New Spalding Club > House of Gordon > Gordons under arms

420 HOUSE OF GORDON.
He is sometimes called Gordon Archer ; his origin is unknown : d. soon
after he m., in London, 1831, a professional singer, Eleonore Marie Brault
(1808-1849), dau. of a French officer (Larousse's Dictiojtnaire, which hyphens
Gordon-Archer but enters the lady under Gordon, viii. 1373). While giving
concerts on tour Mme. Gordon attracted the attention of Prince Louis Napoleon
(afterwards Napoleon III.), who became her lover. Le Petit Homme says ; —
Whether they first met in Germany or Switzerland is doubtful, but it has often been said
that Mme. Gordon gave birth to a daughter who died in infancy. In connexion with the
preparations for the Strasburg attempt of 1836 she proved herself one of the most skilful and
devoted of the future Emperor's allies. While he was endeavouring to gain the support of
some of the soldiery at the artillery barracks, she remained in her room in the Rue de la Nu^e
Bleue, awaiting the result ; but directly Persigny arrived with the news that the attempt had
failed, she cast into the fireplace all the letters, decrees, proclamations, and lists of names
which had been prepared in view of a more fortunate issue and piled the furniture of the room
against the door, so that every compromising paper was burnt to ashes before an entry could be
effected by the police, who had promptly arrived upon the scene. The Strasburg affair re-
sulted, it will be remembered, in the Prince's enforced voyage to America. Whether he ever
met Mme. Gordon again, we cannot say, but in any case there was no resumption of the old
relations. She died in Paris on March 11, 1849, that is three months after Napoleon's eleva-
tion to the Presidency of the Republic. It has been said that her circumstances were much
reduced at the time of her death and that her former lover was well aware of it, yet did nothing
to help her. Such callousness, however, would be so utterly at variance with all we know of
his character that we strongly doubt the story.
1678- Armand Claude. " Capt. of Cent-hommes d'Arms" in the
French service ; and died as he was returning to Scotland, of the wounds he
received at the battle of Pavia, 1525, Feb. 24, where Francis L of France
was defeated. The Italian campaign was begun by France, 1515, Aug. 10
(C. A. Gordon's Concise History, 1890 ed., p. 127 ; Forbes-Leith's Scots Meii-
at-Arms, i. 93, 95).
Elder son of John (1544-1619), Dean of Salisbury — who was the eldest
son of Ale.\ander, Bishop-elect of Galloway (1516-75), brother of George, 4th
Earl of Huntly — and his first wife («;. 1576) Anthoniette de Marolles, dau. of
Renatus, Count de Marolles ; godson of Cardinal Richelieu ; tn. , dau.
of Henry de la Bare and had two sons, including Armand James, 1679 (ibid.,
127). There was a politician, Claude Christophe Gourdon, 1744-1804, "d'un
famille honorable" (Biographic Universelle ; Biographic Nouvelle dcs Con-
tcinporains).
1679 Armand James, ist Count of Gordon. Col. of horse in the
French army, serving several campaigns in Italy, "under the great Cosse,
Marishal of Brisac," evidently Jean Paul Timoleon Cosse, Due de Brisac,
1698-1784 (C. A. Gordon's Concise History, 1890 ed., p. 127).