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diff --git a/28773-8.txt b/28773-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f258f51 --- /dev/null +++ b/28773-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8289 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, General Gordon, by Seton Churchill + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: General Gordon + A Christian Hero + + +Author: Seton Churchill + + + +Release Date: May 12, 2009 [eBook #28773] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GENERAL GORDON*** + + +E-text prepared by David Clarke and the Project Gutenberg Online +Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustration. + See 28773-h.htm or 28773-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/28773/28773-h/28773-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/28773/28773-h.zip) + + + + + +GENERAL GORDON + + +[Illustration: C. G. Gordon + +P.S. I am quite happy, thank God, & like Lawrence, I have "tried +to do my duty." + +_Copied from the Original Engraving by permission of_ +F. C. MCQUEEN & SONS, _sole Proprietors of the Copyright._] + + +GENERAL GORDON + +A Christian Hero + +by + +LIEUT.-COLONEL SETON CHURCHILL + +Author of "Stepping-Stones to Higher Things," Etc. + +13th Edition +(_Completing 41,000 Copies_) + + + + + + + +London +James Nisbet & Co., Limited +21 Berners Street + +1907 + +Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co. +At the Ballantyne Press, Edinburgh + + + + +_DEDICATED_ + +TO THE + +YOUNG MEN OF ENGLAND + +WITH THE EARNEST DESIRE THAT SOME OF THE NOBLE +GODLIKE CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS + +CHRISTIAN SOLDIER AND HERO + +MAY BE REPRODUCED IN FUTURE GENERATIONS + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAP. PAGE + + I. INTRODUCTION 1 + + II. EARLY LIFE AND CRIMEAN WAR 12 + + III. CHINESE WAR AND TAIPING REBELLION 25 + + IV. GORDON'S FIRST COMMAND 36 + + V. PROGRESS OF THE REBELLION 50 + + VI. END OF THE REBELLION 65 + + VII. AT GRAVESEND 80 + +VIII. GORDON'S SIMPLE FAITH 92 + + IX. HIS CATHOLICITY 114 + + X. GOVERNOR OF THE EQUATORIAL PROVINCE 135 + + XI. GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF THE SOUDAN 157 + + XII. ABYSSINIA, INDIA, AND CHINA 178 + +XIII. MAURITIUS, CAPE, AND PALESTINE 190 + + XIV. KHARTOUM 209 + + XV. THE SIEGE 230 + + XVI. THE FALL OF KHARTOUM 246 + +XVII. CONCLUSION 263 + + + + +LIFE OF GORDON + + + + +CHAPTER I + +INTRODUCTION + + +Lord Wolseley, on hearing an officer say that General Gordon was mad, +remarked, in language similar to that used by George II. to the Duke of +Newcastle about General Wolfe, that it was a great pity Gordon had not +bitten more Generals, so that they might have been infected with some +of his madness. Nor is there any reason why the motive power which +could make a man do such noble deeds and lead such a splendid life +should be confined to Generals. There are thousands of young men in +this country who may be helped to live better lives by the study of +such a Christian hero as Charles George Gordon undoubtedly was, and it +is with that end in view that I have endeavoured to write a popular +sketch of his life and character. + +My object in adding to the number of biographies[1] already written of +General Gordon is to meet the demand for a popular book for young men +and others, which will focus the events of his life into one handy +volume, and which shall at the same time give a clear insight into the +religious life of this Christian hero. This I have attempted to combine +with a sketch of his military, political, and social life, setting +forth not only the deeds of the man, but the motive which prompted +them. The best writers on Gordon have taken up parts of his life only, +so that no one can get a view of it as a whole without wading through a +large number of volumes, some of them very ponderous. The best record +of his career in China is a work by Mr. Andrew Wilson called "The +Ever-Victorious Army." A smaller book by Mr. W. E. Lilley gives an +interesting account of Gordon's life at Gravesend. The first part of +his life in Africa is given in a larger volume by Dr. G. Birkbeck Hill, +called "Colonel Gordon in Central Africa." The late Prebendary Barnes +edited a small book, "Reflections in Palestine," and Mr. A. Egmont Hake +has published a complete account of the hero's career at Khartoum in +"The Journals of General Gordon," which were given to him in manuscript +to be edited. In addition to this valuable work, the same writer, who +is a distant cousin of Gordon's, has written two large volumes, +embracing the whole of his life, under the title "The Story of Chinese +Gordon." + + [1] In certain points where I have differed from other writers, I + have relied on the opinion of a near relative of the late General + Gordon, as to the accuracy of the statements put forward. + +The late Sir Henry Gordon has also written a biography; but though an +able man and very fond of his brother, it is not generally considered +that he did full justice to his memory. The brothers were widely +separated in age, there being fourteen years between them; and owing to +the younger one having spent so much of his life abroad, they had not +seen much of each other. Colonel Sir William F. Butler has written the +ablest and most interesting of all the biographies which embrace the +whole of Gordon's life, but as he is a Roman Catholic, it could not be +expected that he would enter largely into the religious views of his +hero. The remarks he does make on the subject are, however, excellent +and in good taste. Another capital sketch of Gordon has been produced +by the celebrated war correspondent Archibald Forbes, who not +unnaturally devotes most of his space to the military aspect of +Gordon's career, and says but little about his religious life. From the +religious standpoint the best information can be got from the "Letters +of General Gordon to his Sister," edited by Miss Gordon. There seems to +have been a special bond of sympathy between the brother and sister, +and she seems to have been made the recipient of all his confidences, +religious and otherwise. + +In order to get a clear and accurate conception of Gordon's many-sided +character, I have made myself acquainted with all these authorities on +the subject. There is another little book to which I am indebted--"Letters +from Khartoum," written by the late Frank Power, correspondent of the +_Times_ at Khartoum during the siege. It gives a good insight into +Gordon's life in the beleaguered city. I have further had the advantage +of hearing many anecdotes and incidents that throw a light upon the +personality of one who undeniably ranks amongst the great men of the +century. Nevertheless I feel that to represent the religious and +professional life of a man like Gordon, who was so essentially original +and unlike other people, is a very difficult task, so I have, as far as +possible, quoted his own words in giving expression to his views. + +The play of "Hamlet" without its leading character could not be more +deficient than a sketch of the life of General Gordon without a careful +setting-forth of his religious views. It would be impossible to point +to one in this nineteenth century who was a more complete living +embodiment of the truth contained in the text, "This is the victory +that overcometh the world, even our faith." He was a man of faith, a +man of prayer, a devout student of the Word of God; and though he was +_in_ the world, and took far more than his share of the ordinary duties +of life, he was not _of_ the world. Mr. Gladstone was right when he +said from his seat in the House of Commons, "Such examples are fruitful +in the future, and I trust that there will grow from the contemplation +of that character and those deeds other men who in future time may +emulate his noble and most Christian example." Gordon must ever remain +a mystery to those who have not got the key to his character, and my +desire is simply to place that key in the hands of young men, so that +they may study him for themselves, and may learn to turn to the same +source whence he derived his wisdom and his force of character. + +Such noble examples are not often seen, for Christian heroes in this +world are all too few. It is, then, our bounden duty to take pains that +the example set by one who has been termed "the youngest of the saints" +shall not be lost on the young men who come after him, and who have not +had the privilege of seeing him and knowing him while alive. + + "Lives of great men all remind us + We can make our lives sublime, + And, departing, leave behind us + Footprints in the sands of time." + +Goodness in the abstract we are all prepared to admire; but while we do +this, how often we are tempted to declare it an impossible thing to +live up to a high standard. God, recognising the weakness of human +nature, sent His only-begotten Son to reveal the Father, and show us a +life of goodness in human form. He has further descended to our +weakness by permitting us from time to time to see in our midst living +examples of how Christians can follow out the principles of Christ. The +Apostle Paul in one of his Epistles urges his readers to follow him +even as he followed Christ. Good men have their failings, and these we +are to avoid; but while doing so, we should aim at imitating that which +is good and noble and Christlike in their characters. It is a great +privilege to be permitted to come in contact with living men of the +type of Gordon, but that privilege is only for the few. As the great +majority of our fellow-creatures are denied it, the next best thing for +them is to be able to read about these heroes, and thus endeavour to +catch their spirit. Some are inclined to sneer at biographies, and to +say that, speaking generally, they set forward only the good part of +the character of their subjects, omitting all that is faulty. To a +certain extent this is undoubtedly true, owing to the very nature of +things; but, on the other hand, it must be remembered that it is only +the good that we are to follow, and therefore it is useless to direct +attention to a man's failings. + +There have been few men who have attained to eminence whose inner life +could be closely investigated and betray so few faults as did Gordon's. +The late Sir Stafford Northcote (afterwards Lord Iddesleigh), leader of +the Conservative Opposition in the House of Commons at the time of +Gordon's death, only expressed the literal truth when he said: "General +Gordon was a hero, and permit me to say he was still more--he was a +hero among heroes. For there have been men who have obtained and +deserved the praise of heroism whose heroism was manifested on the +field of battle or in other conflicts, and who, when examined in the +tenor of their personal lives, were not altogether blameless; but if +you take the case of this man, pursue him into privacy, investigate his +heart and his mind, you will find that he proposed to himself not any +ideal of wealth and power, or even fame, but to do good was the object +he proposed to himself in his whole life, and on that one object it was +his one desire to spend his existence." + +But though Gordon's inner life was so thoroughly open to investigation, +there was something about him that made him very human. He had his full +share of faults, and a quickness of temper which manifested itself +unmistakably on occasions. He had also that kind of hasty impatience to +which men are liable who are themselves quick at taking in ideas, or +seeing how a thing should be done, when they are brought into contact +with others of a slower temperament. He was painfully conscious of his +own defects, and judged them far more severely than other people would +do. + +What made him so really great was the happy combination of so many +virtues with a corresponding absence of ordinary defects. There have +been Christians as earnest and devout as he; there have been soldiers +as brave and capable; there have been men as kind-hearted; but there +have been few who, while combining all of these good points and many +more, have exhibited so complete an absence of the numerous defects +which blemish the characters of most great men. The late Prebendary +Barnes, who was very intimate with him, remarks that "there are no +popular illusions to be dispelled" as one studies his inner life. Sir +John Lubbock in one of his lectures says of Napoleon, that he was a man +of genius, but not a hero. Now, while Gordon was essentially a genius, +he was even more essentially a hero. True heroism is inseparably +associated with self-sacrifice. A man may be as brave as a bulldog, yet +be entirely wanting in all that goes to make him a hero. The dictionary +definition by no means embraces all that the word implies. Lord +Wolseley in a magazine article remarked that he had met but two heroes +in his eventful life; one of them was that noble Christian officer +General Lee, who commanded the Southerners in the American War, and the +other was Gordon. It was his complete forgetfulness of self, his entire +willingness to sink his own individuality, his own comfort, his own +position, his good name, that made Gordon so Christlike, and lifted him +above the level of his fellows. We are accustomed to read of brave men, +of original thinkers, of great statesmen, of men of genius in