Cuthbert Ellison (British Army officer)

General Cuthbert Ellison
Portrait of Ellison by an unknown artist
Born	10 May 1698
Died	11 October 1785
Allegiance	Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	c.1723–1785
Rank	General
Battles/wars	War of the Austrian Succession Battle of Dettingen Jacobite rising of 1745
Other work	Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury

General Cuthbert Ellison (10 May 1698 – 11 October 1785) was a British Army officer who also served as Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury. He joined the army in around 1723 and began a long period of service in Ireland, where on top of his regimental duties he served as aide de camp to two Lords Lieutenant of Ireland. Promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 1739, Ellison fought with the 23rd Regiment of Foot at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743 before being invalided home in the following year. Having become a deputy adjutant general, Ellison failed to secure further promotion and continued to be beset by illness, and sold his regimental commissions in 1745. Despite this he continued in his post as an adjutant and was promoted to colonel in time to serve on the Duke of Cumberland's staff during the Jacobite rising. Ellison retired from the army after this and was elected to the parliamentary seat of Shaftesbury in 1747, which he held until 1754. Continuing to be promoted despite a lack of active service or interest in further advancement, Ellison became a general in 1772. A hypochondriac, he spent much of his retirement at Bath and died the second most senior general in the army in 1785.