The Chronicles of a Gay Gordon

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Gordon Joseph Maria. The Chronicles of a Gay Gordon

BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION

BRIG. – GENERAL J. M. GORDON’S DESCENT AT A GLANCE

PART I

CHAPTER I. MY SCOTS-SPANISH ORIGIN

CHAPTER II. MY SCHOOLING

CHAPTER III. A FRONTIER INCIDENT

CHAPTER IV. FIRST WAR EXPERIENCE

CHAPTER V. MY MEETINGS WITH KING ALFONSO

CHAPTER VI. WITH DON CARLOS AGAIN

CHAPTER VII. MY FIRST ENGAGEMENT

CHAPTER VIII. SOLDIERING IN IRELAND

CHAPTER IX. UNRULY TIMES IN IRELAND

CHAPTER X. SPORT IN IRELAND

CHAPTER XI. A VOYAGE TO NEW ZEALAND

CHAPTER XII. A MAORI MEETING

CHAPTER XIII. AN OFFER FROM THE GOVERNOR OF TASMANIA

CHAPTER XIV. I BECOME A NEWSPAPER PROPRIETOR

CHAPTER XV. A MERCHANT, THEN AN ACTOR

CHAPTER XVI. AS POLICEMAN IN ADELAIDE

MILITARY APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL JOSEPH MARIA GORDON, C.B

Part II

SOLDIERING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

CHAPTER II. POLO, HUNTING AND STEEPLECHASING

CHAPTER III. THE RUSSIAN SCARE AND ITS RESULTS

CHAPTER IV. THE SOUDAN CONTINGENT

CHAPTER V. A TIME OF RETRENCHMENT

CHAPTER VI. MY VISION FULFILLED

CHAPTER VII. THE GREAT STRIKES

CHAPTER VIII. THE INTRODUCTION OF “UNIVERSAL SERVICE,” AND TWO VOYAGES HOME

CHAPTER IX. MILITARY ADVISER TO THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES IN LONDON

CHAPTER X. OFF TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR

CHAPTER XI. WITH LORD ROBERTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

CHAPTER XII. IN COMMAND OF A MOUNTED COLUMN

CHAPTER XIII. SOME SOUTH AFRICAN REMINISCENCES

Part III

CHAPTER I. ORGANIZING THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

CHAPTER II. COMMANDANT OF VICTORIA

CHAPTER III. COMMANDANT OF NEW SOUTH WALES

CHAPTER IV. LORD KITCHENER’S VISIT TO AUSTRALIA

MANŒUVRE AND TACTICAL EXERCISE

MANŒUVRE AND TACTICAL EXERCISE

CHAPTER V. THE AMERICAN NAVAL VISIT

CHAPTER VI. CHIEF OF THE GENERAL STAFF

Отрывок из книги

At a period in the history of Scotland, we find that a law was passed under the provisions of which every landowner who was a Catholic had either to renounce his adherence to his Church or to forfeit his landed property to the Crown. This was a severe blow to Scotsmen, and history tells that practically every Catholic laird preferred not to have his property confiscated, with the natural result that he ceased – at any rate publicly – to take part in the outward forms of the Catholic religion. Churches, which Catholic families had built and endowed, passed into the hands of other denominations. Catholic priests who – in devotion to their duty – were willing to risk their lives, had to practise their devotions in secrecy.

My great grandfather, Charles Edward Gordon (1754-1832), then quite a young man, happened to be one of those lairds who submitted to the law, preferring to remain lairds. His younger brother, James Arthur (1759-1824), who chanced to be possessed in his own right of a certain amount of hard cash, began to think seriously. It appeared to him that, if a law could be passed confiscating landed property unless the owners gave up the Catholic religion, there was no reason why another law should not be passed confiscating actual cash under similar conditions. The more he turned this over in his mind, the surer he became that at any rate the passing of such a second law could not be deemed illogical. He was by no means the only one of the younger sons of Scots families who thought likewise. It seemed to him that it would be wise to leave the country – at any rate for a while.

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Ferdinand, who had become very ill, fell again under the influence of the clerics and of the supporters of his brother, Don Carlos, who induced him to revoke his will. However, to the surprise of everybody, Ferdinand recovered, and under the direct influence of Dona Carlota, Cristina’s sister, he tore up the document and, before a representative assembly of his Ministers of State, swore that he had repealed his will only under direct pressure while sick to death. Ferdinand’s illness had become so severe that Cristina was appointed Regent, and acted as such till January 4, 1833, when Ferdinand recovered. On June 20, 1833, Ferdinand, still most anxious to secure the throne to his offspring, whether male or female, convened a Cortes at Madrid which confirmed his wishes. On September 29 he died. Cristina became Regent and the Infanta Isabella Queen of Spain. Don Carlos refused to recognize Isabella’s rights to the throne. The enactments of Philip V and Ferdinand – no matter by whom made – could not affect his own divine rights, as all such enactments had been given effect to after he himself was born.

I must admit that it appears to be most difficult to convince the direct descendants of Don Carlos that they have not been deprived of their just rights. My readers are at full liberty to decide this difficult problem. This does not matter to us, it is an interesting episode in the history of one of the oldest reigning families, the Bourbons. The first formidable rising took place at about November 14, 1833. Estella became the seat of Government of Don Carlos during the war, which lasted till the middle of the year 1840. Our Don Carlos was the son of his grandfather’s third son, Juan.

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