Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division
John Elphinston Papers Relating to the Russo-Turkish War
Elphinston, John (1722-1785)
C0951
/repositories/5/resources/3238
5 boxes
1769-1850
1769-1771
The John Elphinston Papers Relating to the Russo-Turkish War consists of log books, letter books, letters, and documents.
scamss
English
French
Russian
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
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Scope and Contents
The collection consists of log books, letter books, letters, and documents preserved by John Elphinston, rear-admiral in the service of Catherine the Great. Includes his certificate of service signed by the Empress Catherine; his unpublished manuscript memoirs (1773) in four volumes; a narrative of the Russian expedition by sea (1769-70), with an account of his reception at the Court of St. Petersburg and his meetings with Catherine the Great, who had asked the British government to loan her some senior naval officers to rehabilitate the Russian fleet; and Elphinston's own letter book and log book for the expedition. There are also manuscript narratives of the expedition edited by his grandson Captain Alexander Elphinstone; petitions to the Russian Emperors Alexander (1777-1825) and Nicolas (1868-1918) for the reward due to his grandfather; and autograph letters in English, French, and Russian; and a 1780 mezzotint of the admiral.
Arrangement
Arranged by format.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use
Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Julian Browning and Martyn Downer Works of Art with support of the the Program in Near Eastern Studies, 2003-2010. AM 2004-004, 2011-15.
Appraisal
No appraisal information is available.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); John Elphinston Papers Relating to the Russo-Turkish War, Box and Folder Number; Special Collections, Princeton University Library.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Teresa T. Basler in 2003. Finding aid written by Teresa T. Basler in Teresa T. Basler.
Elphinston, John (1722-1785)
Biographical / Historical
In 1769 John Elphinston (1722-1785), a captain in the British Royal Navy, accepted a commission as rear-admiral in the Russian Navy. In that capacity he sailed from Cronstadt for the Mediterranean, in command of a squadron of four ships of the line, with some frigates and smaller vessels. His ships suffered damage in the North Sea and were obliged to refit at Portsmouth. They remained at Portsmouth until the middle of April 1770. Towards the end of May the squadron was off the island of Cerigo where Elphinston decided to search for the Turkish fleet, which he had heard was heading to Nauplia. In July 1770 at Chesme Bay, with the assistance of Count Orloff, the Russian commander-in-chief, Elphinston secured a dramatic and conclusive victory over the Turkish fleet, which he destroyed with fireships. Upon his arrival in St. Petersburg, Elphinston was gratefully received by the Empress Catherine and made a noble of the Russian state. He settled down in Livonia with his wife, Amelia Warburton. They had seven sons and four daughters.
Çeşme, Battle of, Çeşme, Turkey, 1770.
Naval battles -- Aegean Sea. -- 18th century
Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774 -- History. -- Sources
Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774 -- Naval operations.
Russia -- History -- Catherine II, 1762-1796. -- Sources
Russia -- History, Naval. -- 18th century
Turkey -- History, Naval. -- 18th century
Correspondence
Documents
Letters
Letterbooks
Logbooks
Great Britain. Royal Navy
Alexander, Emperor of Russia, I (1777-1825)
Catherine, Empress of Russia, II (1729-1796)
Catherine, Empress of Russia, II (1729-1796)
Elphinston, John (1722-1785)
Elphinstone, Alexander.
Nesselrode, Karl Robert, graf von (1780-1862)
Nesselrode, Karl Robert, graf von (1780-1862)
Nicholas, Emperor of Russia, I (1796-1855)
Pozzo di Borgo, Carlo Andrea, conte (1764-1842)
Elphinston, John (1722-1785)
Biographical / Historical
In 1769 John Elphinston (1722-1785), a captain in the British Royal Navy, accepted a commission as rear-admiral in the Russian Navy. In that capacity he sailed from Cronstadt for the Mediterranean, in command of a squadron of four ships of the line, with some frigates and smaller vessels. His ships suffered damage in the North Sea and were obliged to refit at Portsmouth. They remained at Portsmouth until the middle of April 1770. Towards the end of May the squadron was off the island of Cerigo where Elphinston decided to search for the Turkish fleet, which he had heard was heading to Nauplia. In July 1770 at Chesme Bay, with the assistance of Count Orloff, the Russian commander-in-chief, Elphinston secured a dramatic and conclusive victory over the Turkish fleet, which he destroyed with fireships. Upon his arrival in St. Petersburg, Elphinston was gratefully received by the Empress Catherine and made a noble of the Russian state. He settled down in Livonia with his wife, Amelia Warburton. They had seven sons and four daughters.
