Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/442

 ELLET

ELLET

and Ohio canal, was assistant surveyor of Mary- hind in 1828, and in 1831 studied in the Eeole poly- technique. Paris. He wius then employed on various lailroads and became chief engineer of the James River and Kanawha canal. In 1841-13 he constructed the wiie suspension bridge across the Schuylkill at P^air-

mount, and in 1847

designed and built the suspension bridge at Niagara Falls and the susijension bridge at Wheeling, W. Va. He was president of theSchuylkill naviga- tion company, 1846- 47, and assisted in sur- veying the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. He made a survey of the Northern Pacific coast for the govern ment, 1850-52, and while in Europe in 1854 he first conceived of the availability of the light draft steamer armed with a ram for forcing the blockade of harlx)rs. He submitted his plan to the Czar of Russia as the means for raising the English blockade of Sebastopol, but it was not adopted. He then forwarded his plans to the United States naval department but with as little success. His claim was that swift light-draft steamers would prove more effective than those of heavy draft and tonnage, which was an original idea in naval construction. In 1861 the secretary of war com- missioned Mr. Ellet colonel of engineers and directed him to purchase suitable boats and equip a fleet of iron-clad rams. He secured five heavy tow-boats and four side-wheel steamers, and .strengthening them with heavy oak, railroad iron and stout timbers, he painted them black and named the steamers the Queen of the West flag- ship. Col. Charles EUet commanding, the Mon- arch, Lieut. -Col. Alfred W. Ellet, the Sicitserlaml and the Lancaster, Cajjt. John A. Ellet. Proceed- ing down the river from Cincinnati, where they had been refitted, he reached Fort Pillow, after its evacuation, July 4, 1862, and early in the morning of the 5th he accompanied Flag-officer Davis and took posses.sion of the abandoned works, Cats, making for the fleet. The first antagonist was rammed and Bunk, the second disabled, and then the Confed- erates vused the same methods of warfare and

turned on their antagonists, but only succeeded in ramming eacli other. Of the nine gunboats opposing the ram fleet only one escaped destruc- tion. Colonel Ellet was wounded in the knee by a pistol shot, the only casualty on the ram fleet. He refused to have his leg amputated and was carried to the shore, leaving the fleet with the injunction to his brother. Alfred W., who suc- ceeded to the command: " Alfred, stand to your post.'" He was carried to Cairo, 111., where he died. He published: Physical Geography of the Mississippi Valley (1851); An Essay on the Laics of Trade (.1839); and Coast and Harbor Defences, or the Substitution of Steam Battery rams for Ships of War (1855). He died on board the Switzerland near Cairo, 111., June 21. 1862.

ELLET, Charles Rivers, soldier, was born in Georgetown, D.C., in 1843; son of Col. Cliarles

and (Daniels) Ellett. He was educated

jiartly in Paris and studied medicine in America. When the civil war broke out he was in college, and at once reported to W^ashington for duty as assistant surgeon and nurse in the army hospital. He joined the ram fleet commanded by his father at Cincinnati, Ohio, and was present at the battle of Memphis which resulted in the death of liis father, and he raised the national flag over the city of Memphis, before it had formally suiTen- dered to the U.S. troops. He continued with the fleet vmder his uncle, Alfred W. Ellet, and com- manded the Lancaster in the run up the Yazoo river. On Nov. 5, 1862, lie was placed in com- mand of the entire fleet with the rank of colonel, his uncle having been promoted brigadier-gen- eral in command of the marine brigade. He commanded the transport Diana and subsequently the Queen of the West in the operations at Vicks- burg and in the Red River campaign. In Feb- ruary, 1863, he destroyed three Confederate steamers at the mouth of the Red river, and in a second effort to secure furtlier prizes he ran the Queen aground and escaped to the shore on a bale of cotton, the enemy capturing the vessel. He then transferred his flag to the Siritzerland while his cousin, Lieut. -Col. John A. Ellet, commandt'd the Lancaster. The Switzerland was disabled in undertaking to run the gauntlet of the batteries of Vick.sburg. His health having become under- mined. Colonel Ellet obtained leave of absence, and died at Baker Hill, III.. Oct. 29, 1863.

ELLET, Elizabeth Fries Lummis, author, was born at Sodus I'oint. N. Y., in October, 181S: daughter of Dr. William Nixion Lununis. Sht> attended the seminary at Aurora, N.Y., and in 1835 was married to William Henry Ellet, chem- ist. She contributed frequently to current liter- ature and published many volumes, including: Pellicoe's Enphemia of Messina, a translation n834); Teresa Contarini (1835); Poems (1835);