George Augustus Eliott , 1st Baron Heathfield George Augustus Eliott , 1st Baron Heathfield , KB ( 25 December 1717 – 6 July 1790 ) was a British Army officer who served in three major wars during the eighteenth century . He rose to distinction during the Seven Years War when he fought in Germany and participated in the British attacks on Belle Île and Cuba . Eliott is most notable for his command of the Gibraltar garrison during the Great Siege of Gibraltar , which lasted between 1779 and 1783 during the American War of Independence . He was celebrated for his successful defence of the fortress . Early life . Eliott was born at Wells House , near Stobs Castle , Roxburghshire , the 10th ( and 8th surviving ) son of Sir Gilbert Eliott , 3rd Baronet of Stobs , by his distant cousin Eleanor , daughter of William Elliot of Wells , also in Roxburghshire . His aunt Charlotte Elliot , sister of Eleanor , had married Roger Elliott , another Governor of Gibraltar . Early command . Eliott was educated at the University of Leiden in the Dutch Republic and studied artillery and other military subjects at the " école militaire " of La Fère in France . He served with the Prussian Army between 1735 and 1736 . In 1741 , joined the 2nd Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards , of which his mother ' s brother , William Elliot of Wells , was then Lieutenant - Colonel , and of which Eliott was afterwards Lieutenant - Colonel . He served throughout the War of Austrian Succession between 1742 and 1748 , being present at the Battle of Dettingen , where he was wounded , and the Battle of Fontenoy . Seven Years War . Eliott served as ADC to King George II between 1756 and 1759 . On 10 March 1759 , he raised , and was appointed colonel of , the 1st Light Horse ( later 15th Light Dragoons , then 15th Hussars ) , and he distinguished himself in the German campaign , particularly during the Battle of Minden in 1759 and the 1760 Battle of Emsdorf . He was promoted to Major - General in 1759 and took part in the British expedition against Cuba in 1762 , being 2nd - in - charge at the capture of Havana during the final year of the conflict for which he received a significant amount of prize money . Great Siege of Gibraltar . In July 1779 , Gibraltar was besieged by the French and Spanish . By August , it was very apparent that the Spanish intended to starve the garrison . The Great Siege of Gibraltar would eventually last from 1779 to 1783 . A notable letter from George to the Misses Fuller survives , dated 21 September 1779 and delivered on 4 October , it said simply " " Nothing new . G . A . E . " " On 13 September 1782 , the French and Spanish initiated a grand attack , involving 100 , 000 men , 48 ships and 450 cannon . Under great duress , the Garrison held his position and , by 1783 , the siege was finishing . On 8 January 1783 , the British Parliament sent their official thanks to George Eliott and he was nominated a Knight of the Bath . By 6 February 1783 , the siege was over . George was invested with his honour at Gibraltar on 23 April . A portrait from 1784 , " The Siege of Gibraltar " ( 1782 ) by George Carter survives in the National Portrait Gallery . Later career . Eliott returned to England in 1787 . He was created Lord Heathfield , Baron Heathfield of Gibraltar on 6 July 1787 . A Bronze Medal " George Augustus Eliott , 1st Baron Heathfield " by Jean - Pierre Droz and a Portrait " George Augustus Eliott , 1st Baron Heathfield " by John Singleton Copley survive from 1787 in the National Portrait Gallery . A will exists dated 27 February 1788 . On 19 May 1788 George was formally installed as Knight of the Bath , and , in June 1788 , a portrait " The Installation Supper " was painted by James Gillray and resides in the National Portrait Gallery . About this time , George was making his way overland back to Gibraltar where he was still Governor . However , he became ill and stayed in the Aachen area to recuperate . During 1790 , he stayed at : Grossen Hotel , Dubigk ; Karlsbad ( bei Herr Brammertz ) ; Kaiserbad , Aachen ( bei Herr Mohren ) . In June 1790 he rented the Schloss Kalkofen , Aachen ( nowadays Talbotstrasse , Aachen , Germany ) and moved in his furniture . However , on 6 July , he died at the Schloss of palsy / stroke , allegedly brought on by drinking too much of the local mineral water , and was initially buried in the grounds of the Schloss . His personal estate was probated by 27 July and his furniture sold off by his heirs . In 1790 , his body was disinterred and reburied at Heathfield , East Sussex . Later still , his body was again disinterred and reburied at St Andrew ' s Church , Buckland Monachorum , Devon in the church associated with his wife ' s Drake ancestry . Family . On 8 September 1748 , George married Anne Pollexfen Drake ( 1726 – 1772 ) , a collateral descendant of Sir Francis Drake , at St Sepulchre - without - Newgate , London . They had two children : Portraits , monuments and banknotes . General Eliott has been commemorated on a Gibraltar pound banknote ; his portrait has appeared since 1995 on the £10 notes issued by the Government of Gibraltar . In August and September 1787 , George ' s portrait was painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds and now resides in the National Gallery . His portrait was also painted by Mather Brown in 1788 . His marble monument and statue exist in the south transept of St Paul ' s Cathedral , London .