
Transferred to
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...
, Elliott served under Commodore
Isaac Chauncey
Isaac Chauncey (February 20, 1772 – January 27, 1840) was an American naval officer in the United States Navy who served in the Quasi-War, The Barbary Wars and the War of 1812. In the latter part of his naval career he was President of th ...
as captain on board the flagship the , and took part in the
Battle of York
The Battle of York was a War of 1812 battle fought in York, Upper Canada (today's Toronto, Ontario, Canada) on April 27, 1813. An American force supported by a naval flotilla landed on the lakeshore to the west and advanced against the town, whi ...
on 27 April 1813 and the
Battle of Fort George
The Battle of Fort George was a battle fought during the War of 1812, in which the Americans defeated a British force and captured the Fort George in Upper Canada. The troops of the United States Army and vessels of the United States Navy c ...
on 27 May. He was promoted to
master commandant
Master commandant was a rank within the early United States Navy. Both the Continental Navy, started in 1775, and the United States Navy created by the United States Congress, in 1796, had just two commissioned ranks, lieutenant and captain. Maste ...
in July and reassigned to the Lake Erie squadron, to serve as Commodore Perry's second-in-command. He felt Perry had insufficient combat experience, and was particularly critical of Perry's choice of
Presque Isle for his shipyard.
Battle of Lake Erie
During the
Battle of Lake Erie
The Battle of Lake Erie, sometimes called the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on 10 September 1813, on Lake Erie off the shore of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of the Briti ...
against a British squadron under Captain
Robert Barclay
Robert Barclay (23 December 16483 October 1690) was a Scottish Quaker, one of the most eminent writers belonging to the Religious Society of Friends and a member of the Clan Barclay. He was a son of Col. David Barclay, Laird of Urie, and his ...
on 10 September, Elliott commanded the brig . Perry commanded the ''Niagara''s sister-ship, . In the center of the American line of battle, the ''Niagara'' was astern of the ''Caledonia'' which in turn was astern of the ''Lawrence''. During the early stages of the battle, the ''Lawrence'' fought alone against several of the heaviest British ships while the ''Niagara'' was scarcely engaged. After the ''Lawrence'' was battered into a wreck, Perry took command of the ''Niagara'' while Elliott was dispatched by boat to urge the smaller American gunboats at the rear of the line of battle into closer action. The battle ended with the surrender of the entire British squadron.
Elliott won distinction for his actions and official praise from Perry, and was given command of the Lake Erie squadron the next month. There was nevertheless controversy over his actions during the battle. Some (including Perry) suspected that he had deliberately held ''Niagara'' out of the battle in the beginning, and they would feud over this point to the end of their lives.
Honors
On January 6, 1814, both Elliott and Perry were each honored with a
Congressional Gold Medal
The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress. It is Congress's highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. The congressional pract ...
, and the
Thanks of Congress The Thanks of Congress is a series of formal resolutions passed by the United States Congress originally to extend the government's formal thanks for significant victories or impressive actions by American military commanders and their troops. Altho ...
. (''See'' 3 Stat. 141.) This was in recognition of the first time in history when an entire British naval squadron had surrendered.
(Compar
Congressional Gold Medal Honoring Jesse D. Elliottan
Congressional Gold Medal Honoring Oliver Hazard Perry) In addition to the medals, Elliott and Perry each received an equal share of the prize money ($7,140.00 apiece) for the capture of the British squadron at Lake Erie. In recognition of Perry's position as commodore of the squadron, Congress voted Perry an additional payment of $5,000.00, which became a source of consternation for Elliott. In 1818 Elliott was elected as an honorary member of the Maryland
Society of the Cincinnati
The Society of the Cincinnati is a fraternal, hereditary society founded in 1783 to commemorate the American Revolutionary War that saw the creation of the United States. Membership is largely restricted to descendants of military officers wh ...
.
Conflict between Perry and Elliott
Even before the medals were presented, Elliott and Perry became embroiled in a thirty-year-long controversy over their respective conduct and fault in the battle, extending even beyond Perry's death in 1819. Perry claimed that Elliott had failed to offer timely support; Elliott decried lack of communication and signals on Perry's part. In August 1818 Perry drew up a list of charges against Elliott but was, apparently, dissuaded by the Secretary of the Navy against formally filing them.
