Charles Gordon (1756-1835)
The Gordons O' Girnoc
The Girnoc Farms
Past Research
Location Map
Gordon Tombstones
Sources
Home
Sir Charles Gordon of Abergeldie.
By Dr John M. Bulloch
Aberdeen Journal 'Notes & Queries'
No. 154 - 31st March 1911
Sir Charles Gordon, the most distinguished member of the house of AbergeIdie, was the third son of Charles Gordon, twelfth of Abergeldie. Born in 1756, he entered the army either - 2nd December 1775, or on the 14th May 1776, as a lieutenant in the newly raised Fraser Highlanders, with whom he went to America.
He became a captain in the 26th Regiment on the 7th of April 1778, and major in the 83rd on April 3rd 1782, being advanced to a brevet lieutenant-colonelcy on April 17th 1783. But he was so far from being satisfied that he wrote from Edinburgh a few weeks later (May 17th 1783) to Sir Robert Keith, our genial Ambassador at Vienna (and the staunch friend of all ambitious young Scots), to get a billet for him in a foreign army. Gordon wrote (add. MSS., British Museum, 35,528, f. 260):
"Were your uncommon memory less known to me, I could not suppose you to have any knowledge of the person who has now honor of addressing you, and I should perhaps have some difficulty in recalling to your remembrance a cousin who some years ago, when a Scotch Dutch officer, had the good fortune of introducing himself to you in London. You would perhaps with greater ease recall a brother of mine, David Gordon, by whose friendly attention I was soon after removed into the service of my own country, and to whose extraordinary generosity and friendship I owe my having lately become, after only eight years' service, mostly in America, Lieutenant-Colonel of the 83rd Regiment."
"The peace establishment of the army having already commenced with the reduction of the young regiments at home, I now find myself an idler on the half-pay list; and haying already put my generous brother to the enormous expense of 5000 guineas for my commissions, I cannot entertain a thought of being relieved from an irksome situation of idleness or of employment in the line of my profession at home till a series of years or another war may favour my claim of returning to full pay, or, rather, into the service."
"To strengthen these pretensions when proper to prefer them, and to acquire a knowledge as soldier, induces me to wish for an opportunity of entering for some years, into a foreign service�I have the advantage of knowing the Dutch and French languages, and as much of the German as to make myself tolerably understood, having also a good constitution and constant service with both light cavalry and infantry when in America. I am hopeful I might serve with some degree of credit. If necessary and you approve, I should not scruple to conceal my rank in the British service, and to act in an inferior station. My fortune does not permit me to think of making any considerable appearance as a volunteer."
Keith, answering on June 11th, was apparently unable to help the ambitious young man, who wrote from Abergeldie on July 19th, 1783 (add. MSS. 35,539, f. 127):
"It is a severe disappointment to have (I may say) my only hope of employment and relief from the burden of inactivity blasted, and it is with the greatest pain I give up my idea of visiting the Austrian army."
At last Gordon began to fork for himself, and left Scotland to study soldiering on the Continent in January or February 1786, taking with him the eldest son of Sir William Erskine. He wrote to Keith from Metz on the 15th April 1786 (add. MSS. 35,536, f. 221) On his way south he had "the pleasure of seeing two of my cousins your sisters in perfect health, among the best of my friends when I was in Edinburgh."
In August 1787 we find him at Dresden, from which he begged Keith to get him permission from the Emperor to go to Bohemia (add. MSS. 35,339, f. 66.) This scheme also failed, but Gordon managed to get a post in the Prussian army, then operating under the Duke of Brunswick in Holland, and he played such a prominent par in the capture of Amstelveen on October 10th 1787, that he got the Prussian order for Military Merit, which, like all foreign Orders, carried knighthood with it in England till 1814. I am not quite sure when he was decorated. He refers to the event in a letter to Sir Robert Keith, written from Breslau, on August 16th 1790 (add. MSS., 35,543, f. 66):
"I hope you will not be displeased to hear that the King of Prussia, before our march from Potsdam sent me, of his own accord the Order for Military Merit, with a most gracious letter, declaring his reasons for so doing, and hoping I would be permitted to wear it in my own country as a remembrance of the services I had rendered him. On this latter being laid before my Sovereign, he has been graciously pleased to allow me, to wear the honourable badge in his service."
