Elliott then strong-armed his crew into buying him a set of plates.
When a midshipman was sorely wounded in an unauthorized duel, Elliott abandoned him without funds in a Turkish port. On his last circuit through the Mediterranean, before returning to the United States, Elliott encumbered the gun deck with stalls to contain his menagerie of hogs, sheep, horses and donkeys. All this was done without the Navy Department's approval.
When the ship returned to Norfolk, Virginia, in July 1838, he faced down a mutiny when he delayed payment and discharge of the crew.
He was removed from command of the Constitution and court-martialled in 1840 and found guilty on five counts which saw him sentenced to four years suspension from service and loss of pay.
The loss of pay was rescinded and the suspension shortened, thanks to his powerful political friends.
When he was restored to duty in December 1844 and made commandant of the Philadelphia Navy Yard where he died in office the next December.
--Quite An Interesting Story. --Brock-Perry
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