[Skaggs, David Curtis. ''Perry Triumphant'' (April 2009 Volume 23, Number 2)](_blank)
Naval History Magazine United States Naval Institute
The United States Naval Institute (USNI) is a private non-profit military association that offers independent, nonpartisan forums for debate of national security issues. In addition to publishing magazines and books, the Naval Institute holds se ...
.[National Park Service, Oliver Hazard Perry.](_blank)
/ref>
Perry left his list of charges and specifications with his friend Commodore Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur Jr. (; January 5, 1779 – March 22, 1820) was an American naval officer and commodore. He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland in Worcester County. His father, Stephen Decatur Sr., was a commodore in the Unite ...
when he left on his diplomatic mission to Venezuela in 1819, during which he died. Elliott served as the second to Captain James Barron in the duel in which Barron killed Decatur in 1820. Decatur's widow published the charges made by Perry years later as she held Elliott to be at least partially responsible for her husband's death.
Later career
Elliott commanded the sloop USS ''Ontario'' during the Second Barbary War
The Second Barbary War (1815) or the U.S.–Algerian War was fought between the United States and the North African Barbary Coast states of Tripoli, Tunis, and Algiers. The war ended when the United States Senate ratified Commodore Stephen De ...
, and was promoted to Captain in 1818, serving on a naval commission selecting sites for navy yards, lighthouses, and other coastal fortifications, until 1822. In 1820, Elliott was second to Commodore James Barron when the latter fatally shot Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur Jr. (; January 5, 1779 – March 22, 1820) was an American naval officer and commodore. He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland in Worcester County. His father, Stephen Decatur Sr., was a commodore in the Unite ...
in a duel. He was transferred to the Brazil Squadron in 1825, served as captain of the USS ''Cyane'' for two years, and later commanded the West Indies Squadron from 1829 to 1832.
Elliott was appointed commander of the Boston Navy Yard in 1833 and of the frigate USS ''Constitution'' and the Mediterranean Squadron from 3 March 1835 to 18 August 1838. During the Mediterranean assignment, he was charged with minor offenses by several of his junior officers, including using his official position for personal gain and transporting animals he had purchased aboard ''Constitution''.
Elliott was recalled to the United States in 1838. He was politically unpopular at the time (possibly stemming back to his performance during the Battle of Lake Erie and subsequent feud with Perry), and was convicted of these charges and suspended from duty for four years until the remaining charges were dismissed by President John Tyler
John Tyler (March 29, 1790 – January 18, 1862) was the tenth president of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president dire ...
in October 1843. Appointed commander of the Philadelphia Navy Yard
The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was an important naval shipyard of the United States for almost two centuries.
Philadelphia's original navy yard, begun in 1776 on Front Street and Federal Street in what is now the Pennsport section of the cit ...
in December 1844, Elliott remained there until his death on 10 December 1845. He is buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia. After being overgrown for many years, his grave was re-identified in 2012.
Dates of rank
*Midshipman - 2 April 1804
*Lieutenant - 23 April 1810
*Master Commandant - 24 July 1813
*Captain - 27 March 1818
References
Sources
*McHenry, Robert. ''Webster's American Military Biographies'', Springfield, Mass.: G & C. Merriam Co., 1978.
*Jesse D. Elliott, ''Address of Com. Jesse D. Elliot 'sic'' U.S.N., Delivered in Washington County, Maryland, to His Early Companions at Their Request, on November 24, 1843'' (Philadelphia: G.B. Zeiber & co., 1844).
Further reading
* Axelrod, Alen; Phillips, Charles. ''The Macmillan Dictionary of Military Biography'' (New York: Macmillan
MacMillan, Macmillan, McMillen or McMillan may refer to:
People
* McMillan (surname)
* Clan MacMillan, a Highland Scottish clan
* Harold Macmillan, British statesman and politician
* James MacMillan, Scottish composer
* William Duncan MacMillan ...
, 1998.) p. 343.
* Bancroft, George, 1800-1891
Dyer, Oliver, 1824-1907. (1891) ''History of the battle of Lake Erie: and miscellaneous papers'' (New York: R. Bonner's sons)
at American Library Association
The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members a ...
.
Barnes, James, 1866-1936 (1898) ''The hero of Erie (Oliver Hazard Perry)'' (microform) (1898) New York: D. Appleton
at Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
an
here for other formats
* Burges, Tristam, 1770-1853.br>(1839) ''Battle of Lake Erie, with notices of Commodore Elliot's conduct in that engagement'' (Providence, Brown & Cady).
