Heathfield

Heathfield, Lord (1717-90), an English general, is better known as General Elliot. He was born at Stobs, Roxburghshire, the seat of his father, Sir Gilbert. Educated at Leyden, Woolwich, and La Fere (a French military college), he entered upon a long military career, during which he saw service in three great wars. He was wounded at Dettingen, in the Austrian Succession War, and from 1759 to 1761 was with Frederick in the last period of his seven years' struggle. The culmination of his career was reached when in the next war he successfully defended Gibraltar from June, 1779, to the beginning of 1783, destroying the Spanish ships with "Elliot's red-hot balls." He was created a peer in 1787.