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GORDON.
his second promotal commission, dated 20 May, 1806, employed in that capacity in the same ship, and in the Venerable 74, Capt. John Clarke Searle, and Dreadnought 98, and Ville de Paris 110, both flag-ships of Hon. Wm. Cornwallis, and all attached to the fleet in the Channel, where for three years he officiated as Signal-officer to the last-named Admiral. He then assumed command of the St. Lucia sloop, off Antigua, and continued to be employed in that vessel until May, 1807; at which period, we believe, he had the misfortune to be captured by the enemy. He was promoted from the Eclair to the Captaincy, on 21 Dec. in the latter year, of the Caroline 36, one of a squadron employed at the destruction, during the month of Nov. 1809, of more than 80 piratical vessels at Ras-al-Khyma and other ports in the Persian Gulf, where the assistance he afforded to Capt. John Wainwright, the senior officer, was of the most effectual nature.[1] Capt. Gordon’s next appointment we find was to the command, in April, 1810, of the Ceylon adopted Indiaman; which frigate, having at the time 40 guns and 295 men, including Major-General Abercromby and staff, on board, was taken off the Isle of France, on 18 of the following September, after a violent intermittent night-action of three hours, and a loss of 10 killed and 31 (among whom was Capt. Gordon severely) wounded, by the French ships Vénus of 44 guns and 380 men, and Victor of 16 guns. The latter vessel joined in at the tail of the fight, when both the other combatants were partially disabled, and induced the British frigate to strike to her;[2] an honour, it appears, she would not have achieved, had she not, by carrying three masts instead of two, conveyed an idea of her being equal in force to the Vénus. The Ceylon was, however, retaken in the course of the same day by the Boadicea 38, in company with the Otter brig. Her Captain, whose Court-martial acquitted him and his officers of all blame in the catastrophe, went on half-pay on 10 of the next December, and has not since been employed. He was nominated a C.B. 4 July, 1840; and advanced to Flag-rank 23 Nov. 1841.
The Rear-Admiral married, 20 Nov. 1818, Anne, eldest daughter of Lieut.-General Lord Blayney. Agents – Messrs. Halford and Co.
GORDON. (Captain, 1828.)
Charles Gordon (b) entered the Navy, 19 June, 1810, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Hussar 38, Capts. Alex. Skene and Jas. Coutts Crawford, part of the force employed at the reduction of Java in Sept. . He continued to serve with Capt. Crawford in the East Indies, latterly as Midshipman of the Modeste frigate, until his return to England in the spring of 1813, when he joined for a brief period the Thisbe 28, bearing the flag of Sir Chas. Hamilton in the river Thames. The after-part of the French and American wars was passed by Mr. Gordon on the Newfoundland, Home, and Chesapeake stations, in the Bellerophon 74, flag-ship of Sir Rich. Goodwin Keats, Royal Sovereign yacht, Capt. Sir Edw. Berry, and Erebus rocket-ship, Capts. John Forbes and David Ewen Bartholomew. While under the latter officer, he was actively employed in the brilliant expedition conducted by Sir Jas. Alex. Gordon against Alexandria in Aug. 1814, during the operations connected with which the Erebus sustained a loss of 3 men killed and 14 wounded; and he also shared in the attack upon Baltimore. Until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 14 July, 1818, Mr. Gordon next served in the East Indies and Mediterranean on board the Larne 20, Capt. Sir John Gordon Sinclair, Challenger and Zebra sloops, both commanded by Capt. Henry Forbes, and Ganymede 26, Capt. Hon. Robt. Cavendish Spencer. He was then successively appointed, on the Mediterranean and Cape of Good Hope stations, in Aug. 1818, to the Tagus 42, Capt. Jas. Whitley Deans Dundas – 12 Jan. 1819, to the Active 46, Capt. Sir Jas. Alex. Gordon – and 29 March, 1822, to the Ariadne 26, Capts. Constantine Richard Moorsom. and Isham Fleming Chapman. Assuming the rank of Commander 6 Jan. 1826, he next, on 17 April, 1827, joined the Cadmus 10, stationed in South America. He returned home on the receipt of his Post-commission, bearing date 17 April, 1828, and has since been on half-pay. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.
