New Spalding Club > House of Gordon > Gordons under arms

GORDONS UNDER ARMS — CONTINENT. 447
1768- John. 1694, Sep. 18, Capt. in the Reg., commanded by John,
Lord Strathnaver (afterwards i6th Earl of Sutherland, 838), in Holland
(Ferguson's Scots Brigade, 11. 22). 1699, Capt. {ibid., 11. 22).
Probably "a son of Gordon, of Embo " (ibid., 11. 22) ; that is to saj' Sir
John, 3rd bart. of Embo, 843-
1769- Sir John, 4th bart., of Earlston. 1742, joined Capt. Ralph
Dundas's Coy., Villegas's (after 1745, Stewart's) Reg. as a Volunteer, notwith-
standing his " most earnest desire of going abroad as merchant, which oc-
casioned some warm disputation " with his father, who declared he " would
neither meddle nor make " with him unless he complied (Earlston MS).
1742, Jun. 20, set out for Edinburgh "with scarse half a dozen of rufled
shirts and some night ones, and few of them good, and my father did not
offer me a sixpence nor even an apology " ; he felt "almost overcome with
grief" in having to go " against my will into a way of life and a new sett
of companions, whose loose morals I never relished and was distinguished
from three others of the same name by ' Godly Gordon,' applying it com-
paratively ". 1742, Aug. 20, armed at Dendermond, where the reg. was
garrisoned. 1743, Jun., had a sabre fight with Hamilton, of Grange, another
Volunteer in the reg., who was jealous of him. 1743, Nov. 10, marched to
Menin, where he studied fortification. He became "gradually reconcil'd to
the way of life and was soon after initiate in all the mysteries thereof by
the French," who invested the Dutch, 1744, May 17. 1745, ^^.r. i, Lt. ;
Mar. 16, arrived in Leith, and got some recruits. 1745, May lo, reached
Breda. 1746, March — 1748, Nov., he details at great length (4400 words) the
campaign against the French. 1747, Sep., defeated his Capt., Mackay, in
a duel at Oudenarde. 1750, Mar. 8, Capt. 1752, Jun., got leave of absence,
reached Scotland, Jul. i8, and never returned to Holland, though he got orders,
1754, Mar. 17, to recruit for the Brigade {Earlston MS.). 1760, May 8, Capt.
70th (British) Ft., unattached, 888-
1770- John. 1745, Ens., Villegas's Reg., Scots Brigade in Holland
(Ferguson's Scots Brigade, 11. 321) ; left Sluys in Flanders, Oct. 26, for
Holland, and was ordered by Villegas to go recruiting to Scotland until Mar.,
1746, but their Mighty Highnesses subsequently cancelled the leave and the
military auditor at Sluys confiscated Gordon's salary, for which he was cen-
sured by the Council of State, 1746, Jan. 10 (ibid., 11. 322) ; a somewhat
similar experience was shared by John 1769, who set out to recruit, 1745,
Mar. I, and found great difficulty in getting his money from his Capt.,
Dundas. 1749, Nov. 22, Lt., ist Coy., ist Batn., Stewart's Reg. {ibid., 11.
409). Subsequently entered the service of Portugal : " being disappointed in