Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:11 pm Posts: 1258 Location: England
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There is a 30 page Biographical Memoir of Captain Joseph Ellison in the Naval Chronicle volume 19, at page 1. It is digitised here: http://www.archive.org/details/navalchr ... 19londiala
Here is an extract:
On the 4th of July, 1780, as we have stated in our memoir of Lord Radstock, la Prudente, having been detached upon a cruise off Cape Ortegal, in company with the Licorne, discovered a large ship bearing down to them, which proved to be the French frigate la Capricieuse, pierced for 44 guns. La Prudente engaged her for four hours and a half, before the Licorne came near to afford her any assistance. The action commenced at half-past eleven at night, and continued till half-past four in the morning, when the Capricieuse struck her colours. Lieutenant Ellison, who lost, his arm upon this occasion, greatly distinguished himself. Captain Waldegrave, in concluding his oflicial account of the engagement, says :
" It is with infinite concern that I acquaint their lordships, that Lieute- nant Ellison stunds foremost on the list of the wounded, having been very severely bruised in the back, and his right arm carried off by a shot. I must beg leave to recommend his misfortune, aitd the great intrepidity he shewed during the action, to their lordships' most particular attention."
Lieutenant Ellison, we have been informed, received four wounds in his back, before his arm was struck, but could not be induced to go below, to have them dressed, although they occasioned a great loss of blood. At length an eighteen-pound shot, striking his elbow, shattered the bones, and left his aria hanging by the skin only. He was then under the necessity of going down to the surgeon, who ordered him to be laid on his mattress, in the gun-room; where, having staunched the blood, and having many wounded men to attend, he left him till the close of the action.
Whilst lying in this painful situation, a shot came in through the side of la Prudcntc, and took off the cook of the gun-room's head ; which actually fell close to Lieutenant Ellison, as he was handing him a glass of water. Unmindful of pain, or danger, and anxious only for the honourable termination of the action, he desired the seaman who was employed at the relieving tackles, to give him immediate information of the enemy's surrender, promising him a glass of grog for his trouble. Scarcely more than a quarter of an hour had elapsed, when the man came to him, waving his hat, with the joyful news ; on which he ordered him the promised grog, and also took a glass himself, which, fortunately, was not produc- tive of any ill e fleet. At seven o'clock in the morning (two hours and a half after the close of the engagement) his arm was amputated by the French surgeon.
_________________ Tony
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