John Gordon

General Sir John James Hood Gordon (12 January 1832 – 2 November 1908) was a general in the British Army.

Early life

Gordon was born on 12 January 1832 in Aberdeen and was a twin son of Captain William Gordon (1788–1834) of the 2nd Queen's Royal Regiment. His father had served in the Peninsular War and was married at Santarém, in 1818, to Marianna Carlotta Loi Gonçalves de Mello, daughter of Luiz Gonçalves de Mello, a Spanish government official in the province of Estremadura.

His father William Gordon was one of the sons of Adam Gordon (1750–1831) of Griamachary in the parish of Kildonan, Dingwall, whose sons and grandsons included thirteen commissioned officers, a Surgeon-General, Huntly George Gordon; and a Lord Advocate and MP, Edward Gordon, Baron Gordon of Drumearn.

He and his twin brother, Sir Thomas Edward Gordon, were the youngest children in a family of four sons and a daughter. John was educated at Dalmeny and at the Scottish Naval and Military Academy, Edinburgh. Thomas Edward and John joined the British Army on the same day; both became generals and were knighted.

Army career

With his twin, he entered the British Army, purchasing a commission in the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot on 21 August 1849 and transferred to 29th Foot in October 1849.

Returning to the UK, he was made assistant military secretary to the India Office in 1890, and retained the office until 1896, under Major-General Oliver Newmarch. He was promoted lieutenant-general in 1891 and full general on 1 April 1894. On 1 January 1897 he was nominated a member of the Council of India and served for ten years.

Personal life

He married in 1871 Ella (1846 – 1903), daughter of his cousin Edward Gordon, Baron Gordon of Drumearn, lord of appeal in ordinary.

Gordon wrote and illustrated The Sikhs (1904).

He resided in his last years at 35 Onslow Square, London and Magdala Crescent, Edinburgh. He died at Edinburgh on 2 November 1908; he was buried in Dean Cemetery there and is commemorated with family members against the original west boundary wall of the cemetery.