different +departments of life, but we seldom read of one who was so entirely free +from what Milton calls the last infirmity of great men--the love of +fame--that he was willing to be nothing that the cause he had espoused +might triumph. When Columbus first saw the River Orinoco, some one +remarked to him that he must have discovered an island. His reply was, +"No such river as that flows from an island; that mighty torrent must +drain the waters of a continent;" and his prediction proved to be +correct. When we see the deep stream of true heroism flowing from the +heart of such a man as Gordon, we instinctively feel that no mere human +heart could produce such a torrent of good works, but that behind the +human being there must be something more. It has been my object in this +memoir to show that the stream that went forth from Gordon's heart to +cheer and bless all with whom he came in contact, sprang from no +isolated fountain, but had its origin in the great ocean of Divine +love, which has existed in all ages, but was revealed more distinctly +on Calvary. + + * * * + +This is a material, sceptical age, when many pride themselves on their +want of faith, quite forgetting that to believe too little is as +clearly an indication of mental weakness as to believe too much. God +suddenly raised up a man in our midst who was as strong in faith as he +was indifferent to the material things of this world. It was indeed his +faith in things eternal and unseen that made him so indifferent to +things temporal. Gordon might have lived and died amongst us without +being known beyond a limited circle, but that his Master placed him on +high so that men should be compelled to hear about his life. Sir +William Butler in his interesting book, "The Campaign of the +Cataracts," does not at all exaggerate when he says:-- + + "Who is this far-off figure looming so large between the rifts in + the dense leaguer which the Arab has drawn around Khartoum? We + cannot save him with all this host and all this piled-up treasure; + but, behold! our failure shall be his triumph; for God has raised a + colossal pedestal in the midst of this vast desert, and placing + upon it His noblest Christian knight, has lighted around the base + the torch of Moslem revolt, so that all men through coming time may + know the greatness of His soldier." + +In spite, however, of the fact that many failed to appreciate him while +he was alive, we may be thankful to think that there is much good left +in Old England yet; for when the events of his noble career were made +public, there was a widespread feeling of regret that we had as a +nation failed to value adequately a man of so much true nobility. + +In an interesting article in "The Young Man," Mr. William T. Stead hit +off the prominent characteristic of the hero's life when he said: +"General Gordon taught the world that it is possible to be good without +being goody-goody. That it is possible to live like a Christ and to die +like a Christ for your fellow-men, without going out of the world or +refusing to do your own fair share of the day's work of the world, is +one of those truths which need to be revealed anew to each successive +generation by the practical demonstration of an actual life." Gordon +was essentially a manly man, but with all his courage and bravery he +combined the tenderness of a woman. He could be "truest friend and +noblest foe." His courage and deeds of daring would have won him that +much-coveted distinction the Victoria Cross, had they been performed in +an English campaign; yet the sufferings of a child, or even of an +animal, caused him the greatest grief. He had a keen sense of humour, +and might have cultivated the mere pleasure-seeking part of his nature, +and become socially very popular. It has been well said that "Humanity +wants more than this; it craves to have its best and noblest powers +called into play, and exercised into action that will tend in some way +to promote the general good." It is for this reason that his example is +such a noble one to set before young men. Most young fellows who are +worthy of the name of men have within them a spirit which admires all +that is manly, noble, and chivalrous; and for such it is a grand thing +to have a high ideal, even if they do not attain to it. As it is true +of men that they cannot habitually think mean thoughts without becoming +mean, or set before themselves a low ideal without lowering themselves, +so is it true that men cannot adopt a high ideal without instinctively +cultivating noble and lofty aims. + +Frederick Robertson of Brighton once said, "Hate hypocrisy, hate cant, +hate intolerance, hate oppression, hate injustice, hate pharisaism, +hate them as Christ hated them, with a deep, living, Godlike hatred." +It would be difficult to point to one who was more thoroughly +influenced by the teaching conveyed in this short sentence than was +Gordon. But negative virtues of this kind were not enough for him. One +of his most prominent characteristics was his love for that which is +good, and his incessant efforts to do good. His career was one long +effort to relieve the sufferings of his fellow-creatures, to inculcate +Divine truths, and in every way to make the world better. Few labourers +have been called to such a variety of work; but it was all one to him. +He worked for God in China when fighting to quell a civil war; he +served the same Master at Gravesend when he visited the sick and the +dying, and rescued little street arabs from lives of sin; and the same +motives prompted him when, later on, he devoted all his energies to +mitigating and attempting to abolish the horrors of the slave-trade. He +is dead, but his noble example still lives. + + "Press on, press on! nor doubt, nor fear, + From age to age, this voice shall cheer; + Whate'er may die and be forgot, + Work done for God--it dieth not." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +EARLY LIFE AND CRIMEAN WAR + + +Charles George Gordon was born on January 28, 1833, at Woolwich, so +that he began his life among soldiers. He was the fourth son of General +Henry William Gordon, who was in the Royal Artillery. His father came +from a good family, which for centuries had been associated with the +army. The old General appears to have been a good officer and a +kind-hearted man, and doubtless the son inherited not only the +instincts of a soldier, but a certain nobility of character which was +conspicuous in the father. When the father held a high command at +Corfu, he made a point of seeking out and paying attention to the +forlorn and uninteresting, who are usually overlooked by others. Those +who have been richly endowed by Nature have little difficulty in +gaining the smiles of society; but in all classes there are a few +unfortunate ones, who are not specially gifted and attractive, and who +consequently often have the cold shoulder turned towards them. It was +characteristic of Charles Gordon's father, as it was of himself in +later years, that these were the ones he befriended and looked after. + +If Charles Gordon inherited from his father the instincts of a soldier, +there can be little doubt that on his mother's side he inherited a +spirit of enterprise. His mother was Elizabeth Enderby, the daughter of +an enterprising merchant, who had ships on every sea. It is men of this +class, quite as much as our soldiers and sailors, who have made England +what she is. Samuel Enderby was one of the best-known among the great +merchant-princes of England, and he it was chiefly who opened to +commerce the previously unknown waters of the South Pacific, after the +exploring expeditions of Captain Cook. It is supposed that the first +batch of convicts sent to Botany Bay were conveyed in one of his ships, +and, but for his whaling fleet, Australia might never have been peopled +by English emigrants. His ships carried on a busy trade with America, +and it was one of his fleet that carried the historic cargo of tea +which was thrown into Boston harbour when the Americans severed their +connection with the mother country. His daughter had a large family, +numbering five sons and six daughters. Three only of the sons survived, +and they all attained the rank of General in the army. One of them +became General Enderby Gordon, C.B., of the Royal Artillery, who +distinguished himself in the Crimean War, and also in the Indian +Mutiny. Another became General Sir Henry William Gordon, already +alluded to as the author of "Events in the Life of Charles George +Gordon." Charlie Gordon, to use the name by which the subject of this +memoir was always known among his friends, was a delicate lad, and, +perhaps for this reason, was the special favourite of his mother, who +appears to have been a fond parent and a sensible woman. She was always +proud of her boy, and once or twice even annoyed him by speaking of him +in terms of praise to others. + +The Gordon family seems to have been a very happy one, which to a great +extent must have been the result of the mother's influence. One only +needs to read the published "Letters of General Gordon to his Sister" +to see how passionately fond the two were of each other. It might well +have been Gordon that Browning had in his mind when he said-- + + "I think, am sure, a brother's love exceeds + All the world's love in its unworldliness." + +A few lines from a letter of one of his brothers, written from the +Crimea, show the fond and almost parental care that the elder exhibited +on behalf of the younger brother. The extract is as follows:--"Only a +few lines to say Charlie is all right, and has escaped amidst a +terrific shower of grape and shells of every description. You may +imagine the suspense I was kept in until assured of his safety." + +Like all soldiers' sons, Gordon when young had plenty of opportunities +of moving about and seeing different parts of the world. In many ways +this roving life is disadvantageous to a lad, as in after years he can +never look back to one spot as his home, and consequently he can never +localise the charming associations connected with that word. A boy also +suffers considerably by being moved from one school to another. On the +other hand, his wits, as a rule, get sharpened by contact with new +people and new circumstances. Before Gordon was seven years old, he had +accompanied his father on successive moves to Dublin, and to Leith +Fort. In 1840 he went to Corfu, where his father was in command of the +Royal Artillery. It was here the Duke of Cambridge first made his +acquaintance, as they occupied quarters next to each other, and His +Royal Highness, just forty-five years afterwards, after Gordon's death, +said in a speech at the Mansion House, that he remembered the little +lad then. As Gordon returned to England with his mother at the age of +ten, the fact that the Commander-in-Chief remembered him at all is +another proof of the wonderful faculty of memory which the Royal Family +are said to possess. How differently the Duke would have thought of +that little fair-haired boy with the blue penetrating eyes could he +have looked into the future! It was in 1843 that Mrs. Gordon brought +her son to England for the sake of his education. He went to school at +Taunton for a few years, and then to Mr. Jeffery's, Shooters Hill, +Woolwich, preparatory to entering the Royal Military Academy. His +father had been given an appointment at the Arsenal at Woolwich, so +that his holidays, as well as much of his school life, were spent at +that great garrison town. There was nothing about the youth at this +time that indicated what his future would be. Indeed, the very energies +which in after life made him undertake so much, finding no other vent, +gave him a turn for mischief and fun of all sorts. Later in life, and +even amid all his troubles in the Soudan, he would in his letters +recall with pleasure the boyish days spent at Woolwich. + + * * * + +In 1848 he entered the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, where he +remained till 1852, when, at the age of nineteen, he received his +commission in the Royal Engineers. Although he was an adept at +surveying and at fortification, two branches of military knowledge +which served him well in after years, he was deficient in mathematics, +and consequently did not make much progress. An event which took place +here might have had very serious consequences, and shows that even then +he had the daring nature which afterwards characterised him. For some +reason it became necessary to restrain the cadets when leaving the +dining-hall, the approach to which was by a narrow staircase. At the +top of this staircase stood the senior corporal, with outstretched +arms, facing the cadets. This was too much for one so full of fun and +energy and so reckless of consequences as Gordon; so, putting down his +head, he charged, and butting the corporal in the pit of the stomach, +sent him flying down the staircase and through a window beyond. +Fortunately the corporal was unhurt, but Gordon was perilously near +dismissal, and having his military career cut short. The act of +insubordination was, however, overlooked by the authorities, but that +it did not subdue his spirit is evident from the fact that on another +occasion, when told by Captain Eardley Wilmot that he would never make +an officer, he tore the epaulets from his