When Gordon returned to England, he had to make a "particular report to the King of the general plan and every operation" of the, Amstelveen campaign (add. MSS., 35,540, f. 61). On December 25th 1787, he Was made lieutenant-colonel of the 41st Regiment, but the post did not please him. He was also disappointed that his fine work at Amstelveen had gone unrecognised by his own countrymen, for he wrote to Lord Carmarthen, our Foreign Minister, from Brunswick, January 4th 1788 (add. MSS., 26,063, f. 7):
"The Duke of Brunswick, though considerably mortified at my return to him without some distinguishing mark of approbation of the services I had the good fortune to render him in the last campaign, has assured me that he will not fail to express his being obliged to your lordship for the protection with which you honoured me, as well as to solicit a continuance of your good offices in my behalf. All those who had a share in the important expedition to Amstelveen, of which His Highness [the Duke of Brunswick] is good enough to say I was in some degree the planner and conductor having got a step in rank, and having been thought worthy of the Order of Merit, and of a valuable present from the King of Prussia, His Serene Highness will, I believe, request your lordship to solicit either rank for me, or, as we have no Military Order of Merit, some title which may mark his satisfaction with my conduct and distinguish me in my own country, as, through his goodness, I find myself abroad."
Then he turned to the sympathetic Keith, to whom he wrote (from Dresden) on the 15th February 1788 (add. MSS. 35,540, f. 61):
"(After explaining the Amstelveen enterprise) I left London, designing, in case of a war between the Emperor and the Porte, to repair immediately to Vienna to solicit in person His Majesty's permission to take the field with his fine army. Having got this far (Dresden), I find myself recalled to take the command of the 41st Regiment, but, having a much greater inclination to make a campaign with the Imperial army than to go to drill a few recruits, I have wrote to England for leave to go to Hungary and at the same time I have wrote to my friend, General Brown, to have the goodness to endeavour to obtain for me the Emperor's permission to serve under his banner. If I obtain the latter, I shall decline going upon full pay, rather than 1ose the occasion of seeing so curious a campaign as I suppose the ensuing one will be. I dare not request you to meddle in this affair publicly, but 1 shall gratefully acknowledge any services you may have it in your power privately to render me."
Then he turned his attention to Pitt, to whom he wrote from Hilsea Barracks, Portsmouth, September 12th 1788 (Chatham Papers, P.R.O., bundle 139). The letter, which has never been published before, ran as follows:
" Sir, ,-Should a company in any of the Regiments of Guards become vacant by the death of General Cunningham, I beg leave to solicit the protection which you had the goodness to promise to His Serene Highness the Duke of Brunswick, and to recommend myself as candidate for the company."
"I am an older lieutenant-colonel than any of the captain-lieutenants of the Guards and purchased every step I have had in the army at the most advanced prices given. My aversion to coming again into a marching regiment in time of peace, I had the honour of fully explaining to you - indeed, nothing but grateful respect to my Sovereign who named me to the 41st, my desire to do some good in forming it as far as my abilities would permit, added to the flattering hopes of your favour, could ever have induced me to sacrifice my private interest and happiness by accepting the lieutenant-colonelcy of the 41st or any regiment of the line."
"I beg pardon for the fullness with which I have repeated what I verbally made known to you. And I have the honour to be with great respect, sir, your most obedient and very humble servant,
CHAS. GORDON, Lt.-Col., 41st Reg.
"P.S.- My being with my regiment, and not able to know until perhaps too late, will I hope be an excuse for a too early application."
(To be continued.)
J. M. BULLOCH.
I may note that when stationed at Hilsea Barracks Gordon complained frequently to the War Office about the dryness of his tasks in the 41st. Several such letters are preserved among the War Office documents at the Public Record Office. On November 28th 1788, he again appealed to Lord Carmarthen, writing from London as follows (Add, MSS. 28,065, f. 322):
"Trusting to your lordship's very flattering assurances, I made the sacrifice of my continental connexions, gave up my plan of entering into foreign service, and accepted what you were pleased to offer me, the lieutenant-colonelcy of the 41st Regiment. When I did so, I had the honour of apprising your lordship very fully of my dislike to the life I must lead in a marching regiment in time of peace, and your lordship was so sensible that a lieutenant-colonelcy in the line to an old lieutenant-colonel, who absolutely gained nothing by it, was so small a mark of favour that in offering it to me you was pleased te say I was only to look upon it as a putting my foot into the stirrup until you would do something for me, as you certainly intended.
After those assurances from your lordship, whose honour and goodness; is in every person's mouth, I confess I had the most sanguine hopes. If I have been uneasy in my present situation, from which I was confident your lordship would at a proper opportunity remove me, it has proceeded from the idea of the mutability of Fortune, and the many unforeseen accidents which may, in a moment, deprive a man of his best friends. A removal into the Guards or Dragoons, where I could have a home or some honourable employment in any part of the world, I care not much where, is what I should. earnestly entreat your lordship to procure for me, as being ever on the move, driven from country to country, and everywhere having nothing to do, is to me a life, of greater slavery and fatigue than that of holding the plough or working at an oar."
