Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-12
GORDON.

UUhUUN.
1t is accepted that the news of the death
of General Charles George Gordon is au-
thentic. He fell at the post of nigh duty in a
work that he conscientiousIy assumed, and
was struck down by the dagger of an Arab
given opportunity by the yilest treacherv
Gordon was soldier of a most peculiar
type-indeed he constituted its chief ex-
ample He was a hero and apparently
unconscious of it; his labors were above
the consideration of rewards or honors,
and his motives for action strangely
at varience with those that actuate
most men whose careers have run
ut all parallel with his His char
acter, as Archibald Forbes 50 well
puts it, was curicusly varied, and reminds
one of the attributes of Sir Lancelot, of
Bayard, of Cromwell, Of John Nicholson
and of Hedley Wears. He was strange
assimilation of warlike impetuosity and
Christian inofiensiveness and peace: of
dashing chivalry and meekest department;
of terrible strength and exceeding sweet
ness; Of awful vigor and Incompatible
tenderness. He came of a race of soldiers,
was graduated at military academy,
gazetted a Second Lieutenant and began
his military career at 10. He first did
duty in the Crimea, in the Engineer Corps,
from 1854 to 1856 At % he became a
Captain after his first experience with I'M
civilized people in America. In 1860 he
was sent to China TO join the allied forces.
His remarkable career there, and his
rapid promotion, are matters TOO
familiar TO call for any extended re-
view. His achievements in the Khan
guam district, and the suppression of the
TAPPING rebellion, at the head of the
Ever Victorious Army" make up a
record that reads like romance. He m
dertook to break the rebellion because he
believed that he would fulfill 4 humane
task and do good service to the world He
undertook the command of the most Ill
assorted and heterogeneous lot of soldiers
and officers ever recruited, representing all
nationalities, and originallya as uncontrolla-
BILE lot of adventurers as the world could
muster. But Gordon's mastery organ
ling abilities, his disciplinary powers, his
personal magnetism, his force OF charac-
ter combined, resulted in the bringing of
good order out of chaos, and the building
up Of one Of the strongest conquering
forces of which history gives any account,
The capture OF Quinsan, if written into
novel, would be condemned as wholly i'm
probable; hut the most of Gordon's ex-
plots were Of the romantic character
The fall of Soochow in 1868 will be re-
called, and the treachery of the Imperial
isl officials which came very near driving
Gordon out of the army, and to which he
was saved only by humiliating confession
on the part of the Chinese that they had
outraged the conditions Gordon made with
the rebels for the surrender of Soochow
The reduction of Chanchufu practically
ended the war and crushed the rebellion.
lie refused medals and money, and left
China as poor as he had entered it, having
even given his regular pay 10 aid in
making his soldiers efficient and comforta-
BILE His native land, however, recognized
his genius, and showered honors upon
him From, 1865 10 1871 he followed. in
England the walks of peace, devoted to
charity and broad philanthropy. He es-
pecially delighted in rescuing boys from
the slums and cutters of great cities, and
in finding for them employment and
homes. His ardor in this work amounted
almost to fanaticism. In 1871 the Gov
eminent sent him to the Danu-
bian commission for the improve
ment of navigation. In 1874 Gordon
went to Egypt to aid the Khe-