JOHNSTON, JAMES [SSNE 2743]

Surname

JOHNSTON, JOHNSTONE of ELPHINSTONE

First name

JAMES

Text source

Sir James Johnstone of Elphinstone served as a soldier in the service of the Duke of Luneburg. In April 1677 he wrote to his brother-in-law noting that he was in the service of the prince, holding the rank of captain and with a company of 110 men. He added that these were "so good as in Duchland ... [and] I have lost a number of good friends both Duch and other nations especially Collonell [William] Bonar [SSNE 4749], Collonell [John] Mollison [SSNE 6009], Major Chrichton [SSNE 6864] and others all dead and killed

I have both mony horses, sevants and eqipage, as good as in the armie, as the Scots merchants that hath seen me in Hamburg can tell". James must have also served with Andrew Melvill [SSNE 3071] who was in the same service and was also a friend of Mollison. A James Johnston acted as a British diplomat to and from Prussia in 1690 and again in February 1692. The diplomat is probably, though not certainly, the same man as the soldier.

Sources: National Archives of Scotland GD 190/3/195, Misc. correspondence (1639-1696), 24 April 1677, Sir James Johnstone of Elphinstone to his brother-in-law. For the references to the diplomat see L. Bittner and L. Gross, Reportorium der diplomatischen vertreter aller länder, vol. 1, 1648-1715 (Oldenburg and Berlin, 1936), p.181; Public Records Office, SP/104/94, SP/105/84.

Service record

BRITISH KINGDOMS, BRANDENBURG-PRUSSIA, BRANDENBURG-PRUSSIA (Preussen), BERLIN

Departed 1692-02-28

Capacity AMBASSADOR, ENVOY, purpose DIPLOMACY

BRUNSWICK-LUNEBURG (Preussen), GERMANY (Preussen), HAMBURG, LUNEBURG

Departed 1677-12-31, as CAPTAIN

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY