A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Gordon, William (b)
GORDON. (Captain 1841. f-p., 12;h-p., 31.)
William Gordon entered the Navy, in July, 1804, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Northumberland 74, Capt. Jas. Oswald, bearing the flag, off Ferrol, and then in the West Indies, of Rear-Admiral Hon. Alex. Cochrane. Being appointed Midshipman, in Aug. 1805, of the Kingfisher 18, Capt. Nathaniel Day Cochrane, he shared in that vessel in the action off St. Domingo, 6 Feb. 1806; after which he served under the present Earl of Dundonald in the Pallas and Impérieuse frigates, and figured in all the glittering scenes which we have described in his Lordship’s memoir as having been enacted between 6 April, 1806, and 4 Aug. 1809. Continuing to serve in the Impérieuse under Capts. Alex. Skene and Thos. Garth, Mr. Gordon accompanied the latter officer in the expedition to the Walcheren. During the two years and a half immediately prior to his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, which took place 21 March, 1812, he appears to have been further employed, on the Baltic, Home, and Mediterranean stations, in the Hussar 38, Capts. Alex. Skene and Jas. Coutts Crawford, Argo 44, Capt. Fred. Warren, and Caledonia 120, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Pellew. His next appointments were to the Pylades 18, Capt. Jas. Wemyss, Blake 74, Capt. Edw. Codrington, Bucephalus troop-ship, Capt. Geo. Wm. Hughes D’Aeth, and Seahorse 38, Capt. Sir Jas. Alex. Gordon; in the two last-mentioned of which ships he took part in the operations connected with the attack upon New Orleans. The Pylades and Blake were employed on the Mediterranean station. Having obtained his second promotion 13 June, 1815, and been in command, from 8 Jan. 1823 until 27 July 1825, of the Pandora 18, on the Newfoundland station, Capt. Gordon was ultimately, on 23 Nov. 1841, presented with a Post-commission. He is now on half-pay. Agents – Messrs, Stilwell.