The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-02-19
Chinese" Gordon.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE HERO OF
THE SOUDAN.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE HERO OF
THE sOUDAN.
Major-General Charles George Gordon
better known as Chinese Gordon. was
born at Woodwich, England, January 20.
1888, SO that he had scarcely completed his
fifty second year when he fell victim to
the troops of the Mahdi. if his death is
confirmed. His father, Henry William
Gordon, was an officer in the Royal Engi
neers, and Charles was the youngest son.
He was educated first at Taunton, and
afterward at the Royal Military Academy
Woolwich, from which he was commits
stoned lieutenant in the Royal Engineers.
His earliest employment as a soldier was
at Pembroke, but the Crimean war drew
on all the resources of the British Gov
eminent. and Lieutenant Gordon was or
dered to the Crimea in December, 1854.
He was sent to the front, where for sew
eral months he was actively engaged in the
trenches before Sebastopol After the
surrender of that stronghold he joined the
force that laid siege to Kinburn, and was
present at the capture of that fortress He
then returned to the Crimea, and for the
next four months, until February, 1856,
he was engaged in destroying the dock
yard, forts, quays, barracks and store
houses OF Sebastopol, work as uninter-
esting as it was arduous, and with this
his labors in the Crimea came to an END.
He had shown himself brave, active and
energetic in the little he was privileged to
do as subaltern officer of engineers, and
much of the greatness which afterward
characterized him was undoubtedly due to
his first hard school of war in the ''black
winter" of the Crimea
For the next six. years Gordon's work
was more peaceful, and less to his taste as
an active soldier. He was selected as
| assistant boundary commissioner in Bes-
sarabia, and afterwards ordered to fulfil a
similar duty in Armenia During his stay
at home after these services the war with
China broke out, and young Gordon was
directed to join the army which was ad-
vancing on Pekin. He arrived in time to
take part in the capture and witness the
destruction Of the famous Summer Palace,
on October u, 1860. 1t was immediately
subsequentto this event that he entered on
the striking and independent career which
won for him his famous name of s'Chi-
nese' Gordon. He had been promoted to
the rank of Captain, and after the surren-
der Of Pekin he had been made brevet
major as a recognition of his bravery at
that engagement. The Tapping rebellion
had by this time assumed formidable pro-
portions, and in 1862 had made such prog
ress that the ravaging bands had arrived
almost within striking distance of Shang-
hal. Gordon was sent there, and was en-
gagged with British. stroops to drive the
rebels away. o just before he arrived at
Shanghai the merchants of the city had
subscribed money to raise a contingent of
native troops to defend the place, the
| defenders of which were Differed by two
| Americans named Ward and Burgevine.
The French and English allies joined these
! forces, but little could be done with them,
and the insurgents We're constantly gain
| ing ground. In 1868, Ward was killed and
Burgevine was dismissed for robbing the
treasury of the city to pay himself and
| men. Gen. Stavely then selected Gordon
to command the levees, but as he was en-
gagged in survey which he desired to COM
plete, he declined the position, and Capt.
Holland, of the Marines, was appointed.
Capt. Holland met with crushing defeat
before Taitsan, and the TAPPING leaders
published jeering account of his audac-
ity and failure. This incident brought
Gordon at once to the front, and aban-
doning his survey he assumed command of
the allied forces which were engaged in
defending the imperial government.
The rebels soon found that they had n
new force against them, and one at which
they could no longer jeer. Gordon at
once carried the war into their quarters.
He rapidly captured Fushan and relieved
Chanzu, which had been beseiged, and
feared, settled down to solid work at Sung
kiang. after having received the rank of
brigadier- general. His first attention was
directed to the force under his orders, and
he was obliged to bring both officers and
men under strict discipline. The officers
were of all nations and the men were
native Chinese. He instituted system
of punishments for the native forces and
one for the foreign officers. Having thor
oughly disciplined his army and provided
himself with a flotilla of steamers and
Chinese gunboats he was soon prepared to
take the field again. Of the three rebel
centres Taisan and Quinsan were taken in
rapid succession and by brilliant series
T of assaults. He made it a condition with
the Imperialists who joined him that there
should be no barbarity practiced on the
prisoners taken, and as result of the
1000 prisoners taken at Quinsan 700 joined
Gordon's army. SoochOw fell before Cor
don S victorious army and the leaders of
the rebellion found they were put to death
despite the promises made to Gordon that
they should be spared, This so enraged
the general that he sought LII Hung
Chang, the Imperialist leader, revolver in
hand. swearing that he would killihim.
The Chinaman escaped, however. and Cor
don became pacified after public letter
of apology had been written by Ii Hung
Chang. Afterward he made his final VIC
torions campaigns. ending with the storm
ing of Chang Choo Foo, when the rebel
leader said, after being captured, "Were it
not for Gordon and his men I.would have
defed all the Fntai hosts to have taken
the city from me- The capture of Chang
! [ ,Laa EaLa - anan nod ant the rahellion and