Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-02-07
London Times.

London Times
The story of Chinese GOrdOn's life,
full as it has been of adventure and
stirring incident, can rot fail TO APP
peal TO a wide circle Of readers. Very
few men Of our age have held so large
a pla ce in public consideration as he
has, both for his lofty courage and for
his honesty of purpose, while his
achievements IN China have obtained
a durable place in history. Mr.. Eg-
mont Hakes narrative is interesting :;
and it could not appear at q more OPP
perfume moment than now. when so
many of the scenes, both in China and
Soudan, with which Gordon's name is
connected, are subjects of general at
tention. The record of GOrdon's ca
reer would be impressive under any
circumstances, but it will be allowed
to his biographer that he has turned
to good use the copious materials at
his disposal, and that this volume is
worthy the fame If its subject
Mr.. Hake describes in some detail
the early incidents of his cousins
career. The traditions Of his family
made Charles Gordon a soldier. His
father was a major general in the
artillery; his elder brother had proceed
ed him in the profession of arms. 1t
was the most natural arrangement that
he himself should be entered at Wool
wich for the Royal Engineer. at
Woolwich he was not considered in
his stables a promising candidate.
Once, Mr. Hake tells us, he was re-
buked for incompetence and ''tOld
that he would never make an officer
Whereupon he tore the epaulets from
his shoulders and flung them at his
SuperiOr's feet" He obtained his COM
mission none the less, and in 1856 pro-
ceeded to the Crimea, where he served
several months in the trenches.
and obtained the reputation of being
the quickest man to detect the plans
and movements of the Russians.
After the close of the war he was en-
ployed on the frontier commissions in
Bessarabia and Armenia, where his
talent as a draughtsman stood him IN
such good stead that all his apElica-
tons for leave to return home were
distinct y refused at the Horse Guards.
In the year 1860 the difficulty with
China had assumed a serious form
owing to the repuise of Admiral
Hopes attack on the Taku forts, and
large Anglo French expedition was
sent to the Peiho for the purpose of
bringing the Chinese Government to
reason Before Gordon reached China
the Taku forts had been attacked a
second time and captured; but he was
engaged in all the latter operations,
h an Il l, +lo
of PekIn and the destruction of the
summer palace. When the Taipings
became more active in the country
round Shanghai, GordOn's experience
of the Chinese-fOr at Tientsin he had
employed his spare time in studying
the character and country of the peo-
pIe-was called into requisition for the
purpose of clearing the district round
that great place of trade of the insur
gents His measures were completely
successful, and when he had driven
the Taipings back to the line of the
Grand Canal he zealously devoted
himself to the task of personally sur
veying the whole country for dis
lance Of thirty miles round Shanghai
This thOrOughness showed the charac-
ter of the man, and he attributed to
the Typographical knowledge thus ac-
CURED his subsequent success when
employed IN the EmperOr's name
against the bands of the Nankin fac
ton.
The n necessities of the Chinese gov
eminent compelled it to have resource
to foreign allies; but though the SER
vices of few American adventures
We're obtained, neither their exploits
nor their character promised a speedy
issue from the dangerous situation
into which the young Emperor's au-
thority had been brought The eli
max was reached when Burgevine
violently appropriated for his own
purposes the sum of $40, 900, and was
dismissed from the Chinese service in
consequence. 1t was then that the
Chinese applied to the English gener-
al to nominate a trustworthy officer
for the command of the foreign drilled
contingent and Gen Staveley named
Capt. Gordon, then not more than so
years of age. The manner in which
he led the so-called ever victorious
army" from one success to another,
until he had cleared the province of
Klangsu and the course of the Grand
Canal of the presence of the TAPPING
rebels, is almost thrice-told tale; but
still Mr.. Hake has succeeded in i'm
parting freshness to a record of mill
tary achievements which in their way
were still and unique. When Gordon
assumed the command of the force a
necessity for greater vigor had arisen
IN consequence of the defeat of Gen.
Holland Ia an attack on Taitsan. The
Taipings were naturally very iubilant
over their success and affected for a
time to entertain a contempt for the
prowess of Europeans. They thought
they could take Nankin, and they
have failed before Taitsan." Such
was their boast when Gordon was
called upon TO repair the blunders of
his predecessors. He soon justified
the expectations of those who had fol
lowed his career by capturing both
Fushan and Taitsan. Other success
es rapidly followed. His force was
IraccoI &