James Gordon (Royal Navy officer)
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath |
---|
Gordon became commanding officer of the 28-gun frigate
Gordon also saw action in the War of 1812 leading the successful raid on Alexandria on the Potomac and taking part in the less successful attack on Fort McHenry and the Battle of Baltimore. He went on to be Governor of Greenwich Hospital.
Early career
Born the eldest son of Charles Gordon of Wardhouse, Aberdeenshire, and his wife, a daughter of Major James Mercer, of Auchnacant, Aberdeenshire, Gordon joined the Royal Navy in November 1793.[1] He was assigned to the 74-gun HMS Arrogant in the Channel Squadron, took part in the blockade of Brest[2] and served under Lord Howe at the Battle of the Glorious First of June in June 1794.[3] He spent time on harbour duty in the 74-gun HMS Invincible, in the 74-gun HMS Ramillies, the 74-gun HMS Defence and finally the 24-gun HMS Eurydice during 1794.[2] He transferred to the frigate HMS Révolutionnaire in 1795 and served under Admiral Lord Bridport at the Battle of Groix in June 1795 during the French Revolutionary Wars.[3]
Gordon moved to the 90-gun ship-of-the-line
Frigate captain
Gordon was promoted to
Gordon continued to hold seagoing commands after the cessation of hostilities, becoming commanding officer of the frigate
Senior command
Promoted to
Death
Gordon died at Greenwich Hospital on 8 January 1869 and was buried in the hospital grounds. The grave lies within an enclosed area of surviving graves within the generally cleared graveyard, now forming a pocket park immediately west of the entrance to National Maritime Museum.[6]
An obituary in Macmillan’s Magazine hailed him as "The Last of Nelson’s Captains"[15] and a biography by Brian Perrett argued that his career was the principal model for that of C. S. Forester's hero Horatio Hornblower.[16]
Family
In August 1812 Gordon married Lydia Ward; they had seven daughters and one son.[1]
See also
- O'Byrne, William Richard (1849). John Murray – via Wikisource. . .
References
- ^ a b "Gordon, Sir James Alexander". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^ a b Heathcote p. 100
- ^ a b c d e f g Heathcote p. 101
- ^ a b c d e Heathcote, p. 102
- ^ "No. 17032". The London Gazette. 1 July 1815. p. 1277.
- ^ a b c d Heathcote p. 103
- ^ Sainty, J. C. (2003). "Commissioners: Victualling 1683-1832 | Institute of Historical Research". www.history.ac.uk. University of London. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
- ^ "No. 19456". The London Gazette. 10 January 1837. p. 71.
- ^ "No. 19872". The London Gazette. 7 July 1840. p. 1599.
- ^ "No. 21489". The London Gazette. 28 October 1853. p. 2898.
- ^ "No. 21486". The London Gazette. 18 October 1853. p. 2799.
- ^ "No. 21515". The London Gazette. 27 January 1854. p. 233.
- ^ "No. 21743". The London Gazette. 10 July 1855. p. 2655.
- ^ "No. 23349". The London Gazette. 4 February 1868. p. 537.
- ^ "The Last of Nelson's Captains". South Australian Register. 3 June 1869. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^ Perrett, p. 1-160
Sources
- Heathcote, Tony (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 – 1995. Pen & Sword. ISBN 0-85052-835-6.
- Perrett, Bryan (1998). The Real Hornblower: The Life and Times of Admiral Sir James Gordon, GCB. Pen & Sword Maritime. ISBN 978-1781591956.