Theodore Gordon (1786–1845), was a Scottish inspector of army hospitals.

Life

Gordon was born in Aberdeenshire, and studied arts and medicine at

King's College, Aberdeen King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland, the full title of which is The University and King's College of Aberdeen (''Collegium Regium Abredonense''), is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and now an integral part of the Universi ...

, and at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

, at which latter he graduated with an MA in 1802. In 1803, when eighteen years of age, he was appointed assistant-surgeon in the army, and soon after joined the

91st Highlanders The 91st (Argyllshire Highlanders) Regiment of Foot was a Line Regiment of the British Army, raised in 1794. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 93rd (Sutherland Highlanders) Regiment of Foot to form the Argyll and Sutherland Highl ...

, accompanying the regiment to Hanover in 1805. He saw service also in the Peninsula, and escaped shipwreck in the ''

Douro The Douro (, , ; es, Duero ; la, Durius) is the highest-flow river of the Iberian Peninsula. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province, central Spain, meanders south briefly then flows generally west through the north-west part of ...

'' (one of seven survivors) while in charge of invalids from Sir J. Moore's army. He was present at the battles of Rolica and

Vimeiro Vimeiro () is a freguesia (civil parish) in the municipality of Lourinhã in west-central Portugal. It is in the District of Lisboa. The population in 2011 was 1,470,Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of ...

in the Peninsula, was present at Salamanca, Vittoria, Badajoz, San Sebastian, and Burgos, and was promoted to the rank of staff-surgeon. Having been badly wounded in crossing the frontier into France, he was brought home and was invalided for a year. He resumed duty at

Chelsea Hospital The Royal Hospital Chelsea is a retirement home and nursing home for some 300 veterans of the British Army. Founded as an almshouse, the ancient sense of the word "hospital", it is a site located on Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea. It is an i ...

as staff-surgeon, had charge of a hospital at Brussels, after the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armie ...

, and joined Wellington's staff in Paris, where he was promoted to be physician to the forces. After the peace he was chosen by Sir J. MacGrigor to be professional assistant at the medical board of the war office, and spent the remaining 30 years of his life in that administrative capacity. In 1836 he attained the rank of deputy-inspector-general of hospitals. He died in Brighton on 30 March 1845. In 1822 he married Miss Barclay, niece of Major-general Sir

Robert Barclay Robert Barclay (23 December 16483 October 1690) was a Scottish Quaker, one of the most eminent writers belonging to the Religious Society of Friends and a member of the Clan Barclay. He was a son of Col. David Barclay, Laird of Urie, and his ...

, K.C.B.

References

* 1786 births 1845 deaths 19th-century Scottish people Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Scottish surgeons British Army regimental surgeons British Army personnel of the Napoleonic Wars 19th-century Scottish medical doctors Shipwreck survivors Military personnel from Aberdeenshire {{Scotland-med-bio-stub