House of Gordon Australia

The Scots have always been known as Brave and capable Military Men and the Gordon's were always known to be a strong well organised military like clan with an ability to establish a high 'Esprit de corp'. From very early in their history they established themselves as a dominant Clan and were able to spread their influence across Scotland quickly. Their record of Valour and respect is well known and documented. The reason was simply, they were horse breeders. There were only really two clans who were Cavalry minded the Campbells and the Gordons. At one time the country was more or less controlled by these two clans the Campbells on the west side and Gordons on the East. For a period like most clans the Gordons actually controlled over 80% of the Scotland as they werte the Lord Lietenants of Scotland except for the Duke of Argylls country. Horses and their numbers made the Gordons a very powerful Clan. Even before Military units were raised in the 1700's to defend the Country they were a virtual Army with capable commanders. But when Military regiments were established the Gordons raised a number of regiments or contributed to establishing companies for service overseas and for home defence.

The Old Fencibles:
The first Gordon Regiment was part of the 'Old Fencibles' system. Following a period of peace in the 1780's the country had disbanded most of its military and was suddenly required to reorganise new units for home defence. To do this the King gazetted seven(7) regiments and forced the Clan chiefs to raise the numbers. Each unit had to have a Colonel, Lt-Col, 1 Major, 5 captains and ten companies with a Lieutenant and Ensign, 3 Sergeants, 4 Corporals, 2 Drummers and 95 enlisted men. These were drawn from the Chief's tenants and they were paid a shilling per day. The Following Chief's raised units. The Grants at Forres, The Wymess at Inverness, Montgomeries at Glasgow, Breadalbanes at Perth, Lornes at Stirling, Gordons at Aberdeen and the Hopetouns at Linlithgow.

The 89th Gordon Highlanders 1759 - 1765.
The Regiment was raised after the Prime Minister William Pitt saw how quickly the Fraser Regt was raised. It was also political at the Duchess of Gordon did not want the Duke of Argyll to have all the influence so exerted pressure to raise a group and volunteered her sons. The Commander was Sir Hector Munro who mustered 960 men at Gordon Castle and marched to Aberdeen where it and its officers were commissioned. The then marched to Portsmith and embarked for the East Indies in 1760 The Duke of Gordon was still at College and George II stopped him from going as he only had nine Dukes left in the kingdom at that time. In 1764 the Gordons met a force 5 times their size but left the enemy with 6,000 dead and captured 130 cannon with minimal loss to their own. They returned to Britain in 1765 and reduced in size and later that same year disbanded.