Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v3p2.djvu/164

 in 1805, Mr. Henry Algernon Eliot joined the Quebec 32, Captain (now Rear-Admiral) the Hon. George H. L. Dundas; with whom he removed into the Euryalus 36, and again sailed for the Mediterranean station, early in 1806. During a long cruise on the south coast of France, we find him frequently employed in the boats of the latter frigate, attacking and capturing vessels under the enemy’s batteries.

Early in 1808, Mr. Eliot was removed from the Euryalus to the Royal William, flagship of Sir George Montagu, at Spithead; and in July following, he joined the Christian VII. Captain Sir Joseph Yorke, employed in the North Sea. Before the end of the same year, we find him on board the Thisbe 28, bearing the flag of the late Sir Henry Edwin Stanhope, in the river Thames; and in Sept. 1809, having previously passed his examination at Somerset House, he was appointed acting lieutenant of that frigate. On the 8th June 1810, he was confirmed into the Ferret sloop. Captain Richard Wales, then on the North American station, which vessel he only joined a few days before she was paid off, at Portsmouth. He then immediately received an appointment to the Tonnant 80, Captain Sir John Gore, employed in the river Tagus.

Soon after his arrival at Lisbon, Lieutenant Eliot was entrusted with the command of the Tonnant’s boats, sent with a division of gunboats, under Lieutenant (now Captain) M. F. F. Berkeley, of the Barfleur 98, to co-operate with Lord Hill’s division of the British array, occupying the lines of Torres-Vedras, at Alhandra.

Whilst on this service, the flotilla was almost constantly engaged with the enemy’s advanced guard, near Villa Franca; and Lieutenant Eliot having landed between the outposts of the two armies, and incautiously approached rather too near those of the French, had the mortification to be suddenly pounced upon, and taken prisoner, by a piquet of five or six men. However, after remaining a few weeks at the headquarters of Marshal Massena, he was again set at liberty, and enabled to rejoin his ship before she left the Tagus.

The Tonnant was afterwards employed in-shore off Brest,