ELIZABETH PETROWNA, (daughter of Peter the Great), the last empress of Russia, distinguished herself by her signal clemency. She made a vow that no person should be put to death in her reign, and she strictly observed it. The example was followed, and confirmed by law, under the august sovereign of Russia, Catharine II. Elizabeth died in 1762, in the 21st year of her reign and 52d of her age.
(A) The ancient and honourable family of Elliot of Stobbs, as well as the collateral branch of Elliot of Minto in the same county, and of Elliot of Port-Elliot in Cornwall, are originally from Normandy. Their ancestor, Mr Aliott, came over with William the Conqueror, and held a distinguished rank in his army. There is a traditional anecdote in the family relating to an honourable distinction in their coat, which, as it corresponds with history, bears the probability of truth. When William set foot on English land, he slipped and fell on the earth. He sprung up, and exclaimed that it was a happy omen—he had embraced the country of which he was to become the lord. Upon this Aliott drew his sword, and swore by the honour of a soldier, that he would maintain, at the hazard of his blood, the right of his lord to the sovereignty of the earth which he had embraced. On the event of his conquest, King William added to the arms of Aliott, which was a baton or, on a field azure, an arm and sword as a crest, with the motto, Per saxa, per ignes, fortiter et recit.
for his king and country. He was accordingly entered as a volunteer in that regiment, where he continued for a year or more. From the 23d regiment he went into the engineer corps at Woolwich, and made great progress in that study, until his uncle Colonel Elliot brought him in his adjutant of the second troop of horse grenadiers. With these troops he went upon service to Germany, and was with them in a variety of actions. At the battle of Dettingen he was wounded. In this regiment he bought the rank of captain and major, and afterwards purchased the lieutenant-colonelcy from Colonel Brewerton, who succeeded to his uncle. On arriving at this rank, he resigned his commission as an engineer, which he had enjoyed along with his other rank, and in which service he had been actively employed very much to the advantage of his country. He received the instructions of the famous engineer Bellidor, and made himself completely master of the science of gunnery. Had he not so disinterestedly resigned his rank in the engineer department, he would long before his death, by regular progression, have been at the head of that corps. Soon after this he was appointed aid-de-camp to George II. and was distinguished for his military skill and discipline. In the year 1759, he quitted the second troop of horse grenadier guards, being selected to raise, form, and discipline, the first regiment of light horse, called after him Elliot's. As soon as they were raised and formed, he was appointed to the command of the cavalry in the expedition on the coasts of France, with the rank of brigadier-general. After this he passed into Germany, where he was employed on the staff, and greatly distinguished himself in a variety of movements; where his regiment displayed a strictness of discipline, an activity and enterprise, which gained them signal honour: and indeed they have been the pattern regiment both in regard to discipline and appointment, to the many light dragoon troops that have been since raised in our service. From Germany he was recalled for the purpose of being employed as second in command in the memorable expedition against the Havannah; the circumstances of which conquest are well known.
On the peace, his gallant regiment was reviewed by the king, when they presented to his majesty the standards which they had taken from the enemy. Gratified with their fine discipline and high character, the king asked General Elliot what mark of his favour he could bestow on his regiment equal to their merit? He answered that his regiment would be proud if his majesty should think, that, by their services, they were entitled to the distinction of Royals. It was accordingly made a royal regiment, with this flattering title, "The 15th, or King's Royal Regiment of Light Dragoons." At the same time the king expressed a desire to confer some honour on the general himself; but the latter declared, that the honour and satisfaction of his majesty's approbation of his services was his best reward.
During the peace he was not idle. His great talents in the various branches of the military art gave him ample employment. In the year 1775, he was appointed to succeed General A'Court as commander in chief of the forces in Ireland; but did not continue long in this station, not even long enough to unpack all his trunks; for finding that interferences were
made by petty authority derogatory of his own, he resisted the practice with becoming spirit; and not choosing to disturb the government of the sister kingdom on a matter personal to himself, he solicited to be recalled. He accordingly was so, and appointed to the command of Gibraltar in a fortunate hour for the safety of that important fortress. The system of his life, as well as his education, peculiarly qualified him for this trust. He was perhaps the most abstemious man of the age; neither indulging himself in animal food or wine. He never slept more than four hours at a time; so that he was up later and earlier than most other men. He so inured himself to habits of hardness, that the things which are difficult and painful to other men, were to him his daily practice, and rendered pleasant by use. It could not be easy to starve such a man into a surrender, nor possible to surprise him. The example of the commander in chief in a besieged garrison has the most persuasive efficacy in forming the manners of a soldiery. Like him his brave followers came to regulate their lives by the most strict rules of discipline, before there arose a necessity for so doing; and severe exercise, with short diet, became habitual to them by their own choice. The military system of discipline which he introduced, and the preparations which he made for his defence, were contrived with so much judgment, and executed with so much address, that he was able with a handful of men to preserve his post against an attack, the constancy of which, even without the vigour, had been sufficient to exhaust any common set of men. Collected within himself, he in no instance destroyed, by premature attacks, the labours which would cost the enemy time, patience, and expence to complete; he deliberately observed their approaches, and seized on the proper moment, with the keenest perspection, in which to make his attack with success. He never spent his ammunition in useless parade or in unimportant attacks. He never relaxed from his discipline by the appearance of security, nor hazarded the lives of his garrison by wild experiments. By a cool and temperate demeanour, he maintained his station for three years of constant investment, in which all the powers of Spain were employed. All the eyes of Europe were on this garrison; and his conduct has justly exalted him to the most elevated rank in the military annals of the day. On his return to England, the gratitude of the British senate was as forward as the public voice in giving him that distinguished mark his merit deserved. Both houses of parliament voted an unanimous address of thanks to the general. The king conferred on him the honour of Knight of the Bath, with a pension during his own and a second life of his own appointment; and on June 14. 1787, his majesty advanced him to the peerage, by the title of Lord Heathfield, Baron Gibraltar, permitting him to take, in addition to his family arms, the arms of the fortress he had so bravely defended, to perpetuate to futurity his noble conduct.
His lordship died on the 9th of July 1790, at his chateau at Aix-la-Chapelle, of a second stroke of the palsy, after having for some weeks preceding enjoyed tolerable good health and an unusual flow of spirits. His death happened two days before he was to have set out for Lehighorn on his way to Gibraltar; of which place he was once more appointed to the defence,