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towering courage; and summary execution。 Eventually he attained 

an almost magical prestige。 Walking at the head of his troops 

with nothing but a light cane in his hand; he seemed to pass 

through every danger with the scatheless equanimity of a demi…

god。 The Taipings themselves were awed into a strange reverence。 

More than once their leaders; in a frenzy of fear and admiration;



ordered the sharp…shooters not to take aim at the advancing 

figure of the faintly smiling Englishman。



It is significant that Gordon found it easier to win battles and 

to crush mutineers than to keep on good terms with the Chinese 

authorities。 He had to act in cooperation with a large native 

force; and it was only natural that the general at the head of it



should grow more and more jealous and angry as the Englishman's 

successes revealed more and more clearly his own incompetence。 At



first; indeed; Gordon could rely upon the support of the 

Governor。 Li Flung Chang's experience of Europeans had been 

hitherto limited to low…class adventurers; and Gordon came as a 

revelation。 'It is a direct blessing from Heaven;' he noted in 

his diary; 'the coming of this British Gordon。 。。。 He is superior



in manner and bearing to any of the foreigners whom I have come 

into contact with; and does not show outwardly that conceit which



makes most of them repugnant in my sight。' A few months later; 

after he had accompanied Gordon on a victorious expedition; the 

Mandarin's enthusiasm burst forth。 'What a sight for tired eyes;'



he wrote; 'what an elixir for a heavy heart to see this 

splendid Englishman fight! 。。。 If there is anything that I admire



nearly as much as the superb scholarship of Tseng Kuofan; it is 

the military qualities of this fine officer。 He is a glorious 

fellow!' In his emotion; Li Hung Chang addressed Gordon as his 

brother; declaring that he 'considered him worthy to fill the 

place of the brother who is departed。 Could I have said more in 

all the words of the world?' 



Then something happened which impressed and mystified the

sensitive 

Chinaman。 'The Englishman's face was first filled with a deep

pleasure; 

and then he seemed to be thinking); of something depressing and

sad; for 

the smile went from his mouth and there were tears in his eyes

when he 

thanked me for what I had said。 Can it be that he has; or has

had; some 

great trouble in his life; and that he fights recklessly to 

forget it; or that Death has no terrors for him?' But; as time 

went on; Li Hung Chang's attitude began to change。 'General 

Gordon;' he notes in July; 'must control his tongue; even if he 

lets his mind run loose。' The Englishman had accused him of 

intriguing with the Chinese general; and of withholding money due



to the Ever Victorious Army。 'Why does he not accord me the 

honours that are due to me; as head of the military and civil 

authority in these parts?' By September; the Governor's earlier 

transports have been replaced by a more judicial frame of mind。 

'With his many faults; his pride; his temper; and his never…

ending demand for money; (for one is a noble man; and in spite of

all 

I have said to him or about him) I will ever think most highly of



him。 。。。 He is an honest man; but difficult to get on with。'



