Richard Elton (

fl. ''Floruit'' (; abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for "they flourished") denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indicatin ...

1650), was an English military writer.

Life

Elton was a native of

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

. He was the son of Dr. Thomas Elton (died 1618), originally from

Ledbury Ledbury is a market town and civil parish in the county of Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and west of the Malvern Hills. It has a significant number of timber-framed structures, in particular along Church Lane and High Street ...

Herefordshire Herefordshire () is a county in the West Midlands of England, governed by Herefordshire Council. It is bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Monmouthshire ...

and Jane Aston, daughter of Sir Edward Aston of Tixall,

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands Cou ...

. He joined the militia of the city of London, and in 1649 had risen to the rank of major. In 1654 he was deputy-governor of

Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull, usually abbreviated to Hull, is a port city and unitary authority in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies upon the River Hull at its confluence with the Humber Estuary, inland from the North Sea and south-east ...

under the parliament, and two years later, being then lieutenant-colonel, he was governor-general. His son, Ensign Richard Elton, held some post under him. Much official correspondence between Elton and the admiralty is preserved among the state papers. Another son John emigrated to

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

and settled in Hartford.

Works

Elton was the author of ''The compleat Body of the Art Military, exactly compiled and gradually composed for the foot, in the best refined manner, according to the practise of modern times; divided into three books, the first containing the postures of the pike and musket with their conformities and the dignities of Ranks and Files... ; the second comprehending twelve exercises; the third setting forth the drawing up and exercising of Regiments after the manner of private companies..., together with the duties of all private souldiers and officers in a Regiment, from a Sentinell to a Collonel... ; illustrated with a varietie of Figures of Battail very profitable and deliglitfull for all noble and heroic spirits, in a fuller manner than have been heretofore published. – By Richard Elton, Serjeant-Major,'' London, 1650, fol. The volume is dedicated to Thomas Fairfax, and contains a number of laudatory pieces of verse addressed to Elton by his brother officers. Prefixed is a portrait of the author, engraved by

John Droeshout John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

. A second edition, with some small additions, was published in 1659, at which time Elton was still living.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elton, Richard Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown English army officers English military writers Roundheads 17th-century English writers 17th-century English male writers