Roger Elliott was therefore an older half-brother of Alexander Spotswood (c. 1676 – 6 June 1740), who became a noted Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia.

By 1680, Roger was an Ensign in the Tangier Regiment of Foot, and was wounded on 27 October fighting the local Moors.

In 1681, he was suspended by Colonel Percy Kirke[2] for duelling with Ensign Bartholomew Pitts, later being cashiered for this offence.

He was sent back to England in 1682 with a letter begging for his readmission into His Majesty's Service, and he was reinstated as an Ensign in his old Company on 8 March 1683.

However, he certainly did not lead the cavalry at this battle, as has been maintained by other biographies – this was led by General Sir John 'Salamander' Cutts.

In March 1705, Colonel Elliott's Regiment of Foot embarked for Spain and served at Gibraltar, which was declared a free port in 1706.

Elliott returned to England and leased Byfeld House in Church Road, Barnes, Surrey.

The eventual resolution was mostly due to the involvement of his father-in-law, William 'the Laceman' Elliot, who sought to expedite his daughter's remarriage to Captain Thomas Burroughs.