shoulders and threw them at +the feet of his superior. This officer, afterwards General Eardley +Wilmot, became one of his greatest friends. Later on, for another +offence, in which many were concerned, and of which it is doubtful if +Gordon really was guilty, he was deprived of half a year's seniority in +the army. This punishment really did him a good turn, for it enabled +him to secure a commission in the Royal Engineers instead of the Royal +Artillery, to which he would otherwise have been posted. + +On the 23rd June 1852 Gordon was gazetted to the Engineers, and on the +29th November 1854 he was ordered to Corfu. As the Crimean War was +going on he was much disappointed at this order, and at first +attributed it to his mother's influence, who, he thought, wanted him to +be sent to a safe place. Through the influence of Sir John Burgoyne, an +old family friend, his destination was changed, and on the 4th of +December, during that bitterly cold winter, he writes, "I received my +orders for the Crimea, and was off the same day." This was not the only +time that he exhibited such promptitude in leaving his native land at +the call of his country. Thirty years afterwards he left England for +the Soudan the very day he received his orders. + +He arrived in the Crimea on New Year's Day 1855, when all the +celebrated historical battles were over. His martial ardour had +doubtless been stirred by hearing how bravely our men swarmed up the +heights at Alma, charged the Russian gunners at Balaklava, and drove +back the sortie at Inkerman. When he arrived, the siege of Sebastopol +had commenced in earnest, and for some time it was an engineer's +campaign, in which the spade did more than the rifle, or, to speak more +correctly, the musket; for very few of our men had rifles then. Disease +and exhaustion from hardship slew far more than the bullet. Altogether, +it was rather a trying time for a young officer full of fire and +spirit, anxious to see service of that more dashing kind that appeals +to the imagination. The slow advance of the trenches must have tried +his somewhat impatient spirit, which, even in later years, when it +might have been modified by time, was always more ready for a rapid +march, a brilliant flank movement, or something of that kind. But +though the trench-work must have been wearisome and distasteful to a +degree, he threw himself heart and soul into it, meriting the following +praise from Colonel Chesney, an eminent engineer officer: "In his +humble position as an engineer subaltern he had attracted the notice of +his superiors, not merely by his energy and activity (for these are +not, it may be asserted, uncommon characteristics of his class), but by +an extraordinary aptitude for war, developing itself amid the +trench-work before Sebastopol in a personal knowledge of the enemy's +movements such as no other officer attained. 'We always used to send +him out to find what new move the Russians were making,' was the +testimony given to his genius by one of the most distinguished officers +he served under." He not only exhibited the "aptitude for war" of which +Colonel Chesney speaks, but it appears that he also displayed on +several occasions a great deal of that personal courage for which he +afterwards became so renowned. A single incident may be taken as a +specimen of many. One day as he was passing along the trenches, he +overheard a heated altercation between a sapper and a corporal, both +belonging to his own corps. On inquiring into the cause, he discovered +that the corporal had ordered a man to stand on the parapet, where he +was exposed to the enemy's fire, while the corporal, under cover, was +going to hand him some gabions for repairing the parapet. Gordon at +once jumped on to the parapet himself and called the corporal to join +him, letting the sapper hand up the gabions from a place of safety. +Gordon remained until the work was completed, in spite of the fire of +the Russians, and then turning to the corporal said, "Never order a man +to do anything you are afraid to do yourself." + +His warlike genius and his courage were by no means his only remarkable +characteristics, and it may not be out of place to mention here a +trifling event, which possibly had a marked influence on his whole +life. It so happened that Colonel Staveley, an officer who afterwards +attained to some eminence, but who at that time was of no great note +beyond being the second in command of a distinguished corps, the 44th +Regiment, mentioned in Gordon's hearing that he had been appointed +field-officer of the day for the trenches for the following day, but +owing to his having been on sick leave, was ignorant of the geography +of the place. Now considering that Gordon was at this time greatly +overworked in the trenches, he might well have been excused had he +allowed Colonel Staveley's remark to pass; for it must be remembered +that it is no part of the duty of a young engineer officer to instruct +infantry field-officers in their duties. But this was not Gordon's +style. He, at all events, never limited himself to a strict routine of +mere duty, and so he cheerfully volunteered assistance, saying, "Oh! +come down with me to-night after dark, and I will show you over the +trenches." Colonel Staveley says, "He drew me out a very clear sketch +of the lines (which I have now), and down I went accordingly. He +explained every nook and corner, and took me along outside our most +advanced trench, the bouquets and other missiles flying about us in, to +me, a very unpleasant manner; he taking the matter remarkably coolly." +Napoleon somewhere remarked that "the smallest trifles produce the +greatest results," an expression to which Gordon himself once referred. +This Colonel Staveley afterwards became General Sir Charles Staveley, +and he it was who first recommended Gordon, when quite a young captain +in China, to take command of that army for which he did so much, and +with which he acquired such renown. Had it not been for Sir Charles +Staveley, possibly Gordon would never have had the opportunity he +needed to show of what good stuff he was made; and who but the General +himself can tell how much that night adventure in the trenches had to +do with his selection later on? + + * * * + +As I have taken a later opportunity to enlarge on Gordon's simple +faith, I will only say here that up to this period there are no +indications that he was very decided. It appears that during the year +1854, when stationed at Pembroke, a distinct spiritual change came over +him; and if we may judge from one of his letters to his sister Augusta, +it was she who influenced him for good. But there can be no question +that he did not at this time enter into that full assurance of faith +which afterwards characterised him; still, his faith at this period, +though weak, was real. In a letter home, referring to the death of a +Captain Craigie, who was killed by a splinter from a shell, he says, "I +am glad to say that he was a serious man. The shell burst above him, +and by what is called chance struck him in the back, killing him at +once." It is interesting to note from the words "what is called chance" +that he had already learnt to recognise the hand of God in everything, +and that even at this early stage of his career there existed the germs +of that doctrine on which he spoke and wrote so much later on. It has +been said by some that his so-called fatalistic views were imbibed from +the Mohammedans in the Soudan. This sentence in a letter written by him +before he had ever held an intimate conversation with a Mohammedan +shows that such was not the case. Allusion is made to the incident here +merely to show what the condition of faith and state of mind of Charles +Gordon were during the Crimean War. There is one other letter on +record, written about this time, which is worthy of mention here. When +the Commander-in-chief of the Crimean army died, Gordon wrote, "Lord +Raglan died of tear and wear and general debility. He was universally +regretted, as he was so kind. His life has been entirely spent in the +service of his country. I hope he was prepared, but do not know." + + * * * + +Beyond a few deeds of personal daring, there is not much to record of +Gordon during the Crimean War. He went out, as has already been said, +when the principal battles were over, and his position being quite a +subordinate one, he had no opportunities of distinguishing himself. He +gained the esteem of all those who did come in contact with him; he +took every opportunity of gaining a professional insight into the +science of war; he had many narrow escapes of being wounded, and once +he was struck on the head by a stone thrown up by a round shot. He +formed a high estimate of the Russians as soldiers, with a +correspondingly low one of our allies the French. Writing home of a +favourable opportunity lost of assaulting Sebastopol, he says, "I think +we might have assaulted on Monday, but the French do not seem to care +about it. The garrison is 25,000, and on that day we heard afterwards +that only 8000 were in the place, as the rest had gone to repel an +attack (fancied) of ours at Inkerman." + +The history of the Crimean War has been written so often, that it is +unnecessary to occupy much space with detail, especially in view of the +unimportant part Gordon had to play. On June 7th he accompanied the +attacking force under Sir John Campbell, which was severely repulsed in +the assault upon the Great Redan. A delay of over two months took +place, and then the French attacked the Malakoff, and the English again +attempted to seize the Redan. The French were successful, but we +failed, and so it was decided to renew the attack on the following day. +The Russians, however, seeing it was useless to continue the struggle, +evacuated the post on the night of the 8th September. As Gordon was on +duty in the trenches that night, his account of what he witnessed is +interesting. "During the night of the 8th I had heard terrific +explosions, and going down to the trenches at 4 A.M., I saw a splendid +sight. The whole of Sebastopol was in flames, and every now and then +terrible explosions took place, while the rising sun shining on the +place had a most beautiful effect. The Russians were leaving the town +by the bridge; all the three-deckers were sunk, the steamers alone +remaining. Tons and tons of powder must have been blown up. About 8 +A.M. I got an order to commence a plan of the works, for which purpose +I went to the Redan, where a dreadful sight was presented. The dead +were buried in the ditch--the Russians with the English--Mr. Wright +reading the burial service over them." + +On the fall of Sebastopol Gordon joined the force that besieged +Kinburn, and was present at the fall of that fortress in October. He +then returned to Sebastopol, and was engaged in destroying the defences +of that place, remaining there till the evacuation in February 1856. +Although he received no promotion at the end of the war, he was +selected for the French Legion of Honour, a distinction given to very +few subalterns. Apparently, however, he had already formed to some +extent the opinion which became more decided in later years on the +subject of decorations, for he said in a letter written home a month +before the fall of Sebastopol, "I for one do not care about being +'lamented' after death. I am not ambitious, but what easily earned +C.B.'s and Majorities there are in some cases! while men who have +earned them, like poor Oldfield, get nothing. I am sorry for him. He +was always squabbling about his batteries with us, but he got more by +his perseverance than any man before did." Although Gordon was only +twenty-two years of age at this time, we see the germs of the +characteristics which later in life marked him so prominently. He was +even then indifferent to earthly distinctions; he had a simple faith in +his Saviour; he had repeatedly exhibited courage; and men of eminence +who came in contact with him had recognised indications of peculiar +military aptitude. Though he had had no opportunity of making a great +name for himself at that early date, he had stood the severe test of +his first campaign under great hardships, and while he had not been +found wanting in a single respect, he had gained the professional +respect and esteem of all. + +It is unnecessary to enlarge on the time between the Crimean War and +the China War. Suffice it to say briefly, that instead of being sent +home, Gordon had to remain as an assistant-commissioner to settle the +frontier line; for Russia had to give up a piece of territory that in +1812 she had taken from the Turks. For a whole year he was engaged on +this task, and then, when he thought that he was to be allowed to +return home, he was sent to Asia Minor to perform a similar duty, and +was not able to return till he had been abroad three years. He was then +granted leave for six months, and afterwards returned to his work in +Armenia, where he remained till the spring of 1858, thus missing all +chance of being employed in the Indian Mutiny, which broke out in 1857. +On his return to England in 1858, he went to Chatham, where he was +promoted to the rank of captain the following year. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +CHINESE WAR AND TAIPING REBELLION + + +A stout old Scotch lady when asked about her health, replied that she +was "weel i' pairts, but ower muckle to be a' weel at ane time." If the +old lady was too large to be perfectly well all over at the same time, +may it not be said that in this respect China resembled her in 1860? +The largest empire in the world was suffering from external as well as +internal troubles. A great portion of the country was given up to all +the horrors of civil war conducted on an enormous scale, while the +united armies of England and France were assaulting it from without. + +Space does not permit a detailed account of the causes which led +England to declare war on China. This war was but a phase in a dispute +that had been going on since 1837 between the two countries. In 1842, +to our shame it must be said, by force of arms we compelled the Chinese +to receive opium from India, and thenceforward a very sore feeling +existed against us. Just before the Indian Mutiny this feeling was +awakened by a trifling event, and war was again declared, though, owing +to the outbreak of the Mutiny, we did not press matters for a time. As +soon as our hands were free in India, operations in China were actively +pushed forward, the French troops joining us on account of the murder +of some French missionaries. The war was practically a walk-over, for +the Chinese army was quite incapable of meeting trained forces; and a +treaty having been agreed upon, the representatives of the English and +French returned home. + +In March 1859 Mr. Frederick Bruce, brother to Lord Elgin, was sent out +as Minister Plenipotentiary to China, and instructed to proceed to +Pekin to exchange the ratifications of the treaty. He was to be +accompanied by Admiral Hope, the English admiral commanding in China. +Pekin lies inland about a hundred miles, being connected with the sea +by the river Peiho, the entrance to which was commanded by the Taku +Forts. For some reason, the Chinese did not want Mr. Bruce to proceed +to Pekin, or at all events they objected to his proceeding by the river +route, as he proposed. Obstacles to the progress of our ships were put +in the way, and the Chinese refused to remove them. Mr. Bruce thereupon +called upon the Admiral to take steps for their removal, and on his +attempting to do so, the Chinese fired on the English ships with such +telling effect that four gunboats were placed _hors de combat_. Nor was +the Admiral more successful when he attempted to storm the forts. The +result of that day's work was that out of 1100 men in the English force +nearly 450 were killed or wounded. The feeling in England was, that +though Mr. Bruce had acted very hastily in thus committing England to +another war without definite instructions from home, the matter could +not be allowed to rest. The French again joined us, and Sir Hope Grant, +who had distinguished himself in the Indian Mutiny, was appointed to +the command. This General, it may be remarked, was an earnest Christian +no less than an eminent soldier. The Taku Forts were captured and the +troops were marching on Pekin, when the Chinese sought to open +negotiations, in order to prevent our army from entering their capital. +Our representatives consented to enter into negotiations at Tungchow, a +place about a dozen miles from Pekin. Some English officers, +accompanied by a few of the staff of the English and French envoys, +went forward to Tungchow, to make the necessary arrangements for the +interview of the envoys with the Chinese commissioners. A +misunderstanding arose, and twenty-six British and twelve French +subjects were seized, in spite of the flag of truce, and hurried off to +different prisons. Their sufferings as prisoners were frightful, the +result being that half of them died, while the remainder, when +released, bore evident signs of the ill-treatment they had undergone. +The allied armies at once marched on Pekin, and Lord Elgin refused to +treat with the Chinese till the prisoners were restored, which did not +take place till the gates of the city were about to be blown in. The +Chinese were compelled to pay £10,000 for each European and £500 for +each native soldier captured, in addition to having their famous Summer +Palace, valued by some at the almost fabulous sum of £4,000,000, +destroyed. + + * * * + +Gordon at this time was adjutant of engineers at Chatham, a post a good +deal esteemed by officers of his rank. He had lost the opportunity of +seeing active service in India, but he was determined that it should be +no fault of his if he were not sent out to China. He resigned his +appointment at Chatham, an act which greatly annoyed his father and +many of his friends. Even a high official in the War Office considered +that he was damaging his prospects for life; whereas it turned out that +by going to China he got that opportunity of exercising his talents and +displaying his abilities which he might otherwise never have met with. +Not leaving England till the 22nd of July 1860, he was too late to take +part in the principal action, the taking of the Taku Forts, which were +assaulted on the 21st August. He writes to his mother from Hong-Kong, +"I am rather late for the amusement, which will not vex you." He +arrived at Tientsin on September 26th, and marched with Sir Hope +Grant's force to Pekin. The following is his description of the only +part he was allowed to take before the Chinese surrendered:-- + + "We were sent down in a great hurry to throw up works and batteries + against the town, as the Chinese refused to give up the gate we + required them to surrender before we would treat with them. The + Chinese were given until noon on October 13 to give up the Anting + gate. We made a lot of batteries, and everything was ready for the + assault of the wall, which is battlemented and forty feet high, but + of inferior masonry. At 11.30 P.M. on the 12th, however, the gate + was opened, and we took possession; so our work was of no avail." + +The English and French armies left Pekin on November 8th, a little over +three weeks after the fall of the city, and returned to Tientsin, to +take up their quarters for the ensuing cold weather. Captain Gordon was +the senior engineer officer left behind, and he remained till the +spring of 1862, performing the ordinary engineer duties of providing +accommodation for men and horses. During his stay at Tientsin there is +little of any interest to record. He wisely relieved the monotony of +camp life by making a journey to the Great Wall of China, which has +been visited by very few of our countrymen. He was doubtless prompted +by curiosity to undertake this expedition, but other motives were also +at work. He was a born soldier, he was good at surveying, and doubtless +he was anxious to ascertain by personal observation if any other route +existed than the well-known one by which a Russian army could march on +Pekin; but he was unsuccessful in finding one. During the journey the +cold was very severe; in one place, he says, "the raw eggs were frozen +hard as if they had been boiled." + + * * * + +It has been already mentioned that China was troubled by an extensive +civil war, which had been going on for many years. It appears to have +commenced in the province of Quang-Tung, and to have been headed by a +schoolmaster, Hung-tsue-schuen. That there must have been good cause +for the dissatisfaction which caused the outbreak is clear from the +fact that not only did thousands join the rising, but that among the +rebels were men of great ability. The leader seems to have been a +strange mixture of good and evil, and at one time appears to have had +an inclination towards Christianity. Unfortunately the evil part of his +nature predominated, and his head was turned by his success. During the +time the Chinese troops were engaged in war with the English, the +rebels had it pretty well their own way, and large tracts of the +country were devastated. Intoxicated with success, the rebels +threatened to attack Shanghai, and the merchants there, seeing how +incapable the Government was to protect them, subscribed to form a +small army to protect their interests. The command of this force was +given to an American named Ward, who appears to have been a born +soldier. His career was short, but he was engaged in seventy actions +and never lost one. So successful was he, that the Pekin authorities +conferred on his troops the pretentious title of "Ever-Victorious +Army." Unfortunately for that army, it soon lost its able commander, +for in September 1862 he was killed when assaulting a city near Ningpo. +He was succeeded by an American adventurer named Burgevine, who turned +out a complete failure, being one of that type of unprincipled men who +do so much harm in non-Christian countries. When he was dismissed, +application was made to the English General to appoint an English +officer to take command. Major Gordon had been ordered to Shanghai from +Pekin at the beginning of May 1862, and consequently had come under the +command of General Staveley, with whom, it will be remembered, he was +acquainted in the Crimea. General Staveley's duty was to clear the +country for thirty miles round Shanghai of the rebels, and in the +performance of this task Major Gordon had been employed. The opinion +that General Staveley had formed of Gordon's courage and ability in the +Crimea was confirmed in the operations around Shanghai, and the +following account is given by that General of Gordon's plucky +conduct:-- + + "Captain Gordon was of the greatest use to me when the task of + clearing the rebels from out of the country within a radius of + thirty miles from Shanghai had to be undertaken. He reconnoitred + the enemy's defences, and arranged for the ladder-parties to cross + the moats, and for the escalading of the works; for we had to + attack and carry by storm several towns fortified with high walls + and deep wet ditches. He was, however, at the same time a source of + much anxiety to me from the daring manner in which he approached + the enemy's works to acquire information. Previous to our attack + upon Singpo, and when with me in a boat reconnoitring the place, he + begged to be allowed to land, in order better to see the nature of + the defences. Presently, to my dismay, I saw him gradually going + nearer and nearer, by rushes from cover to cover, until he got + behind a small outlying pagoda within a hundred yards of the wall, + and here he was quietly making a sketch and taking notes. I, in the + meantime, was shouting myself hoarse in trying to get him back; for + not only were the rebels firing at him from the walls, but I saw a + party stealing round to cut him off." + +There is not much more of interest to record of Gordon's doings at this +period. The rebels having been cleared out of the thirty-miles radius, +Gordon was deputed to commence a complete survey of the whole district, +and in December we find him so engaged. This occupation gave him a +thorough insight into the ways of the people and the nature of the +country. In this month he writes as follows:-- + + "The people on the confines are suffering greatly and dying of + starvation. This state of affairs is most sad, and the rebellion + ought to be put down. Words cannot express the horrors these people + suffer from the rebels, or the utter desert they have made of this + rich province. It is all very well to talk of non-intervention, and + I am not particularly sensitive, nor are our soldiers generally so; + but certainly we are all impressed with the utter misery and + wretchedness of these poor people." + +When General Staveley was applied to for an officer to take command of +the so-called Ever-Victorious Army, his thoughts not unnaturally turned +to Gordon, who, by the way, had received the brevet rank of major at +the end of 1862. Gordon, having seen the failings and shortcomings of +our generals in the Crimea, longed for an opportunity to exercise the +gifts of which he felt conscious. General Staveley, however, shrank +from recommending him for such a dangerous post. He knew well the +plucky, chivalrous nature of the young engineer, and not unnaturally +feared that he would expose himself too much to danger. His affection +for Major Gordon made him at first refuse to recommend him for the +command, and it was not till Gordon repeatedly urged him to yield, and +promised not to expose himself more than necessary, that he consented +to submit his name to the authorities at home. A temporary commander +being urgently required, he appointed the chief of his staff, Captain +Holland, of the Royal Marines, to the post, pending the decision of the +War Office with regard to Gordon. Before the reply arrived from England +two expeditions took place, one against Fushan, under Major Brennan, +and one against the city of Taitsan, in which Captain Holland commanded +in person. Both were disastrous to the reputation of the +Ever-Victorious Army. In the attack on Taitsan some 7500 men were +engaged, about one-third belonging to the Ever-Victorious Army, while +the remainder were Chinese Imperial troops. Unfortunately, Captain +Holland took it for granted that the Mandarins were correct when they +informed him that the moat around the city contained no water, whereas +it proved to be at least thirty feet deep. This was not discovered till +the assaulting party arrived without bridges, and with nothing but +escalading ladders, which they attempted to use as bridges. The ladders +were of course not strong enough to bear the weight of the men, and +broke down. The assault was very soon turned into a rout, and the +"Ever-Victorious Army" not only lost several hundred men, but allowed +two guns to fall into the hands of the enemy. + +Such a disaster clearly indicated that an abler man was required at the +head of the Ever-Victorious Army, and forthwith Major Gordon was +appointed. A letter written home at the time shows that he was +conscious that his father would not be pleased at the step he had +taken:-- + + "I am afraid that you will be much vexed at my having taken the + command of the Sung-kiang force, and that I am now a Mandarin. I + have taken the step on consideration. I think that any one who + contributes to putting down this rebellion fulfils a humane task, + and I also think tends a great deal to open China to civilisation. + I will not act rashly, and I trust to be able soon to return to + England; at the same time, I will remember your and my father's + wishes, and endeavour to remain as short a time as possible. I can + say that if I had not accepted the command, I believe the force + would have broken up, and the rebellion gone on in its misery for + years. I trust this will not now be the case, and that I may soon + be able to comfort you on the subject. You must not fret over the + matter. I think I am doing a good service.... I keep your likeness + before me, and can assure you and my father that I will not be + rash, and that as soon as I can conveniently, and with due regard + to the object I have in view, I will return home." + +Gordon's father has been much misrepresented by some biographers. It +has been practically said that he was not able to appreciate his son's +nobility of character; but there is not a word of truth in this. The +old man saw that the post accepted by his son was one of great danger, +made all the more dangerous by that son's daring, and the fact that he +did not understand the language of the people and was not cognisant of +their manner of conducting warfare. He also was of opinion that the +Chinese Government ought to be able to deal with their own internal +affairs, and put down any rebellions that might occur without making a +cat's-paw of his son. One cannot blame the father, who only looked at +the matter in a natural way, judging the circumstances from his own +standpoint. It is impossible to consider the whole facts, and to read +the letters concerning them, without feeling that neither father nor +son had anything of which to be ashamed. + +One of the most painful things in life is for a man who is fond of his +parents to have to take a step which he feels will not meet with their +approval, and we may be quite sure that Major Gordon gave this subject +his earnest and prayerful consideration. The path of duty seemed to him +to be clear, and the call was distinct. The whole country was +practically deluged in blood, and not only strong men, but hapless +women and children, were suffering. Could Gordon, knowing what he did, +and feeling conscious of his power to put down the rebellion, have +declined to enter the path so unexpectedly opened to him? Some would +have done so. But opportunities such as this, not seized, are seldom +repeated. His ability, his energies, and his powers might never have +found full scope, and might have proved a curse to him rather than a +blessing. How often one sees in life men with marked ability who are +not only unhappy themselves, but make every one around them equally so. +They seem to have missed the object for which they were created, and +instead of doing their duty in a large sphere, as they might have done, +their stunted energies prevent them from properly filling even a +smaller and humbler sphere. They have missed the opportunity of being +really great, and yet their abilities prevent them from being satisfied +with anything short of this. The call came to Gordon to take his share +in the battle of life, and to do his best to mitigate the sufferings +caused by a horrible civil war, and doubtless he pondered those words, +"He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me." He +decided to take the path which appeared to him the one of duty; nor +need we be surprised when we know that he was a thorough Englishman of +the highest type, of whom the words are true-- + + "There's a heart that leaps with burning glow + The wronged and the weak to defend; + It strikes as soon for a trampled foe + As it does for a soul-bound friend." + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +GORDON'S FIRST COMMAND + + +At the age of thirty, Major Gordon obtained his first independent +command, thus surpassing the Duke of Wellington's achievement by four +years. With Wellington, too, able as he showed himself to be, it must +be borne in mind that his first appointment was due to family interest, +for his eldest brother, Lord Mornington, was Viceroy of India at the +time. In Gordon's case, however, personal merit was the only +qualification that brought him to the notice of the General in command, +and it speaks volumes for Sir Charles Staveley's insight into character +that such a wise appointment was made. Sir William Butler in his +biography of Gordon says, "Thus on March 24, 1863, Gordon stepped out +for the first time from that inevitable environment of the mass which +so often keeps entangled in its folds men on whom Nature has conferred +great gifts. Fate, it is said, knocks once at every man's door, but +sometimes it is when the shadows are gathering and the fire is +beginning to burn slow." This was not the case with Gordon, for he was +at about the age at which such famous soldiers as Alexander, +Wellington, and Napoleon have shown that man is full of life and fire. +Many of the brilliant successes attained by those men would never have +been won had they not had opportunities of making their first attempts +till mature years had sobered them down. Nothing gives a man so much +confidence in his own resources as success, more especially if that +success has been gained amidst trying circumstances. + +There can be no doubt that the period which we are now considering is +the most interesting of Gordon's life. Up to this time, he had done +well all that he had been called upon to perform in the way of duty, +but had had no opportunity to show of what stuff he was made. A +subordinate may suggest, and a superior may reap the benefit of his +brains, if he has only sufficient intelligence of his own to recognise +merit in others, a quality of which many are deficient. But a +subordinate cannot initiate. And his suggestions, when adopted by a +superior, frequently fail, for the simple reason that only a portion of +his ideas are grasped, and something is lacking. Gordon's new position +gave him not only the opportunity to initiate, but the power to carry +out his ideas. After the suppression of the Taiping rebellion, every +one who had the power to recognise greatness at all knew that Gordon +had qualities that would make him succeed in anything he liked to take +up, and therefore it was no matter of surprise to see him adding +laurels to his crown. + + * * * + +Hitherto I have refrained from making any allusion to Gordon's personal +appearance, having reserved the point till this period of his history, +when, for the first time, he takes a prominent part on the stage of +life. There have been numerous pictures sold representing him, and +perhaps still more numerous descriptions written. The best that I have +seen are accounts written by two intimate friends. Sir Gerald Graham, +who knew him as a cadet at Woolwich, and was one of the last Englishmen +ever to see him, says:-- + + "Not over five feet nine inches in height, but of compact build, + his figure and gait characteristically expressed resolution and + strength. His face, though in itself unpretending, was one that, in + common phrase, 'Grew upon you.' Time had now streaked with grey the + crisp, curly, brown hair of his youth, and traced lines of care on + his ample forehead and strong clear face, bronzed with exposure to + the tropical sun. His usual aspect was serene and quiet, and though + at times a ruffling wave of constitutional impatience or + indignation might pass over him, it did not disturb him long. The + depth and largeness of Gordon's nature, which inspired so much + confidence in others, seemed to afford him a sense of inner repose, + so that outer disturbance was to him like the wind that ruffles the + surface of the sea, but does not affect its depth. The grace and + beauty of Gordon's whole expression came from within, and, as it + were, irradiated the man, the steadfast truthful gaze of the + blue-grey eyes seeming a direct appeal from the upright spirit + within. His usual manner charmed by its simple unaffected courtesy; + but though utterly devoid of self-importance, he had plenty of + quiet dignity, or even imperious authority, at command when + required." + +Colonel H. G. Prout, an American officer, who served under Gordon in +the Soudan, writing in _Scribner's Magazine_, says:-- + + "He was rather under than over medium height, of well-proportioned + figure, by no means heavy, but muscular and vigorous in all his + movements. His hair was brown, and curled rather closely. His + complexion was ruddy. He wore a short moustache and small whiskers, + and shaved as carefully when he was in the heart of Africa as when + he was in London. His mouth was resolute, but full of humour. His + smile was quick, and his whole expression was kind, bright, and + ready, but absolutely self-reliant. Only a dull person could fail + to see that here was a man who had nothing to ask or to fear. His + most striking feature was his eyes. These were bright blue, and the + blue and white were of that pure unclouded quality that one sees + only in the eyes of a baby. Only a baby's eyes could be so direct + and sincere. You felt that they looked right into your soul and + laid bare your motives." + +Both these descriptions speak of him as seen in the Soudan, but they +are so graphic, that it requires little imagination to see the man +before us a few years younger. At the age of thirty, he was of course +much younger looking; but his general appearance was not one that +changed much. Considering the hardships through which he passed, it was +wonderful how little he exhibited their effects. It will be remarked +that in both of the foregoing descriptions reference is made to his +blue eyes, which certainly were a very prominent feature in his +personality. If we may anticipate events a little, as we are +considering this subject, it is interesting to record that a little +native boy named Capsune, whom General Gordon rescued from the +slave-dealers in 1870, asked the lady who had charge of him after +Gordon's death whether she was quite sure that Gordon Pasha still kept +his blue eyes, and did she think he could "see all through me now?" +Another day he said he was "quite sure Gordon Pasha could see quite +well in the dark, because he had the light inside him." + + * * * + +This, then, is the man whom the fortunes of war called to fill about as +difficult a position as it is possible to imagine. The enemy he was to +disperse were flushed with victory, having for years been able to defy +all who had attempted to suppress them. Their numbers were overwhelming +as compared with the handful of men the merchants of Shanghai were able +out of their private resources to put into the field; and, as if these +were not sufficient advantages, they had possession of all the large +cities and places of importance for many miles outside the thirty-miles +radius around Shanghai. The army Gordon was called upon to command +possessed a high-sounding name, justly earned by a former commander, +but with his death had passed away all that made the title justifiable. +It was a relic of greatness that had departed, and to one like Gordon, +who had a keen sense of humour, it must have sounded ridiculous in the +extreme. The army consisted of about 3000 Chinese, with 150 officers, +the latter being principally foreigners. The officers were by no means +wanting in pluck, nor deficient in military skill, but there appears to +have been a great want of discipline among them, to say nothing of the +existence of keen jealousies of one another. The fact that in one month +eleven officers died of _delirium tremens_ speaks volumes as to their +character. Colonel Chesney says, "Among them were avowed sympathisers +with the rebels, and avowed defiers of Chinese law; but all classes +soon learnt to respect a General in whose kindness, valour, skill, and +justice they found cause unhesitatingly to confide; who never spared +himself personal exposure when danger was near; and beneath whose firm +touch sank into significance the furious quarrels and personal +jealousies which had hitherto marred the usefulness of the force." + +The headquarters of this little army was a place called Sung-kiang, to +the west of Shanghai, and close to the border of the thirty-miles +radius around that city. Gordon proceeded on the 24th March 1863 to +assume his command, and it was thought by many that he would endeavour +to take the city of Taitsan, and thus wipe out the reproach of his +predecessor. But his military instinct