Miscellaneous letters in French, English, and Russian. ALsS/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522261 folder1769-178811Certificate of Service, signed by Catherine the Great. ADS/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522271 folder177112View digital content
Miscellaneous documents in French and English. ADsS/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522281 folderundated13"A Copy of the Remarks taken upon the Quarter Deck of Her Imperial Majesty's Ship Svatoslav, from first seeing the Ottoman Fleet in the Gulf of Napolis de romaine, to the loosing sight of them near the Island of Zea, with other transactions relative thereto," May-June 1770. French & English in parallel columns. AMs/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522291 folder177014Memorial to the Empress Catherine, in French, with a note at the end 'pour Lord Cathcart July 1771'. AMs/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522301 folder177115View digital content
The Case of Captain Alexander Francis Elphinstone of the Royal Navy, Grand Son & Heir to the late Admiral John Elphinstone of the Russian Service, AMs/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522311 folderundated16View digital content
Extracts from journals, in the hand of Alexander Elphinston, AMs/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522321 foldercirca 185017To the King. The Memorial of John Elphinston Captain in your Majesty's Royal Navy, and late Rear Admiral and Commander in Chief or a Squadron of Her Imperial Majesty's Ships of War. AMsS/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522331 folder176918Biographical sketch of John Elphinston. AMs/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522341 folderundated19Printed Muster Table with manuscript notes/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522351 folderundated110Photographs of a portrait of a naval officer, not yet identified, presumed to be John Elphinston/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522361 folderundated111Biography of John Elphinston. AMsS/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522371 foldercirca 185021Scope and ContentsIncludes details of his earlier service in the Seven Years War, and some later material.
Original Letter Book, in the hand of John Elphinston, recording letters written by him Aug. 4, 1769 (Cronstadt) to June 26, 1771 (St. Petersburg). ALsS/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522381 folder1769-177122View digital content
Original Letter Book, recording letters (in English) received by John Elphinston from Russian ministers in England and Russia, relating to the preparation of the Russian fleet, Aug. 1769 to Jan. 1770. ALsS/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522391 folder1769-177123View digital content
Original Log Book, kept by John Elphinston, containing ships orders issued, memorandum, sightings, etc. Aug. 1769 to Sept. 1770. AMsS/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522401 folder1769-177124"Journal from Spithead to the burning of the Turkish Fleet in Chesme Bay July 3rd to 7th 1770"/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522411 folder177024AView digital content
Scope and ContentsAdmiral John Elphinston's personal logbook, observing the Russian squadron's victory over the Turkish fleet. [AM 2011-15]
Letters and documents compiled by Alexander Elphinston relating to his attempt to secure compensation for his grandfather's service to Russia/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522421 folderdates not examined25Scope and ContentsContains: Memorial to the Emperor Alexander 1835; Memorial to His Imperial Majesty Nicholas I; 2 ALsS by Count Nesselrode, and other letters by Russian officials, secretaries to the Emperor, etc.; 5 ALsS by Lord Aberdeen; 2 ANsS in the 3rd person by Count Pozzo di Borgo; copies of Alexander Elphinstone's letters; John Elphinston's accounts with Thomson Peters & Co. at St. Petersburg 1769; ALS by John Elphinston 1782; 2 ALsS by Lord Durham, St. Petersburg 1836; miscellaneous papers.
"Narrative of the Russian Expedition by Sea in the Years 1769 & 1770 by Rear Admiral John Elphinston, late Commander in Chief of a Squadron of Her Imperial Majesty's Ships, Capt in His Maj R. Navy, Compiled from Original Letters, Papers, & Journals, with an Acct. of the Treatment of the Author from the Court of St. Petersbourg with Every Thing that Has Happened to Him Since he Left that Court in Order to Obtain Justice from the Empress of His Acknowledged Service..." AMs/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522431 box17733Two edited manuscript versions of the Elphinston's narrative, with additional material, apparently compiled by his grandson Alexander Elphinstone for possible publication. AMs/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522441 box1770s-1800s4View digital content
Mezzotint of John Elphinston/repositories/5/archival_objects/8522451 boxcirca 17805