New Spalding Club > House of Gordon > Gordons under arms

(lORDONS UNDER ARMS — UNITED STATES. 487
1930- James. 1776, Jan. 19 — Dec, 2nd Lt., Delaware Reg., Revolution
(Heitman's Continental Army, 194).
1931- James. 1776, Dec. 4, Ens., loth Pennsylvania Reg., Revolution.
1777, Apr. 18, 2nd Lt. ; Dec, res. (Heitman's Continental Army, 194).
1932. James. 1776, Private, in Capt. Buller Claiborne's Coy., Col.
Alexander Spotswood's 2nd Virginia Reg., "as it stood March i, 1777 " ; in
the Revolution (Saffell's Revolutionary War, 290).
1933- James. 177S, Private, Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania Mil.,
Revolution.
Descended from Alexander, who settled there in 1734, and d. before 1750
(Information from Daniel Smith Gordon, New York).
1934- James. 1780, Oct. 17, Lt. Col., Albany Co. Mil., 12th Reg.,
State of New York, captured (as a rebel) at Ballstown, near Albany, about one
o'clock in the morning, by a party consisting of about 200 men, composed of
part of Sir John Johnston's corps, some rangers and Indians under the com-
mand of Capt. Munroe ; Oct. 24, arrived at Crown Point, Lake Champlain,
from which he was taken to Montreal, and, 1781, Jul., to Quebec He wrote
a series of letters, 1780, Dec. 19 — 1782, Feb. 10, as to the state of his fellow
prisoners {Add. MSS., B.M., 21,843 ff., 126, 132, 138, 168, 178, 179, 184, 197,
199; a letter from his wife is preserved Add. MSS., 21,837, f. 294: all
printed by J. M. Bulloch in the Huntly Express, 1905, Oct. 27 ; 1907, Apr.
26). In a return of prisoners on the Isle of Orleans, 1782, Jul. 22, the words
" run away " are written opposite his name, but Heitman {Continetital Army,
p. 194) says he was released, 17S2, Nov. 19.
Third son of Alexander, who was the son of John (who went from Scot-
land after the revolution of 1688, to Ballytenaghan, Knockbride, Co. Down, and
for whom a descent from the Gordons of Glenbucket is claimed) ; b. 1742.
He emigrated to America, 1758, Sep. 16, settling at Ballstown as a farmer:
believed to have represented New York State in Congress, 1 791-5 : m. 1775,
Mary, dau. of Eliphabet Ball, a relation of Washington, and had Alexander,
d. young, and Melinda, m. (i) William van Planck, and (2) Henry Waller.
D. 1810, Jun. 17, at Ballstown, a contemporary obituary recording that " as a
Christian he was e.xemplary ; as a citizen, able in advice and experience ; as
a man, upright and honest ; and as a politician, sage and discreet". A frag-
mentary autobiography of 9000 words is in the possession of Hopkins van
Planck, New York, and a typewritten transcript in that of J. M. Bulloch.
1935- James. 1797, F^b. 13, Ens., from Connecticut, 13th Inf.,
U.S. Army. 1799, Mar. 3, 2nd Lt. ; Apr. 10 — 1800, Jun., Regtl. Qr. Mas.;
Jun. 15, honourably discharged (Heitman's U.S. Army, 464).