A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Gordon, James Gabriel
GORDON. (Commander, 1815. f-p., 17; h-p., 29.)
James Gabriel Gordon entered the Navy, 19 Aug. 1801, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Vengeance 74, Capt. Geo. Duff, of which ship, successively stationed in the Channel and West Indies, he became Midshipman 5 Sept. following. During the years 1802-3 he appears to have been employed at Portsmouth on board the Neptune 98, Capts. Eras. Wm. Austen and Wm. O’Brien Drury, Topaze 38, Capt. Willoughby Thos. Lake, and Puissant 74, Capt. John Irwin. Joining, then, the Illustrious 74, Capts. Sir Chas. Hamilton, Michael Seymour, Wm. Shield, and Wm. Robt. Broughton, he commanded the barge belonging to that ship at the cutting out of a brig from Vivero Harbour, was also present at the attack on the French fleet in Aix Roads, and had further charge of a gun-boat during the expedition to the Walcheren, where he was severely wounded. We are informed that on 18 Dec. 1809 Mr. Gordon, while in the Freija frigate, witnessed the capture, at Guadeloupe, of the two French frigates Loire and Seine. He shortly afterwards joined the Pompée 80, bearing the flag of Sir Alex. Cochrane, by whom, on 22 Jan. 1810, he was promoted, in consequence of a death vacancy, to a Lieutenancy in the Guadeloupe sloop, Capt. Michael Head, part of the force employed at the ensuing reduction of the island bearing that name. Being confirmed by the Admiralty 3 Oct. following, Mr. Gordon next joined – on 6 of the same month, the Tonnant 80, Capt. Sir John Gore – and in 1812-14, the Egmont, Porcupine, and Queen, flag-ships on the Home and Mediterranean stations of Rear-Admirals Sir Geo. Hope and Chas. Vinicombe Penrose, under the latter of whom, after sharing in the operations connected with the forcing of the Gironde in April, 1814, he officiated as Flag-Lieutenant until the receipt of his second promotal commission bearing date 20 July, 1815. With the exception of a three years’ command in the Ordinary at Sheerness, which he held from 28 April, 1827, until 1830, he remained on half-pay till 31 Dec. 1846; since which period he has been in command of the Ocean 80, guard-ship at Sheerness. Agents – Holmes and Folkard.