showed him a far more important +step to take. About twenty miles inland and fifty miles from Gordon's +headquarters was a city called Chanzu, which was the only one in that +neighbourhood loyal to the Imperial cause. It had been held by the +Taipings, but the chief had persuaded his men to abandon the cause of +the rebels and throw in their lot with the Emperor. No sooner had their +decision been taken, than the Taiping General marched a strong army on +the city to punish them. The defenders were holding out bravely, but +they were reduced to starvation, and were suffering terribly. It would +have been both impolitic and cruel to have left this city to its fate; +so Gordon determined to relieve it. Chanzu was, however, cut off from +the sea by an intervening city called Fushan, which commanded the +river; so Gordon decided that, with the object of relieving the Chanzu +garrison, Fushan must be captured. As has already been mentioned, one +expedition against this place had signally failed. Gordon took two +steamers, packed 1000 men into them, 200 of whom were artillerymen, and +with this small force proceeded to attack Fushan. In spite of the +overwhelming numbers against him, the enemy being able to draw +reinforcements from the army investing Chanzu, he captured the place. +No sooner had it fallen than Gordon set to work to relieve Chanzu. This +he had very little difficulty in doing, for as soon as the rebels found +that they were between two armies and exposed to attack in opposite +directions, they moved off. + +This brilliant achievement accomplished, Gordon retired to his +headquarters at Sung-kiang. By Imperial decree he was made a Tsung-Ping +or Brigadier-General. He had passed through his first ordeal, and had +come out of it with credit. He had not only struck a blow, but had done +it with such promptitude, that every one began to get confidence in +this young "General," as he was hereafter termed by the Chinese. To +take a handful of men, not stronger than a full-sized English regiment +at that time, to transport them in one day fifty miles, and to capture +a city with overwhelming odds against him, exhibited capacity combined +with promptness of action equal to anything recorded in the annals of +the greatest soldiers. His predecessor, with an army numbering +7500--for he had a large force of Imperial troops in addition to his +own--had been terribly beaten in his attempt to take Taitsan. But +Gordon with a force of only 1000 men had captured one city and relieved +another, at a much greater distance from headquarters, and that with +the loss of only two killed and six wounded. In the account of the +attack, no light is thrown on the question why Gordon succeeded so +brilliantly when others failed. He simply pounded away with his +artillery, which was not strong, for three hours, and having effected a +breach, he ordered an assault of infantry, which swept everything +before it. This in itself is such a simple operation, and so much like +what had been done before, that it does not account for his success. As +the question will doubtless often occur to the reader, why Gordon so +often succeeded where others failed, it may be well to quote a few +words written by Colonel Prout, dealing with this very subject:-- + + "Gordon took and kept his unquestioned place as a chief, not by + force of gold lace, banners, and salutes of trumpets and guns, but + _by doing things_. He filled Carlyle's definition, _King_, + _Könning_, which means _Can_-ing, Able-man. All who are at all + familiar with his character and deeds must recognise the fact that + he was a man of great qualities, both of mind and character. He did + not do things accidentally or by mysterious means. Whatever + business he had in hand, he knew it thoroughly in all its details. + He knew his men and their motives, and he grasped all the minutiæ + of his material. He was a highly educated modern soldier, and from + the principles of grand strategy down to mending a gun-lock or + loading a cartridge he knew his profession. He was not a great + student of books, but his quick and strong mind seized and held + facts with wonderful power. His most remarkable intellectual + quality was directness." + +This paragraph from a magazine article throws light on the cause of +much of Gordon's success. Lord Beaconsfield used to say that genius was +the art of taking pains. It will be remembered that the principal +reason why Gordon's predecessor failed at Taitsan was, that he took it +for granted that he was rightly informed when he was told that the +ditch around the city was dry, and consequently he came unprovided with +bridges. Gordon, on the other hand, took nothing for granted. Every +detail was personally looked into, every difficulty anticipated by his +eager restless brain. Consequently everything he took in hand +succeeded; and yet to the superficial observer it all seemed so simple. +The power of anticipating and providing against difficulties is one of +those gifts which go a long way towards ensuring success in any calling +in life, and that gift Gordon possessed to a remarkable degree. Whether +it was innate, or whether it was cultivated, is difficult to say. +Possibly it was implanted by nature to a certain extent, and in +addition he cultivated and developed the natural gift. + + * * * + +A brief allusion has already been made to Burgevine, the American who +for a short time commanded the Ever-Victorious Army after the death of +Ward. This man plays a somewhat important part in connection with +Gordon's operations, so it may be well here to give an account of his +history, for just at this time an order arrived from Pekin that he was +to be reinstated in his command, if the Governor of the province +approved. The career of Burgevine is, it is to be feared, an +illustration of the lives of many adventurers who, having failed in +some civilised country, go out to seek their fortunes among a +non-Christian people, and bring disgrace upon Christianity. Without +principle, destitute of all honourable feelings, they imbibe all that +is low and bad in the countries to which they go, yet all the time they +are called Christians, and looked upon as such by the natives. In +almost every large city belonging to a non-Christian people will be +found one or more of this type, to whom the lines might with truth be +applied-- + + "Hast thou with Asiatic vices filled thy mind, + And left their virtues and thine own behind?" + +Burgevine was by no means deficient in military skill or courage, but +he was utterly unprincipled, and, as the sequel will show, he was as +ready to sell himself to the enemy as he was to fight for the +Imperialists. The immediate cause of his dismissal from the command of +the Ever-Victorious Army was that he went to the Chinese treasury +officer with a hundred men of his bodyguard and demanded money for +arrears of pay. That official being unable to comply, Burgevine struck +him and ordered his followers to seize 40,000 dollars. No sooner was he +dismissed, than he went to Pekin to plead his cause there, and got the +American ambassador to back him up, the latter of course being ignorant +of his real character. The authorities at Pekin yielded, and sent him +back to Shanghai to assume command, provided the local Governor had no +objection. A shrewd suspicion exists that this was but a diplomatic way +of getting out of a difficulty, as the authorities at Pekin must have +known that the Governor could not possibly consent to receive Burgevine +back after what he had done. This Governor was Li Hung Chang, a man of +considerable power, who could see that he had in Gordon a man of +ability; and though he did not at that time appreciate him as he +afterwards did, still the fascination of Gordon's character, that so +endeared him to many others, had already begun to work. Consequently +the Governor strongly opposed the return of Burgevine, and at the same +time took the opportunity of informing the Pekin authorities that +Gordon was gaining the confidence of his men, as well as of the +merchants and others at Shanghai. This for a time closed Burgevine's +career, though we shall hear of him again. + + * * * + +The city of Chanzu was relieved on April 5th, but it was not till the +end of that month that Gordon again took the field. His brief but +brilliant campaign had shown the weak points in his force; so he spent +some three weeks at headquarters in getting his little army better in +hand. Among other things, he put his men into a uniform of dark serge +with green turbans, so as to make the enemy suppose that they were +Europeans. At first this little reform was very unpopular, as most +reforms are, and the men were called by their countrymen "Imitation +Foreign Devils." When the Ever-Victorious Army regained its right to +its title, the men became proud of their uniform, and would not have +exchanged it for their old costume. Dr. Wilson in his interesting +account of this period tells us that Woo, the Tautai of Shanghai, even +went so far as to purchase thousands of boots of European make, such as +were worn by Gordon's men, that their footprints might be seen about, +as the rebels were so impressed with fear of the disciplined Chinese +troops! Not only uniform, but every other detail necessary to the +improvement of the army, was during that short space of time gone into, +and on April 29th Gordon once more commenced active operations. + +This time the object of attack was the city of Quinsan, about thirty +miles to the north-west of his camp; but, when _en route_, he heard +that his Imperialist allies, who were besieging the city of Taitsan, +had been most treacherously treated. The rebels had proposed to +surrender, and had permitted upwards of 1500 men of the Imperial army +to enter their city. Suddenly they closed the gates and captured these +men, beheading some 300 of them, including the brother of Li Hung +Chang. This disaster to his allies decided Gordon to turn aside and +lend his aid in reducing Taitsan, the city where his predecessor had +suffered such a terrible defeat. It must have been an anxious time when +he led his small army against a place which would remind them so +forcibly of the greatest disaster they had experienced. + +The city of Taitsan had a garrison of some 10,000 men, with a +considerable sprinkling of white men, some of whom were deserters from +the English and French armies, together with American sailors and +others. Gordon's army consisted of only 3000 men; so that not only had +his opponents the benefit of walls, from behind which they might +deliver their fire, but they outnumbered his little force by more than +three to one. Taitsan was, however, a great prize to be aimed at, for +its fall would blot out the remembrance of the disaster which had +occurred when it was last attacked. Captain Holland on that occasion +had assaulted it from the south. Gordon's quick military eye showed him +that he ought to seize the canal leading into the town on the western +side. He had little difficulty in possessing himself of this water-way, +and he made use of it to bring his guns and ammunition to within 600 +yards of the walls. At that distance he opened fire, under cover of +which he pushed forward some of his guns to within 100 yards, +concentrating all his fire on one spot, with the object of effecting a +breach in the walls. At each discharge of his guns at this short range +masses of masonry fell, forming a gradual slope, up which the +assaulting party could rush. Steamers and boats came up the canal and +turned into the moat, forming a perfect bridge across the water. The +defenders, seeing their danger, wisely concentrated their fire on the +temporary bridge, and rushed to defend the breach. Captain Bannen, who +led the attack, was killed, and the assaulting party were for a time +driven back. Another column was formed for the assault, and this time +Gordon kept up an incessant artillery fire over the heads of his own +men as they advanced. Again they met with a determined resistance, but +after a severe hand-to-hand struggle, the attack was victorious, and +the defenders, seized with panic, actually trampled down many of their +own side in their haste to escape. + +Thus on May 1, 1863, fell this important stronghold; but the victory +cost Gordon dearly, as his killed and wounded were very numerous for +such a small force. The vacancies, however, were filled up by +volunteers from among the prisoners he took, and these men made +admirable fighting soldiers, though they had of course somewhat lax +notions on the subject of discipline. Although Gordon received little +or no help from the Imperial troops, they caused him a good deal of +pain and annoyance by an act committed on the fall of Taitsan. +Capturing seven retreating rebels, the Imperial troops tied them up, +and, according to their own horribly cruel custom, forced arrows into +their flesh, flayed bits of skin off their arms, and thus exposed them +for several hours previous to execution. This was supposed to be in +revenge for the treachery of the Taipings, already alluded to, and they +contended that these seven men were specially to blame. Be that as it +may, a very natural sense of indignation was awakened throughout the +civilised world, and questions were asked in Parliament about the +incident, it being assumed that Gordon and other British officers were +concerned in these atrocities. As Gordon, in spite of his bravery and +his being habitually brought into the presence of bloodshed, was one of +the most tender-hearted of men, it need hardly be said that he was +deeply grieved and pained by the whole circumstance, and it was through +his influence that General Brown, then in command of the British troops +at Shanghai, informed the Chinese Governor that, on a repetition of +such barbarity, all the British officers would be withdrawn. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +PROGRESS OF THE REBELLION + + +Before Gordon captured Taitsan, it will be remembered, he was on his +way to attack the city of Quinsan. Having accomplished his purpose of +assisting his allies, the Imperial troops, he reverted to his original +object. He wanted to leave Taitsan to be held by the Imperialists, and +at once to march on Quinsan; but owing to the want of discipline in his +army, he was unable to do this. His men had taken a large amount of +loot from Taitsan, and were anxious to dispose of it, and their young +General, much against his will, had to accept the inevitable. With an +army such as that which Gordon had under his control, it does not do to +draw tight the reins of discipline too suddenly. It had for a long time +been in a lax condition, and Gordon saw that he must gain the men's +confidence before sharply asserting his authority. With an army well in +hand, the right thing would have been to follow up his victories +immediately, so that the enemy should not have time to recover +themselves. But instead of being able to go on at once from Taitsan to +Quinsan, he had to return to headquarters, and there wait till the end +of May, reorganising and making preparations. So bad was the discipline +among his officers, that just before he started for Quinsan, all the +majors commanding regiments resigned, simply because he promoted his +commissary-general, an English officer named Cooksby, to the rank of +colonel. This step was taken because Gordon found that disputes were +always occurring about rations and quarters between the +commissary-general and the regimental commanders. As the latter had, +and the former had not, military rank, the commissary was in an awkward +position. Gordon therefore decided that, the commissary being one of +his most important staff officers, he ought not only to have military +rank, but that his rank should be of a superior kind. It is worthy of +note that in this respect Gordon was just twenty years ahead of the War +Office authorities, for it was not till the year 1884 that commissariat +officers in the English army were accorded military rank. The amusing +part of the outbreak of insubordination amongst Gordon's majors was, +that though they resigned their commissions, they asked that they might +be allowed for the sake of loot to accompany the expedition to Quinsan. +Gordon accepted the resignations, but declined to let the majors take +part in his expedition. But he had to yield this point; for on the +following day, when the "fall in" sounded, the men supported their +commanding officers, and refused to obey. The majors, however, seeing +that there was only one General, and that he might be killed, in which +event the command would probably devolve on one of themselves, thought +better of the matter, and fell in with their men as usual. The only +wonder is that, with such an army and such disorganised material, the +young commander should have been able to accomplish so much against +overwhelming numbers. + +When Gordon reached Quinsan, he found the Imperial troops under +Governor Li and General Ching in a most unfortunate position. They were +supposed to be besieging the city, but the enemy were practically +besieging them. Gordon quickly drove off the enemy that were seeking to +encompass the Imperialists, and then he found that General Ching was +anxious to attack the eastern gate of the city, a proceeding that did +not at all commend itself to him. He saw at a glance that the western +gate would probably be the better one to attack, as the enemy would be +less prepared there. Quinsan was an important place, and was strongly +defended; it was held by at least 15,000 men, and the moat round the +fortification was forty feet wide. Before coming to a definite +decision, Gordon made a reconnaissance in a steamer, taking the +Governor and General Ching with him. Being convinced by personal +observation that he was right in the step he intended to take, he +informed the Chinese General to that effect, and in a letter written +some little time after the event he says, "General Ching was as sulky +as a bear when he was informed that I thought it advisable to take +these stockades the next day, and to attack on this side of the city." + +At dawn on the 30th May, having surrounded the city with his own and +the Imperialist troops, he took a small force by water to a point on +the main line of communication between Quinsan and Soo-chow, only +defended by a weak stockade, which was easily taken. Gordon then took +the celebrated little steamer the _Hyson_, and went towards Soo-chow. +Meeting a large force of the enemy on the way to reinforce Quinsan, he +opened fire upon them. Little anticipating an attack in this direction, +they got into confusion and fled, the steamer following them. Having +inflicted heavy loss on the retreating army and steamed right up to +Soo-chow, he turned round and went at full speed till he got back to +Chunye, where he had that morning left a small detachment of riflemen. +It was 10.30 P.M. and a rather dark night. His intention was to wait +till the next morning and renew the conflict by attacking the city. But +the rebels within the walls had been seized with panic, and knowing +that the city was invested on three sides, they made a rush for +Soo-chow. In doing so they met Gordon's steamer returning. Again she +opened fire and blew her whistle, the sound of the latter doing much +damage by adding to the noise and increasing the panic among the +rebels. The men were in dense masses, and each shell mowed them down in +large numbers. Gordon says, "The mass wavered, yelled and turned back." +The city had fallen, and by 4 A.M. on May 31st everything was quiet, +and it was reckoned that from three to four thousand of the enemy must +have been killed, drowned, or taken prisoners. The little steamer had +won the day, having fired some eighty or ninety rounds; the troops had +done little or nothing. Only two men on Gordon's side were killed and +five were drowned. + +Thus in a single day had fallen this important city, which was the key +to the position of Soo-chow. Indeed, the impetuous young commander was +anxious to dash on and seize Soo-chow itself, but he could not inspire +the Imperialist General with his spirit. He says, "I have no doubt of +my having been able to take Soo-chow the other day, if the Mandarins +had been able to take advantage of our success." The capture of Quinsan +was one of the most brilliant strokes of success Gordon had during the +whole of the campaign, and he attributed it to the fact that the lines +of communication between that city and Soo-chow were neglected, and +that he was permitted to get his steamer into the canal, which ran +parallel with the only road. Both the armies which he defeated were +compelled to march along the road, as on each side of the road there +was water. Through the men marching thus in dense masses, the shot and +shell from the steamer carried death and destruction, creating much +confusion. The Taiping rebels were evidently not prepared to fight such +an amphibious general as Gordon proved himself to be. + +It may be well to remark here on the fertility of resource and the +initiative power which this young commander possessed. It mattered not +what difficulties arose, his fertile brain sooner or later devised a +method by which he could overcome them. It is said that the best doctor +is not necessarily the cleverest man, but the one who is most fertile +in resource. If disorders of the human frame refuse to yield to one +kind of treatment, another must be tried, and so on, until at last the +right method is discovered. There can be no question that this is also +true of the military and other callings in life. The man of a fertile +brain, ever ready to suggest new methods when old ones have failed, is +the most likely to succeed. It was to this cause, more than to any +other, that Napoleon at first owed his success. When he was a young +man, it was the custom in Europe to imitate blindly the tactics of +Frederick the Great of Prussia, and to rely on ponderous heavy squares +and a slow stiff method of moving. Napoleon was the first to see that, +however suitable such tactics had been during the time of the great +Prussian general, before the development of artillery, they were not +adapted to the changed circumstances under which battles were fought in +his own time; and so in 1806 at Jena he smashed to pieces the Prussian +force, which came against him in all the pride of inherited traditions, +handed down from one of the greatest generals of his age. While it is +almost a truism to say that what is appropriate to one age is not +suited to another, it is only men of the type of Napoleon and Gordon +who are quick enough to see the necessity for a change of method, and +sufficiently resourceful to adopt new plans. Ninety-nine generals out +of a hundred would never have thought of utilising a little steamer to +destroy a land force, but would have proceeded in the old-fashioned +methods of a siege, and perhaps have lost an enormous number of men in +the process. The enemy are always more or less prepared for +conventional methods of fighting, but it stands to reason that they are +unprepared for new ideas. Hence much of Gordon's success. + +In addition to this fertility of resource, Gordon displayed wonderful +courage in carrying out his ideas. No sooner had Quinsan fallen than he +saw that it would be a good thing to make a change in his headquarters, +and to transfer them thence from Sung-kiang. With the old centre were +associated all sorts of traditions connected with the army before his +time, in the days when discipline was lax, and the one idea of the +soldiers was that the war was being carried on for the sake of +providing them with loot. There were loot agents and other means by +which the officers and soldiers could easily dispose of their booty. +All this was demoralising, so Gordon decided on an immediate change. +But the army looked at the matter from a different standpoint, and a +mutinous spirit arose. Mr. Wilson informs us that the artillery +threatened to blow the officers to pieces, and a written notification +to that effect was sent to the General. Gordon at once summoned the +non-commissioned officers, who he knew were at the bottom of the plot, +and threatened to shoot every fifth man if the name of the writer of +the notice were not revealed. Immediately they all commenced to groan, +one corporal making himself specially conspicuous by groaning very +loudly. Whether Gordon had any suspicions with regard to this +particular man, we are not informed, but he directed him to be seized, +and ordered a couple of infantry soldiers standing by to shoot him. He +then had the others confined, and again repeated his threat to the +effect that one in every five would be shot if the name of the writer +were not given up. Events proved that the corporal already shot was the +culprit. No doubt many in this country will judge Gordon harshly with +regard to this summary method of dealing out justice; but it must be +remembered that a civil war was going on in which thousands of lives +were annually sacrificed. Gordon knew perfectly well that he could +suppress it if he had a disciplined force under him. He also knew what +a frightful scourge an undisciplined army might become. According to +the tradition of all nations, each man in Gordon's army had forfeited +his life by disobedience in the presence of the enemy. What was the +life of one man compared with the thousands of women and children who +were suffering through the horrors of that war? We in England have been +for so long mercifully spared the misery of war in our own country, +that possibly public opinion has become a little too sentimental. +During the Trafalgar Square riots in 1887, it was suggested by some +that the Fire Brigade should pump cold water on to the rioters in order +to disperse them; and one writer seriously deprecated such a step, on +the ground that possibly the poor fellows who got the ducking might +catch cold! It is possible to go from one extreme to another, and, +while wishing to avoid harshness and cruelty in any form, to become too +sentimental, and thus do harm in an opposite direction. Sentimental +people too often forget the sufferings of the many innocent victims +when contemplating those of a few culprits. War is too stern a thing +for us to trifle with, and those whose duty it is to be engaged in it +must be prepared to suppress with a strong hand anything in the form of +incipient mutiny. + +With regard to the threat which Gordon held out of shooting one man in +five, such a form of punishment is by no means uncommon in countries +more civilised than China. It has been frequently resorted to in +Russia, and as recently as 