Gordons in Sutherland, including the Embo family

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Major-General James Gordon, RE.,
of Swiney.
He joined the Royal Engineers as ensign July
11, 1808 ; became lieutenant June 2+ 1809 ; cap-
tain September 1, 1813) major January 10, 1837 ;
lieutenant - colonel March 31, 1838 ; colonel
November 11, 1S51 ; major-general October 27,
1S55, retiring on full pay. He took part in the
attack on the Castle of Scyl a, June, 1809, and
the siege and capture of Santa Maura, March,
1810 (Hart's " Army List," 1861). He died sud-
denly at 32 Saxe Coburg Place, Edinburgh, April
5, 1867 ("Gentleman's Magazine," vol. iii., N.S.,
p. 690).
John Mackay Gordon of Swiney.
Residing in America, he was served to Major-
General James Gordon of Swiney heir of taillie
and provision special in the lands of Monosane, in
the parish of Wattin. Caithness, October 26, 1867;
also in the lands of Reisgill, Achahow, Golticlay,
the manse of Swiney and others on the same date
He died in December 4, 1868, and was succeeded
by his brother, George Montagu Gordon, who was
served his heir.
The Gordons whom I have dealt with do not ex-
haust the families of the name in Sutherlandshire,
but the others, though fairly numerous, are not
readily traced, for the simple reason that they were
for the most part merely tacksmen, and were not
in actual possession of the acres on which they
lived. Our knowledge, therefore, is of the
scrappiest description, much of it coming from the
gossipy pages of Donald Sage. Yet, some of
these families, starting from small beginnings,
have achieved distinction in the world. This is
notable in the case of the Griamachary Gordons,
who had a remarkably brilliant career in a century
of military service. Again we have a shepherd in
Brora who was the ancestor of a well known family
of scholarly Noncomformist ministers. For the
most part, however, the data at one's hand are not
sufficient to enable one to compile regular deduc-
tions., and so I present some of these families
alphabetically under their location in the Shire.
Subsequent investigation will certainly add to this
information, but I am afraid that we can never
hope to establish their descent from the noble