Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-03-09
CHINESE GORDON.
His Wonderful Military Career in china-His
Magic Wand Of yieto'y'-Ihe
Goyernorship Of the
Soudan.
Hchdn1s.

Sulucoc uOtuOhi WIN 40 ASPoAN
to have been captured by Ell Mehdi's
forces, spent five years in the Soudan
as diplomatic agent of the khedive.
On account of his acquaintance with
the country and his supposed influence
with it's people, he was dispatched by
the British Government, about three
weeks ago, to Khartoum to make the
best arrangements possible for the set
Element OF affairs in the Soudan. He
set out from Cairo, January q, with
Lieut.. Col. Stewart, military secre-
tary, and the young Sultan Of Darfur
taking with him el0i,0O0 for military
purposes. When the news that he had
thus gone on without escort reached
London, Sir Samuel Baker wrote that
Gordon's position alone and absolutely
unprote cted in the deserts of the Sou
dan and bearing large sum of money,
was not only extremely dangerous, but
direct challenge to disaster. II the
rumor Of GordOn's capture is true,
Bakers apprehersions were well
formed.
The story of the "Chinese" Gordon's
life, full as it has been of adventure and
stirring incident, cannot fail to appeal
to wide circle of readers. Very few
men have held so large aplace in pub
lie consideration as he has, both for his
lofty courage and for his honesty OF pur-
pose, while his achievements in China
have obtained durable place in his
tory. The tradition of his family made
Charles Gordon a soldier. His father
was a major general in the artillery;
his elder brothers had preceded him IN
the profession OF arms. Ii was the
most natural arrangement that he him.
self should be entered at Woolwich for
the royal engineers. At Woolwich he
was lot considered a promising candi-
date in his studies. lie obtained his
commission none the less, and in 1855
proceeded 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 cluse of the war, he was employed
on the frontier commissions in Besssra-
tia and Armenia, whe-e his talents as
a draughtsman stood him in such good
stead that all his applications for leave
| to return home were distinctly refused
at the horse guards. In the year 1860
the difficulty with China had assumed
a serious form, owing 10 the repulse OF
Admiral Hopes attack on the Taku
forts aud a large Anglo-French expedi-
ton was sent to the Pelho for the pur-
pose of bringing the Chinese Govern
ment to reason. Before Gordon reach
ed China the Taku forts had been at
tackled d second time and captured: but
he was engaged in oil the latter opera
tons, which terminal ed with the 0Ccu-
ration OF Pekin and the destruction OF
The summer palace. When the Taip-
ings became more active in the cOun-
try round Shanghai, Gordon's expe-
rience of the Chinese-for at Tienstin
he had employed his spare time In
studying the character and country OF
the people-was called into requisiLion
for the purpose of clearing the district
round that great place of trade Of the
insurgents. His measures were COM
pletely successful, and when he had
driven the Taipiugs back to the line of
the Grand Canal he zealOusly devoted
himself to the task Of personally sur
veying the whole country for distance
OF thirty miles around Shanghai. This
| tborOughness showed the character OF
the man, and he attributed to the topO-
graphical knowledge thus acquired his
subs equent successes when employed
in the EmperOr's name against the
bands Of the Nankin faction.
TIE Magic Wand.
The necessities of the Chinese gov.
ernmeut compelled it to have recourse
to foreigi allies; but, although the ser.
vices Of few American adventures
were obtained, neither their exploits
nor their character promised speedy
Isl lie from the dangerous situation into
which the young emperOr's auth ority
had been brought. The climax was
reached when Rurgevine violently APP
propriatCd for bis own purposes the
sum OF $40, 600, and was dismissed the
Chinese service in consequence. TWAS
then that the Chinese applied to the
English General to nominate trust
worthy officer for the command OF the
foreign drilled contingent, and General
Stavely named Captain Gordon, then
not more than thirty years OF age. The
manner in which he led the so-called
lever victorious army" from one sue
cess to another, until he had cleared
he province OF Kiangsu and the course
Of the Grand Canal OF the presence OF
the TAPPING rebels, Is almost q thrice
told tale. When Gordon assumed the
command Of the force, a necessity for
greater vigOr had arisen IN consequence
Of the defeat of Colonel Holland in an
attack on Tsitsan. The Taipings were
naturally very jubilant over their sue
cess, and affected for time to entertain
contempt for the proves OF Euro
peans. "They thought they could take
Sankin, and they have failed before
Taitsan." Such was their boast when
Gordan was called upon to rerair the
blunders and misfortunes OF his prede-
cessors. He soon justified the expecta-
tons of those who had followed his ca.
reer by capturing both Fushan and
Taitsan. Other successes rapidly fol-
lowed. His force was dressed In
semi European uniform, and the men
wore boots. Such was the terror pro-
duced by their presence that the man
darins awaited themselves of a ruse In
order to spread a belief that they were
more numerous than they were. The
toatoi of Shanghai purchased some
thousand pairs of European boots,
which he distributed so that 'the marks
of GOrdOn's soldiers might be every
where visible" In almost all these en-
gsgements Gordon found it necessary to
be constantly in the front, and often to
lead in person. The officers OF this
force were brave men enough, but were
not always ready to face their desperate
antagonists. Gordon, In his mild way,
would take one or other OF these by the
arm and lead him into the thick of the
fire. He always went uDarmed him
self, even when foremost in the breach.
He never recognized danger; to him 8
shower of bullets was no more than q
hall storm. He carried DO weapon to
direct his troops-he had but little
cane, and this soon won for itself the
uame of "Gordon's magic wand Civic.
tory" His Chinese followers, seeing
him always victorious, always foremost
in the fight, concluded 1t was his wand
that insured him protection. The idea
encouraged the ever victorious army
greatly and was of more seryice to the