Conners, William James, 1857-; Emerson, George Douglas. (1916) ''The Perry's victory centenary. Report of the Perry's victory centennial commission, state of New York'' (Albany, J.B. Lyon Company, Printers).
*Coles, Harry L; Borstin, Daniel J., Ed. August 1966 ''The War of 1812'' (Chicago: University of Chicago Press
The University of Chicago Press is the largest and one of the oldest university presses in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including ''The Chicago Manual of Style'', ...
) .
* Cooper, James Fenimore (1846
''Lives of Distinguished American Naval Officers''
Google Books
Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical c ...
an
here
for American Library Association.
* Dillon, Richard. (1978) ''We have met the enemy: Oliver Hazard Perry, wilderness commodore'' (New York: McGraw-Hill). .
* Dutton, Charles J. (1935) ''Oliver Hazard Perry'' (New York: Longmans, Green and Co.) 308 pp. (Scholar's Bookshelf; First Edition—October 15, 2006) ; .
Downloadable resources regarding Oliver Hazard Perry, American Library Association.
Eaton, Joseph Giles, 1847-1905. (1905) ''Perry's Victory on Lake Erie.'' Military Historical Society of Massachusetts (Boston, For the Society
by Houghton Mifflin
The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , ''asteriskos'', "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star.
Computer scientists and mathematicians often voc ...
) at American Library Association.
Elliott, Jesse D., 1782-1845. Address of Com. Jesse D. Elliot, U.S.N., Delivered in Washington County, Maryland, to His Early Companions at Their Request, on November 24, 1843 (Philadelphia: G.B. Zeiber & co., 1844).
*
*Lyman, Olin H. (1905) ''Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and the War on the Lakes''.
Mackenzie, Alexander Slidell, 1803-1848. (1915) ''Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry : famous American naval hero, victor of the battle of Lake Erie, his life and achievements'' (Akron, Ohio: Superior Printing Co.)
Mackenzie, Alexander Slidell, 1803-1848. (1840) ''The life of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry.'' (New York, Harper) Volume 1
Volume 2
* Mahan, Alfred Thayer, 1840–1914. (1905
Power in Its Relation to the War of 1812'' (2 vols.)
(Boston: Little Brown
Little, Brown and Company is an American publishing company founded in 1837 by Charles Coffin Little and James Brown in Boston. For close to two centuries it has published fiction and nonfiction by American authors. Early lists featured Emily D ...
) American Library Association.
Niles, John Milton (Bedford, Mass.: Applewood Books, 1830) ''The Life of Oliver Hazard Perry.''
*
Reid, George. (1913) ''Perry at Erie:how Captain Dobbins, Benjamin Fleming and others assisted him.'' (Erie, Pennsylvania: Journal publishing company).
Skaggs, David Curtis. (October 2006) ''Oliver Hazard Perry: honor, courage, and patriotism in the early U.S. Navy.''
Annapolis, Maryland:Naval Institute Press
The United States Naval Institute (USNI) is a private non-profit military association that offers independent, nonpartisan forums for debate of national security issues. In addition to publishing magazines and books, the Naval Institute holds se ...
, ; .
Skaggs, David Curtis. ''Perry Triumphant'' (April 2009 Volume 23, Number 2)
Naval History Magazine United States Naval Institute
The United States Naval Institute (USNI) is a private non-profit military association that offers independent, nonpartisan forums for debate of national security issues. In addition to publishing magazines and books, the Naval Institute holds se ...
.
*
White, James T. (1895) p. 288.
National Cyclopaedia of American Biography
''The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography'' is a multi-volume collection of biographical articles and portraits of Americans, published since the 1890s. The primary method of data collection was by sending questionnaires to subjects or the ...
External links
War of 1812 - People & Stories: Jesse Elliot
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=0v7UDE1GIXEC Jesse D. Elliott, Address of Com. Jesse D. Elliot, U.S.N., Delivered in Washington County, Maryland, to His Early Companions at Their Request, on November 24, 1843 (Philadelphia: G.B. Zeiber & co., 1844).]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elliott, Jesse
1782 births
1845 deaths
American military personnel of the First Barbary War
United States Navy personnel of the War of 1812
Burials at Mount Moriah Cemetery (Philadelphia)
Congressional Gold Medal recipients
People from Hagerstown, Maryland
United States Navy officers
Commanders of the USS Constitution