ELIOTT, GEORGE AUGUSTUS, LORD HEATHFIELD, was born at Stobba in Scotland in 1718. He studied the mathematics and other sciences at Edinburgh, and afterwards went to the Univer sity of Leyden, where he made great proficiency in classical literature, and was remarkable for the elegance and fluency with which he spoke the French and German languages. His knowledge of tactics was acquired in the celebrated school at La Fare. Having attained the rank of lieutenant-colonel, he accompanied George 1I. to Germany in 1743 as his majesty's aide-de-camp, and was wounded in the battle of Dettingen. In the Seven Years War, he fought in 1757 under the Duke of Cumberland and Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, and greatly distinguished himself at the head of his celebrated regiment of lights horse, raised and formed by himself, and called by his name. He was second in command in the expedition against the Havannah, the capture of which important place was highly honourable to the courage and perseverance of the British troops. After the peace he obtained the rank of lieutenant-general, and was appointed in 1775 to the government of Gibraltar. His memorable defence of that import ant fortress against the combined efforts of France and Spain was the last exploit of his life, the splendour of which so far eclipsed all that had preceded it, that he is moat familiarly known as 'the gallant defender of Gibraltar.' This last and most memorable of all the sieges of Gibraltar was commenced in 1779, and did not terminate till the 2nd of February 1783. For a detailed account of the siege the reader is referred to the interesting work of Captain John Drink water and M. Bourgoing, to the 'Life of General George Augustus Elliot (afterwards Lord Heathfield),' and to chap. lxiv. of Malvon's ' History of England.' The conduct of the governor and brave defender of Gibraltar throughout forms one great example of moral virtue and military talent. The grand attack took place on the 13th of September 1782. On the land side, besides stupendous batteries mounting 200 pieces of heavy ordnance, there was au army of 40,000 men, commanded by a victorious general, the Due de Crillon, and animated by the immediate presence of two princes of the crown of France. In the bay lay the combined fleets of France end Spain,
consisting of 47 sail-of-the-line, numerous frigates and smaller armed vessels, besides 10 battering ships, which alone had cost upwards of 500,000f. Four hundred pieces of the heaviest artillery (reckoning both sides) were playing at once. The battering ships were found to be of so formidable a construction that the heaviest shells rebounded from them. Eventually however two of them were destroyed by the incessant discharge of red-hot shot from the garrison, and the remain ing eight were burnt by the enemy to prevent them from falling into the hands of the besieged. The remainder of the enemy's squadron also euffered considerably ; but notwithstanding their failure the assailants kept up a less vivid fire for more than two months, and the siege did not finally terminate till the 2nd of February 1783, when it was announced that the preliminaries of a general peace had been signed. The expenditure of the garrison exceeded 8300 rounds (more than half of which were hot balls), and 716 barrels of powder. That of the enemy could not be ascertained, but their loss, including prisoners, was estimated at 2000, while that of the garrison only amounted to 16 killed and 68. wounded. While the floating batteries were on firo a detachment of British marines under Brigadier Curtis, was humanely and successfully employed in rescuing numbers of the enemy from their burning citadels. The failure of this memorable attempt to wrest Gibraltar from the possession of England has been partly attributed to a want of co-operation among the enemy's forces, but the principal cause was, no doubt, the gallant defence made by General Eliott and his brave garrison, notwithstanding their frequent and extreme suffering from want of provisions and from the prevalence of disease.
After the peace General Eliott was created a peer by the title of Lord Heathfield of Gibraltar. His lordship died at his favourite country seat Kalkofen, near Aix-la-Chapelle, whither he had gone in 1790, in the aeventy-third year of his age.