GORDON. (Lieut., 1813. f-p., 15; h-p., 27.)
Charles Rumbold Gordon entered the Navy, 8 Feb. 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Zealand 64, Capt. Hen. Lidgbird Ball, lying at the Nore; and afterwards, until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 13 Dec. 1813, served as Midshipman, on the Home, Baltic, and North American stations, in the Calypso 18, Capts. Matthew Barton Bradby and Matthew Forster, Malabar, Capt. John Temple, Zealand again, Capt. Robt. Devereux Fancourt, Aimable 32, Capts. Lord Geo. Stuart and WooUcombe, Edinburgh 74, Capt. Robt. Rolles, Hannibal 74, flag-ship of Rear-Admiral P. C. Durham, Christian VII. 80, Capt. H. L. Ball, and Bulwark and St. Domingo 74’s, bearing the respective flags of Admirals Philip Charles Durham and Sir John Borlase Warren. Of the above ships, the Calypso, on 18 July, 1805, bore a part, and particularly distinguished herself, in a very gallant attack made upon a division of the enemy’s flotilla under the powerful batteries on Cape de Gris Nez. Another of them, the Aimable, effected the capture, on 3 Feb. 1809 (with a loss to herself during a short running fight of 2 men wounded, and to the enemy of 2 killed and 8 wounded), of L’Iris, French national ship, pierced for 32 guns, but only mounting 24, the fire from which also materially damaged the Aimable in her masts, spars, sails, and rigging. Mr. Gordon, who served for several months immediately consecutive on his promotion in the Columbia sloop, Capt. Hen. Ducie Chads, on the North America and West India station, was afterwards employed on the Coast Blockade as Supernumerary-Lieutenant, from 22 Dec. 1824, until April, 1829, of the Ramillies, Hyperion, and Ramillies, Capts. Wm. M‘Culloch, Wm. Jas. Mingaye, and Hugh Pigot. He has not since held any appointment. Agents – Messrs. Ommanney.
GORDON. (Lieutenant, 1845.)
David Macdowall Gordon is second son of Thos. Gordon, Esq:, of Park House, co. Banff (Lieutenant-Colonel of the Inverness and Banff Militia, a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant, and Convener of Banffshire since 1812), by the eldest daughter of David Macdowall Grant, Esq., of Arndilly. His eldest brother, Lachlan Duff, is a Captain in the 20th Regt.; and his youngest, Alexander Duff, is a Lieutenant R.N. One of his uncles, Mr. Alex. Duff, Master’s Mate of the Mars 74, was killed on board that ship at Trafalgar.
This officer entered the Navy in 1832; passed his examination 6 Feb. 1839; and served as Mate, on the Mediterranean, Home, East India, and North America and West India stations, in the Thunderer 84, Capts. Maurice Fred. Fitzhardinge Berkeley and Dan. Pring, Excellent gunnery-ship, Capt. Sir Thos. Hastings, and Agincourt and Illustrious 72’s, flag-ships of Sir Thos. John Cochrane and Sir Chas. Adam. On obtaining his promotion, 24 March, 1845, Mr. Gordon rejoined the Agincourt as an Additional-Lieutenant. Since 27 Feb. 1846 he has been in command, also in the East Indies, of the Young Hebe tender, and Royalist brig.
GORDON, K.S.F. (Captain, 1846.)
George Thomas Gordon entered the Navy 5 March, 1818; passed his examination in 1825; and on obtaining his first commission, 6 May, 1829, joined the Revenge 76, commanded in the Mediterranean by Capt. Norborne Thompson. His subsequent appointments were, on the same, and on the North America and West India, Home, and Lisbon stations – 4 May, 1830, to the Erebus 10, Capt.
