Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp3.djvu/239

  at the reduction of Java, in 1811; obtained the rank of Commander Feb. 7, 1812; and was posted into the Volage 22, on the East India station, Feb. 4, 1814. 

 son of the late John Gordon, of Balmuir, Aberdeenshire, Esq. by Margaret Stuart, of Duncarn, Fifeshire, a lineal descendant of the Regent Murray.

This officer was born at Edinburgh, In May, 1780; and we first find him serving under the late Vice-admiral Thomas Pringle at the defeat of the French fleet, by Earl Howe, June 1, 1794. He also witnessed the capture of three republican line-of-battle ships, near l’Orient, June 23, 1795 ; on which latter occasion, the Valiant was commanded by Captain (afterwards Vice-admiral) Christopher Parker.

From that ship, Mr. Gordon was removed to the Asia 64, bearing the flag of Rear-admiral Pringle, with whom, after serving for several months on the North Sea station, he proceeded to the Cape of Good Hope, in the Tremendous 74.

Mr. Gordon had not been long at the Cape, when he received an order to act as lieutenant of the Prince Frederick (late Revolutie 66) one of the Dutch squadron taken in Saldanha bay, Aug. 18, 1796. This appointment was confirmed by the Admiralty, in the month of Dec. following.

During the last five years of the French revolutionary war, Lieutenant Gordon served under the late Vice-Admiral Edward Oliver Osborn, in the Trident, 64, and Arrogant, 74, on the East India station; where he assisted at the capture of the Dutch Company’s armed ship Hartog von Brunswyk, mounting 28 guns, pierced for 50, with a complement of 320 men; the Mongoose brig, of 14 guns and 65 men; a brig, name unknown, of 6 guns; the Onderneming Indiaman; and l’Uni, French privateer, of 30 guns and 216 men. The Mongoose