186 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
placed on board a Swedish ship, in which he arrived at Falmouth in September
1796.
The “ Gordon Highlanders ” returned to Britain in 1795, but in consequence
of the disturbances then breaking out in Ireland, they were immediately hurried
off there. The Marquis directly followed, resumed the command, and was
actively employed with the regiment until tranquillity was restored, Notwithstanding
the irksome and disagreeable nature of a soldier’s duty connected with
civil commotion, the conduct of the “ Gordon Highlanders ” in Ireland was highly
exemplary; so much so, that on leaving the county of Wexford, in which
district they had been principally employed, an address was presented by the
magistrates aiid inhabitants to the Marquis, in which, after paying a marked
compliment to the orderly conduct of the men, they stated that “ peace and order
were established, rapine had disappeared, confidence in the Government was
restored, and the happiest cordiality subsisted since his regiment came among
them.”
In the expedition to the Helder, in 1799, the “Gordon Highlanders,” whose
number a short time previously had been changed to the 92d, with the Marquis at
their head, formed part of General Moore’s brigade, and although not engaged in
repelling the first att,ack of the enemy, bore a distinguished part in the great action
at Bergen on the 2d October, in which the Marquis was severely wounded.’
So entirely did the conduct of the regiment on this occasion give satisfaction to
General Moore, “that when he was made a Knight of the Bath, and obtained a
grant of supporters for his armorial bearings, he took a soldier of the Gordon
Highlanders, in full uniform, as one of these supporters, and a lion as the
other.”
The Marquis had obtained the rank of Colonel in the Army in 1796,-that
of Major-general in 1801, and was placed on the North British Staff as such from
1803 till 1806, when he was appointed Colonel of the 42d, or Royal Highland
Regiment.’ At the general election of that year he was chosen Member of
Parliament for Eye, in Suffolk; but he only remained a short time in the
Commons, having been, on the change of ministry which soon followed, summoned
by writ to the House of Peers, by the title of Baron Gordon of Huntly, in
the county of Gloucester. In 1808 he was raised to the rank of Lieutenant-
General in the Army ; and the same year, on the resignation of his father the
Duke of Gordon, the Marquis was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of the County of
Aberdeen.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales testified his approbation of the conduct of the Marquis
on this occasion by the appropriate present of a Highland mull, set in gold, decorated with valuable
Scotch pebbles, and inscribed with a handsome compliment in the Gaelic language.
a On the anniversary of the battle of Alexandria, the 21st March 1817, his Royal Highness the
Duke of York, then President of the Highland Society, in the chair, presented the Marquis of Huntly,
on behalf of the 42d Regiment, with a superb piece of plate, in token of the respect of the society for
a corps which, for more than seventy years, had continued to uphold the martial character of their
country. This his Royal Highness accompanied with an impreasive speech, in which he recapitulated
the various services of the corps, from the battle of Fontenoy down to those of Quatre Bras and
Waterloo.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 187
In the unfortunate “ Walcheren Expedition,” undertaken in 1809, under
the late Earl of Chatham, the Marquis commanded the fourth division. The
object of this armament, which had been fitted out on a very extensive scale,
was the destruction of the fleet and arsenal at Anbwerp, but except in the bombardment
of Flushing, the expedition entirely failed of success.
With the Walcheren expedition closed the foreign military career of the
Marquis of Huntly. His subsequent life was distinguished bya patriotic and active
zeal in whatever tended to the honour or advantage of his native country. He was
long a member, and frequently President, of the Highland Society, an association
which has done so much to improve the agriculture and condition of the
peasantry of Scotland. As a mark of distinction, in 1813, the Marquis was
appointed General of the ancient body denominated the Royal Archers of
Scotland, or King’s Body Guard. Of the Celtic Society he was also an equally
honoured member ; and, in short, in all patriotic or national associations he was
found to yield enthusiastic co-operation.
On the death of his lordship’s father, in 1827, he succeeded to the dukedom
of Gordon in Scotland, and the earldom of Norwich in England ; and in the
still more extended sphere of influence thus opened to him, the spirit which
had animated the Marquis continued to be manifested in the Duke. The great
improvements which he effected on his extensive estates-the exquisite taste
displayed in laying out the grounds and ornamenting the lawns around the
princely Castle of Gordon-together with his successful .exertions in improving
the breed of Highland cattle, and promoting agriculture, are well-known instances
of the Duke’s untiring zeal and perseverance.
He married, in 1813, Elizabeth, daughter of the late Alexander Brodie,
Esq. of Am Hall, but had no issue. His Grace died at London in June 1836,’
and with him the dukedom of Gordon and earldom of Norwich became extinct.
The title of Marquis of Huntly, and some of the inferior dignities, devolved to
his Grace’s ‘‘ heir-male whatsoever,” the Earl of Aboyne. The estates passed
by virtue of an entail to his nephew, the Duke of Richmond.
As a tribute to the memory of the Duke of Gordon, we beg to append the following letter of
condolence to the Duchess from the Governors of the London Scottish Hospital, whose opportunities
of knowing his Grace’s exertions in the cause of charity give peculiar weight to their sentiments :
Unto her Grace Elizabeth Duchess of Gordon, Marchioness of Huntly, Countess of
Huntly; Enzie, and Norwich, Viscountess of Inverness, etc. etc etc. etc.
MADAM,
WE, the Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, and Governors of the Scottish Hospital of the foundation of
King Charles the Second, re-incorporated by King George the Third, in General Court assembled,
beg leave thus to olfer our heartfelt condolence upon the severe bereavement with which God in his
Providence has seen meet to make trial of your “faith and patience.”
Be assured, Madam, that it is not in the observance of a mere formality, but because of that
alfectionate regard which we must ever entertain for the memory of our late noble President, that
we intrude thus early upon that grief in which we do sincerely participate.
When, at the command of our present most gracious King and Patron, the Duke of Gordon
entered upon the Presidency of this Institution, we congratulated ourselves on the acquisition of a
nobleman whose ancient and honourable lineage, and whose generous, chivalrous character, concurred
with his previoua knowledge of the Society, and zeal for its interests, to recommend him to our