Disagreements of this kind might perhaps have been tided over 

until the end of the campaign; but an unfortunate incident 

suddenly led to a more serious quarrel。 Gordon's advance had been



fiercely contested; but it had been constant; he had captured 

several important towns; and in October lice laid siege to the 

city of Soo…chow; once one of the most famous and splendid in 

China。 In December; its fall being obviously imminent; the 

Taiping leaders agreed to surrender it on condition that their 

lives were spared。 Gordon was a party to the agreement; and laid 

special stress upon his presence with the Imperial forces as a 

pledge of its fulfilment。 No sooner; however; was the city 

surrendered than the rebel 'Wangs' were assassinated。 In his 

fury; it is said that Gordon searched everywhere for Li Hung 

Chang with a loaded pistol in his hand。 He was convinced of the 

complicity of the Governor; who; on his side; denied that he was 

responsible for what had happened。 'I asked him why I should 

plot; and go around a mountain; when a mere order; written with 

five strokes of the quill; would have accomplished the same 

thing。 He did not answer; but he insulted me; and said he would 

report my treachery; as he called it; to Shanghai and England。 

Let him do so; he cannot bring the crazy Wangs back。' The 

agitated Mandarin hoped to placate Gordon by a large gratuity and



an Imperial medal; but the plan was not successful。 'General 

Gordon;' he writes; 'called upon me in his angriest mood。 He 

repeated his former speeches about the Wangs。 I did not attempt 

to argue with him。。。 He refused the 10;000 taels; which I had 

ready for him; and; with an oath; said that he did not want the 

Throne's medal。 This is showing the greatest disrespect。'



Gordon resigned his command; and it was only with the utmost 

reluctance that he agreed at last to resume it。 An arduous and 

terrible series of operations followed; but they were successful;



and by June; 1864; the Ever Victorious Army; having accomplished 

its task; was disbanded。 The Imperial forces now closed round 

Nankin; the last hopes of the Tien Wang had vanished。 In the 

recesses of his seraglio; the Celestial King; judging that the 

time had come for the conclusion of his mission; swallowed gold 

leaf until he ascended to Heaven。 In July; Nankin was taken; the 

remaining chiefs were executed; and the rebellion was at an end。 

The Chinese Government gave Gordon the highest rank in its 

military hierarchy; and invested him with the yellow jacket and 

the peacock's feather。 He rejected an enormous offer of money; 

but he could not refuse a great gold medal; specially struck in 

his honour by order of the Emperor。 At the end of the year he 

returned to England; where the conqueror of the Taipings was made



a Companion of the Bath。



That the English authorities should have seen fit to recognise 

Gordon's services by the reward usually reserved for industrious 

clerks was typical of their attitude towards him until the very 

end of his career。 Perhaps if he had been ready to make the most 

of the wave of popularity which greeted him on his returnif he 

had advertised his fame and; amid high circles; played the part 

of Chinese Gordon in a becoming manner the results would have 

been different。 But he was by nature farouche; his soul revolted 

against dinner parties and stiff shirts; and the presence of 

ladies especially of fashionable ladies filled him with 

uneasiness。 He had; besides; a deeper dread of the world's 

contaminations。 And so; when he was appointed to Gravesend to 

supervise the erection of a system of forts at the mouth of the 

Thames; he remained there quietly for six years; and at last was 

almost forgotten。 The forts; which were extremely expensive and 

quite useless; occupied his working hours; his leisure he devoted



to acts of charity and to religious contemplation。 The

neighbourhood 

was a poverty…stricken one; and the kind Colonel; with his

tripping 

step and simple manner; was soon a familiar figure in it;

chatting 

with the seamen; taking provisions to starving families; or

visiting 

some bedridden old woman to light her fire。 He was particularly

fond 

of boys。 Ragged street arabs and rough sailor…lads crowded about

him。 

They were made free of his house and garden; they visited him in

the 

evenings for lessons and advice; he helped them; found them

employment; 

corresponded with them when they went out into the world。 They 

were; he said; his Wangs。 It was only by a singular austerity of 

living that he was able to afford such a variety of charitable 

expenses。 The easy luxuries of his class and station were unknown



to him: his clothes verged upon the shabby; and his frugal meals 

were eaten at a table with a drawer; into which the loaf and 

plate were quickly swept at the approach of his poor visitors。 

Special occasions demanded special sacrifices。 When; during the 

Lancashire famine; a public subscription was opened; finding 

that he had no ready money; he remembered his Chinese medal; 

and; after effacing the inscription; dispatched it as an 

anonymous gift。



Except for his boys and his paupers; he lived alone。 In his 

solitude; he ruminated upon the mysteries of the universe; and 

those religious tendencies; which had already shown themselves; 

now became a fixed and dominating factor in his life。 His reading



was confined almost entirely to the Bible; but the Bible he read 

and re…read with an untiring; unending assiduity。 There; he 

was convinced; all truth was

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