Notes on Newton Don. By C. B. Balfour. 305 



He was the General Officer selected to bear the flag of truce, 

 and to open negotiations, which ended in the Convention of 

 Alkmaer. Contrary to all the laws and customs of war, he was 

 not released on the conclusion of the Convention, but was detained 

 a prisoner in France till June 1800. On his return he was 

 appointed Deputy Adjutant General, and on 1st Jan. 1803 pro- 

 moted to the rank of Lieutenant General. During this year he 

 was in command of a large force in East Lothian, of which an 

 account is given in James Miller's History of Dunbar, 1859. 

 He writes : — 



"After the rupture of 1803, nothing but Napoleon and his 

 bridge of boats was dreamt or spoken of ; and the greatest 

 military force ever assembled on these shores in these latter days 

 was now encamped at West Barns Links, under the vigilant 

 command of General Sir George Don. The regiments consisted 

 of the Lanarkshire, Perthshire, and Fife Militia ; the Galloway 

 as gunners, and a few dragoons to do the General's duty."^" 



" Dunbar w^as now pretty well prepared to meet the threatened 

 invasion, and a more vigilant officer than General Don could not 

 have been appointed. He had already been severely wounded 

 in actual service, and knew the need for care and circumspection 

 in the important post which he filled. On the 14th Nov. 1853, 

 he issued instructions for the regulation of the Yeomanry and 

 Volunteer Infantry of the county of Haddington, in the event of 

 being called on service, which will be found in the note at the 

 end of the chapter. General Don seems to have taken a great 

 interest in the Volunteers ; and accordingly on the 29th of the 

 same month, he entered into a correspondence with Major 

 Middlemass respecting their equipment, in order that they might 

 feel as comfortable as possible when on duty. The articles re- 

 commended were greatcoats, knapsacks, haversacks, canteens, 

 and camp kettles. To carry this into effect the town of Dunbar 

 contributed 50 guineas, General Don 30 guineas, and each man 

 40 shillings, etc."*^ 



As mentioned above. General Don's "Instructions for the Corps 

 of Yeomanry Cavalry, and Eegiments and Corps of Volunteer 

 Infantry in the county of Haddington," are given on pp. 184-8. 



In 1804 General Don was second in command of the troops in 

 Scotland. 5'^ 



^"^ History of Dunbar, p. 174. 



51 do. pp. 175, 176. 



5- Diet. Nat. Biography. 



