New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-20
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
LIFE OF A HEROIC SOLDIER.

1hE Eo STV m,KF vi octave, NJ io7 New-York: t.
Worthington.
The short preface to this biography creates mo
mentary prejudice against 1t. IL contains .no
authors apology to General Gordon for giving HIS
life to the world without his consent and knowi-
edge There are two excellent reasons lof Il conn
DENTAL understanding between photographer ana the
living subicct of his scrutiny and reflections. VI
binary courtesy requires that great man shouiu "o
uo,vcd to choose his literary advocate or executors
aud If freauently consulted he Will be aole 10 IL
illuminate records of public events and MICS OF prl-
waite correspondence with flashes OF "reminiscences
I'm the present instance the need OF personal recoi
lections is the more urgent since Gordoh' "hlie All
Industrious is not graphic or spirited
heinz too reserved and modest man, too Tree rom
III .i,t of selfcousciousness 10 DO himself Justice
Deeplv interesting as this volume Is, the recitai
lacks the animation and freshness which could have
hoen Unmarried to it if he had gone over the letter
files and supplied the hiographer with running COM
,nents Mr. Hake who is Gordon's cousin, seems
10 have been deferred from consulting him 10y the
fate of previous book-makeTs. One OF these mar
rators having submitted portion of his inanUSclp'
TO the conqueror of the Taipings, had the mortlc"
tion of seeing page after page torn out ana 'h'o"
into the fire Gordon has an uncontrollaoe aver
sion 10 euogy and praise If his cousin had gone 10
him for advice he would probably have io'o'u''T"
the publication of the book. lie WouIu ndNo '''
Better let the matter drop. Too mueh mas e''"
soid and written about my adventures alreauy'
This biography is not free from faults OF literary
,r,,ction Int in two respects at least 1t IL al
;roblc The story is told with directness ana SIM
Iioitv aud not with such prOliXity as TO prove
d;Huse and almost tedious, as unhappy Is tue VI
the recent biography of another noble Engilsilhah
Lord Lawrence. There are limitations 10 hull'u
interest in the dealings of Europeans with semi
civilized and barbarous races, which the wise Dog
rainier will not fail to recognize. This volume aSo
brps out in the strongest light the character Oh tue
man whose deeds it chronicles. THIS Is always one
Of the most important functions OF the bographer'
Tn Ibis instance it is sacred trust. Chinese Cor
don is not only one of the nobcst Engishmen OF
whom history bears record but also hero among
men Although his renOwn has been won IN the
ou,nlov of foreign Governments and Princes, yet he
hos never been a mercenarv soldier of fortune. HIS
eampaigns have been crusadeS IN the canse OF hu-
mainly. He has been a cOnQueror signed win inc
sion of the Cross lustrious alike IN the brillahcy
of his achievements. the integrity OF ms character
and his heroic devotion to the highest moral prhci-
ples governing human conduct. In CHINA, III the
Soudan or in an English city, he is always the GOOD
samaritan 1t is a unique character that Is
,oirrored in these pages-with Will as mper'ous as
Napoleon's nature as austere ana mneXlole as
CromwelPs. a capacity for governing and con-
cHatinp barbarous races remarkable as Jan
Iowrence's a love of humanity rs intense and as
practical as Francis Xaver's and faith IN per-
sonal directing Providence overmasterlng that II
might he called Pauline if the mysticism OF his re-
lgious IDEAS did not suggest ST. john
Gordons military gcnius and love of adventure
were III his blood On his fathers side the GordonS
had been soldiers and generals from the days OF
preston-Pans and Culloden. On his mothers she
he sprang from a family Of explorers and navl-
rotor. tbe Endcrbys who sought to open trade
with the Middle kingdom. and gave their name 10
remote lands of the South Seas. He was the young
est of five sons and was sent a cadet to the Royal
Military Academy at WOolwch. As an officer OF
engineers he served his apprenticeship III arms Ill
tbe trenches before ScbastOpO evlncmg there the
same ntrepidity aud fertility of resource which he
WAS subsequently to display in China ana the
Soudan After the Crimea he helped to mark out
the new frontiers in Bessaraba and Armenia In
$500 he was ordered to China, where he took part
in the siege of Pekin and witnessed the sackIng OF
fine Summer Palace Although only subaltern en-
cineer he impressed all who knew him with a sense
Of his great abilities Accordingly. when Ii, the
Governor-G General of the Kang Provinces, asked the
British COMMANDMENTS Chief to appoint an officer to
the command of the Ever Victorious Army, ms
choice fell on Gordon.
hmonstrous civil conflict had been devastating
the most populOus provinces of China Tor ten years
The impcstor Ten Wang, the Emperor Of the Great
Peace. had established himself at Marking ana
dividing lis cOnquests among his generals, the
Wongs had overrun the country to the scaboard.
The foreign merchants at Shanghai had COM
missioned the American flibuSters, Ward and
Burgevine to arm, drill and command AhncSe
contingent for service against the Implngs' lhlS
,vas the force which Gordon was called upon to re-
oil m
mighty armies from Marking to drive the Imperial
ist forces before them into the sea- and to ravage
the intervening country 1t consisted subsequently
of 4 600 or 5000 Chinese infantry, olhcered by
Furoneons armed with smo0th-bOre muskets and
supported by four siege batteries. two held pat
teries and notilla of gunboats. Taking command
at a moment when the Imperialiots were IN a deS-
perate plight he carried war into the enemy couh-
trv by capturing Fushan and relieving the garrison
at Chauzu Next lie laid siege to IaltSan WIN 0OOO
men the garrison consisting OF 10000 men. his
etorlning parties were at first repnlsed' Dnt "heh
he had eannonaded the breach over their heads for
twenty minutes second assault proved successful.
Ouipsan was the next objective point, and ITS cap
trre was facilitated by most ingenious cxpedient
of bringing an armed steamer and the Held artillery
in heats TO bear upon the garrsons lines OF connu-
rication The reduction of SoOchow the capital OF
the province and after Marking the man centre Oh
the rebellion was rendered more difficult by the de-
sertion of Burgeyine with a body of troops com
manded by foreign officers to the enemy. 1t was
attacked 10y water on every side and isolated from
assistance, its communications and approaches
beine cut off one by one. The investment was
maintained in the face OF overwhelming numbers
constant dlscOuragements aud mSnpeIaDle oD-
stacles and the garrison was finally iorced 10 sur
render. His closing victories were on central line
l.o,y, from SoocboW O WOOSlcn and CbanC III
in the direction of Marking. After the stonnng of
Cbancbu-fu he disbauded the Ever Victorious
Army. the capture Of Marking by the lmperlahSt
<,,.os he;ng a fgrecone conclusion. He then lett