On 21 April 1758, Elliott was made Major-General in the British Army, and appointed Colonel of the 61st Regiment of Foot – "The Glorious Glosters". That summer, he was a Staff Officer on the army expedition to St Malo, and, from 5 July 1758 to 31 August 1758, he received a short-term commission as Colonel and Lieutenant-General in the Dutch Army. The Seven Years' War had arrived, and Elliott's knowledge of continental warfare was significant. In early 1759, he returned to continental Europe, as part of a massive British army deployment. At the Battle of Minden, on 1 August 1759, he commanded the Cavalry Regiment under John Manners, Marquess of Granby. Manners was himself second in command to Sir George Sackville, who was later cashiered for his inaction at the battle. Despite this chain of command, Elliott saw significant action in battle, and was seriously wounded. He retired to convalesce at army headquarters in Rodheim an der Bieber, Gießen, Hesse, Germany, but died there 9 weeks later on 10 October 1759 from the wounds incurred. He was buried with military honours in the local 13th century church at Krofdorf on 12 October; Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick attended the funeral. A brass commemorative plaque was erected during the 20th century by his British descendants in the church.