On April 3rd, 1790, he wrote again (from Dresden) to Carmarthen, who had just succeeded to the Dukedom of Leeds (Add. MSS. 28,065, f. 255):
"Should a war, as it is possible break out, I beg leave to inform your Grace that I am so fortunate as to have his Serene Highness the Duke of Brunswick's permission to attend him into the field as aid-de-camp, and at his request the King elf Prussia is not only graciously pleased to make an exception in my favour to a general rule he has laid down to admit of no volunteers, but will also enable me to serve my good and great protector with more effect, give me rank in his service, if His Majesty will permit me to accept of it. It is scarcely necessary that I should observe to your Grace what an honourable distinction it will be for me to be permitted in this manner to serve with the Prussian army, and it is equally unnecessary for me to point out to your Grace the honour and advantage of possessing the confidence of the first general in the world and of accompanying him on actual service. But flattering and desirable as is the situation which fortune offers me, I feel it inconsistent with my duty to my Sovereign to embrace it without his most gracious permission. To lay me, therefore, at the feet of His Majesty, and to obtain his leave for me to serve in the ensuing campaign with the Duke. of Brunswick, are the good, offices which I now take the liberty to solicit of your Grace, and the granting of my request will confer on me an obligation which time can never efface."
"My regiment being in Ireland I have wrote Adjutant-General of that Kingdom to procure for me a few months' additional leave of absence from the Lord-lieutenant. I trust 1 shall succeed in my application, but, were 1 to wait his answer before I apply for the necessary permission from His Majesty, much time would of necessity be lost, and a great and, perhaps, interesting part of the campaign would probably be over before I could possibly receive it."
In the autumn of the same year, we find him in the same mood, for he wrote from Breslau to Keith on August 16th 1790 (Add. MSS. 35,543, f. 66.):
"Although as a Christian, for the sake of humanity, I must rejoice at the conclusion of an honorable peace, yet as a soldier who had a glorious opportunity of taking a lesson in his profession, I cannot but regret your having taken from us every just pretence of making war."
"Knowing my fortunate acquaintance with the first of officers and the best of men [the Duke of Brunswick), you will not be surprised to hear that on an appearance of his being employed. I used every endeavour to interest him, and I was lucky enough to succeed."
.
"His Prussian Majesty was good enough to make in my favour an exception to the rule he had laid down to admit of no volunteer with his army, and my Sovereign was graciously pleased to permit me to take the benefit of such an extraordinary act of favour and goodness. . ."
"I have been in Ireland with my regiment and in Scotland since I had the pleasure of seeing you. In the former, I had the satisfaction to receive great applause for my young corps, formed I may say, with success upon the wonderful fine regiment of the Duke of Brunswick's as a model."
His persistency, indeed, was extraordinary, for after trying all these channels himself he got his brother David then a merchant in Lime Street, London, and afterwards 14th laird of Abergeldie, to write to Pitt (Chatham Papers, P.R.O., Bundle 139). This letter, which is new to print, is dated from Lime Street, October 19th 1793:
"Sir,- I take the liberty of addressing you in behalf of my brother, Lt-Col. Sir Charles Gordon, of the 41st Regiment, to whom a manifest injury will be done should Lt-Col. Maxwell be promoted to the rank of colonel over his head, by being appointed one of the King's Aidde (sic) Camps."
"You are no stranger, sir, to the very essential services rendered to this country by my brother in Holland in the year 1787, to the very honourable and strong recommendations in his favour from the King of Prussia, and the Duke of Brunswick, and to the repeated assurances that he has received from His Majesty through the Secretary at War that his services should be rewarded. He has also had the honour of personally urging his claims with you, and was flattered with the well grounded hopes that something would be done for him. What, then, must his feelings, as an officer be, to find a junior promoted over him, whose services may equal, but certainly do not exceed, his own, and this at a time, too when he is about to embark for foreign service on a command which his unabated, zeal for the service induced him to solicit, rather then remain inactive in Ireland. To the justice and liberality of Mr Pitt I trust for justice being done to my brother, and for pardon for the liberty I have now taken, and I am with the most profound, sentiments of respect, sir, your most devoted and moot obedient humble servant,
David Gordon."
This letter seems to have had some effect, for Gordon was advanced to a brevet colonelcy on the 20th December 1793.
J. M. Bulloch