Related
170 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1690 delighted that he made the Boyars
1690] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 107 their arrival was announced. Gordon was at once admitted to His Majesty
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 97 storme, wee could not gett over to Embden
186 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1697 put out the white flag
148 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 gave him a warning concerning tlie wedsett of the Muirtacke
1692] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 179 Patrick Gordon of Cults
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 131 Htle way, and being four, wee hired a coach
1699] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 193 ' A number of Strelitzes were executed
138 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 to a coachman, to bring the trunke
172 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1690 his name was not in it, it being sent to him to be dehvered pubhkely
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
172 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1690
his name was not in it, it being sent to him to be dehvered pubhkely and
solemnly. Another had been sent befor, dated in Aprill, but not haveing
the full titles, was returned by the Resident, and this sent ; so that it seemes
they must have a third, and then a question if that shall be received, for
diverse reasons.
[To this year, apparently, must be referred the following memorial of Gordon's services in
Russia. It is written by his own hand :]
P. I. Gordon, by birth a Scottishman, came In the quality of Major to
Mosko, in the yeare 7169th [a.d, 1661], and was sent out of the ambassy
into the stranger office ; and in the yeare 7171 [a.d. 1663] in September,
was preferred, for his comeing into the countrey, to be Lievetennent Colonell ;
and was in the yeare 7172 and 3 [a.d. 1664-5] at his Maiesties service in
Smolensko ; and in the yeare 7173 [a.d. 1665], the 11th of February, he
was preferred, for his services, to be Colonell. In the yeare 7174 [a.d.
1666] he was sent on his Maiesties affaires to England. In the yeare 7176
[a.d. 1668], he was at service in Trubschefsky, Branskoy, and other
Ukrainish townes. In the yeare 7179 [a.d. 1671] he was at Novoskol
against the rebellious Cosakes ; and from that yeare to the 7185th yeare
[a.d. 1677], he was at service in Skewsky, and from Shewsky in the 7182,
7183, 7184 yeares [a.d. 1674 — a.d. 1679], he was at service at Kaniow,
Pereaslaw, and at Czegrin at the takemg of Doroschenko ; and in the 7185th
yeare [a.d. 1677], at the seige of Czegrin. And in the 7186th yeare [a.d.
1678], he was in Czegrin at the siege or beleaguering of [it], in which yeare,
the 20th of August, for his service at Czegrin, he was preferred to be Major
Generall, and was at the marching of from Czegrin, until the army was
dismissed the 11th of September, in the 7187 etc. [a.d. 1679]. From this
yeare to the 7191 [a.d. 1683], he was at service in Kyow, in which yeare,
he was, for his service, preferred to be Livetennent Generall, and was there-
after in Kyow to the 7195 yeare [a.d. 1687], in which. yeare, he received
the command of the Moskowish Selected Regiments of Sojours, and the
same yeare, was at service in the Crimish expedition. In the 7196th yeare
[a.d. 1688], the 11th of September, he was, for his services, preferred to be
Generall. In the 7197th yeare [a.d. 1689], he was at service in the Crimi?h
expedition ; and in the 7198th yeare [a.d. 1690], in the expedition to the
Monastery of the Holy Trinity of Serge.
Gordon was brought up and remained a lifelong Roman Catholic, at a time when the Church was being persecuted in Scotland. At age of fifteen, he entered the Jesuit college at Braunsberg, East Prussia, then part of Poland. In 1661, after many years experiences as a soldier of fortune, he joined the Russian army under Tsar Aleksei I, and in 1665 was sent on a special mission to England. After his return, he distinguished himself in several wars against the Turks and Tatars in southern Russia. In recognition of his service he was promoted to major-general in 1678, was appointed to the high command at Kiev in 1679, and in 1683 was made lieutenant-general. In 1687 and 1689 he took part in expeditions against the Tatars in the Crimea, being made a full general. Later in 1689, a revolution broke out in Moscow, and with the troops under his command, Gordon virtually decided events in favor of Peter the Great against the Regent, Tsarevna Sophia Alekseyevna. Consequently, he was for the remainder of his life in high favor with the Tsar, who confided to him the command of his capital during his absence from Russia. In 1696, Gordon's design of a "moveable rampart" played a key role in helping the Russians take Azov. One of Gordon's convinced the Tsars to establish the first Roman Catholic church and school in Muscovy, of which he remained the main benefactor and headed the Catholic community in Russia until his death. For his services his second son James, brigadier of the Russian army, was created Count of the Holy Roman Empire in 1701. At the end of his life the Tsar, who had visited Gordon frequently during his illness, was with him when he died, and with his own hands closed his eyes. General Gordon left behind him a uniquely detailed diary of his life and times, written in English. This is preserved in manuscript in the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow. Passages from the Diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries (1635–1699) was printed, under the editorship of Joseph Robertson, for the Spalding Club, at Aberdeen, Scotland, 1859.