1876, during the Russo-Turkish war, on +symptoms of a mutiny exhibiting themselves among the Russian troops, +the commander-in-chief threatened to shoot one in every ten of the men, +and thus quelled the manifestation. There can be no question that +Gordon's acting as he did was far more plucky than all the personal +exposure to danger through which he went. Many men who would be willing +to sacrifice their own lives in the path of duty would have shrunk from +taking such a step. + +But though Gordon was quite prepared to fight as long as he could +benefit his fellow-creatures by so doing, he was essentially a man of +peace, and he loathed the horrors of war. On the 29th June he says: +"The rebels remain very quiet, and we are engaged in organising another +attack upon them. I have, however, sent a letter to the rebel chiefs, +offering my good services towards any arrangements they may be inclined +to enter into with the Imperialists, by which more fighting may be +avoided. I am most anxious to have as little fighting as possible, and +shall do my best to bring about a pacific solution of the question." +This was the more magnanimous when we consider that he was perfectly +confident in the ultimate result of the conflict, and that in the way +of glory acquired by brilliant victories he had everything to gain in +terminating the war by force of arms instead of by diplomacy. + +The rebels at this time had received a great addition of strength by +Burgevine going over to them, together with upwards of 300 English, +American, and other adventurers. On this subject Gordon says:-- + + "The fact that Burgevine has joined the rebels will no doubt very + much prolong the rebellion, which, humanly speaking, would almost + have been put down this year, or at the latest next spring; but the + force at my command is too small to do everything, and one has to + act with great caution. I feel that I have so many lives intrusted + to me, that these are, as it were, at my disposal, and I will not + risk them in an enterprise I consider rash. Burgevine is a very + foolish fellow, and little thinks of the immense misery he will + cause this unhappy country, for of the ultimate suppression of the + rebellion I have little doubt." + +In another letter he says, "I think the rebels will soon get very tired +of their auxiliaries, and the latter of the rebels." + +The worst thing, however, that Gordon had to fear was treachery on the +part of his own officers and men. Burgevine knew most of them well, and +had managed very skilfully to associate his own dismissal from the +command of the Ever-Victorious Army with the fact that he was striving +for the interests of the men and officers. Consequently he was to a +certain extent a martyr in their eyes, and he made the most of this +fact in endeavouring to corrupt some of Gordon's officers. For +Burgevine was not more successful in alluring Gordon's army from its +allegiance than in defeating it in open conflict. Having made one or +two unsuccessful attempts, and discovered that the brilliant young +commander was more than a match for him, he asked Gordon to meet him at +an appointed place, where he told him that he had determined to desert +the rebel cause. This did not surprise Gordon. What did astonish him +was that Burgevine went on to propose that Gordon and he should +together capture Soo-chow, throw off all allegiance to either +Imperialists or rebels, organise an army 20,000 strong, and set up an +independent kingdom of their own. Being a mere adventurer himself, he +little understood the man of honour with whom he had to deal. Gordon at +once cut short further communications. Burgevine and his men, however, +being so disgusted with their masters, decided to leave them at all +costs, and sent to inform Gordon that at a signal-rocket being fired by +him they would rush out under pretence of a sortie and join him. The +signal was given, the sortie was made, and a good many got away, but +Burgevine and a few others had been suspected, and detained. When +Gordon discovered this, he generously wrote to the rebel chiefs, +explained to them that it was against their interests to compel men to +fight against their will, and asked for their release. The messenger +who bore the letter was interrogated as to whether he thought it +possible for Gordon to be bought over, and his reply was of course in +the negative. Strange to say, Gordon's request was granted, and +Burgevine was released and handed over to the British Consul. Dr. +Wilson informs us that:-- + + "At the very time Burgevine was negotiating with Gordon in regard + to his relief, he had proposed to Jones, his lieutenant, a plan for + entrapping the man whose efforts were being directed toward the + succour of him and his followers. Jones revolted against treachery + so base, and he and Burgevine had a 'difficulty.' Jones told the + story thus: Burgevine drew out his revolver, which he cocked and + discharged at my head from a distance of about nine inches. The + bullet entered my cheek and passed upward; it has not yet been + extracted. I exclaimed, 'You have shot your best friend!' His + answer was, 'I know I have, and I wish to God I had killed you.'" + +We hear no more of Burgevine in connection with Gordon, so we here part +company with him. According to Mr. Wilson, he had subsequently a very +chequered career, and finally was reported to have been drowned by +accident when a prisoner in the hands of the Imperialists. This writer +says, "I have no reason to suppose that the account of his death given +by the Chinese authorities was untrue; and if they did drown him +purposely, they saved themselves and the American authorities a good +deal of trouble." The only wonder is that a scoundrel who so thoroughly +deserved to be hanged should ever have found a watery grave. + +After the Taipings had got rid of Burgevine and his followers, they +began to lose heart, for they felt that the principal reason why these +men had deserted their cause was that it was a losing one. They thought +that their chances of holding Soo-chow against the ubiquitous Gordon +were slight, and, as is often the case under such circumstances, they +underrated their own resources, and overrated those of their opponents. +They made sure that Gordon would soon assault the city, but this he had +no intention of doing. "With the small force at one's command," said +he, "I am not at all anxious to pit myself against a town garrisoned by +seven, or even ten times our number, if it can be avoided." Instead of +attempting an open assault, which must have resulted in a desperate +loss of life, Gordon gradually surrounded the city with his own and the +Imperial troops, capturing all the smaller places around it, so that it +might be completely invested. Here again he exhibited his quick +perception of the weak points in his opponents' character. Even the +greatest coward amongst our own countrymen would fight desperately if +he felt that all his means of retreat were cut off; but, strange as it +may seem, this is not a characteristic of all nations. Once let a +Chinaman feel that his means of retreat are destroyed, and he is filled +with panic. Gordon says, "The great thing in taking stockades from the +rebels is to cut off their retreat, and the chances are they will go +without trouble; but attack them in front, and leave their rear open, +and they will fight most desperately." + +Interesting as it would be to many, space does not permit us to follow +the details of the siege, and the severe struggles Gordon had in +different places, when capturing strongholds of the enemy in order to +cut off their supplies. There are, however, a few personal incidents +that occurred at this time which deserve mention, in order to show what +marvellous escapes he had, and what great personal danger he was often +in. Once when sitting on the Patachow Bridge, a somewhat celebrated +structure of fifty-three arches and 300 yards long, which he had +captured from the enemy, a couple of shots from his own camp struck the +bridge close to him. He was alone, and he could not account for the +firing. Leaving his seat to ascertain the cause, he got into his boat +and started to row across the river, when suddenly an enormous mass of +masonry fell from the very spot where he had been sitting, and nearly +struck the boat. These two accidental--or shall we more correctly call +them providential?--shots saved his life. Again, on the assault of +Leeku, he discovered that one of his officers, Lieutenant Perry, had +been in communication with the enemy. When challenged, this officer +made an excuse which Gordon accepted, saying, "I shall pass over your +fault this time, on condition that, in order to show your loyalty, you +undertake to lead the next forlorn hope." But Gordon forgot his +decision, and was leading the forlorn hope himself, when suddenly an +officer next to him was struck down. That officer was Lieutenant Perry, +who fell into the arms of his commander. Many of Gordon's officers were +brave men, but not a few of them exhibited the white feather, and he +had, in order to set an example of personal courage, often to take the +lead. Sometimes he would take one of these timid ones by the arm, and, +in his quiet way, conduct him into the thick of the fight. His men used +to think he had a charmed life, and they termed the little cane which +he always carried in place of a sword "the magic wand of victory." + +There is one incident which should be mentioned here, although the +public did not hear of it for many years after it occurred. When the +Ashantee expedition was contemplated, and speculation was rife as to +whom the command should be offered to, somebody wrote to the _Times_, +signing himself "Mandarin," and, among other things which he mentioned +about Gordon, said that during the month of September, before the +capture of Soo-chow, Gordon had decided to attack certain detached +forts around that place. For some reason his men again mutinied, and +refused to march off the parade-ground. + + "At this juncture General Gordon arrived on the spot, with his + interpreter. He was on foot, in undress, apparently unarmed, and, + as usual, exceedingly cool, quiet, and undemonstrative. Directly he + approached the leading company, he ordered his interpreter to + direct every man who refused to embark to step to the front. One + man only advanced. General Gordon drew his revolver from an inside + breast-pocket, presented it at the soldier's head, and desired the + interpreter to direct the man to march straight to the barge and + embark. The order was immediately complied with, and then, General + Gordon giving the necessary word of command, the company followed + without hesitation. It was generally allowed by the officers, when + the event became known, that the success in this instance was + solely due to the awe and respect in which General Gordon was held + by the men; and that such was the spirit of the troops at the time, + that had any other but he attempted what he did, the company would + have broken into open mutiny, shot their officers, and committed + the wildest excesses. In less than a week the spirit of the troops + was as excellent as before, and gradually the whole garrison joined + in a series of movements which culminated in the fall of Soo-chow." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +END OF THE REBELLION + + +The city of Soo-chow was in the possession of seven rebel generals, +each exercising an independent command, but all recognising one of +their number, Moh-Wang, as their head. Though the rebels had upwards of +40,000 men in the city, they were badly provided with food, and +dissensions broke out among them. Most of the generals were for +yielding, but the brave old chieftain, Moh-Wang, opposed such a step. +Some of the generals made overtures to Gordon and General Ching, making +no other condition than that their lives should be spared. But +overtures were of no use so long as Moh-Wang refused to acquiesce. A +council of war was summoned, and hot words passed. One general seized +the brave old warrior, whose spirit was so invincible, stabbed him, and +severed his head from his body. That night, November 29, 1863, +Soo-chow, which had been held by the rebels since 1860, was +surrendered. In order to prevent his men from looting it, Gordon sent +them back to Quinsan, but he asked Governor Li to grant them two +months' extra pay, which was denied, though later on one month's pay +was granted. This meanness on the part of the civil Governor to a body +of men who had done so much for the country very nearly led to a +mutiny. + +The culminating point of the young commander's grievances against his +employers was yet to come. On December 6th, when Gordon visited the +captured city, he discovered that the rebel generals who had +surrendered had all been killed, in spite of the stipulation that their +lives were to be spared. It is said that Gordon was so enraged with +this cowardly treachery that he burst into tears, and then went forth, +revolver in hand, to seek the Governor, in order to shoot him. It is to +be regretted that Sir Henry Gordon, in his biography of his brother, +denies this circumstance. Nothing is gained by attempting to screen the +faults of a great man. The commander of the Ever-Victorious Army was +undeniably a great man, but it is also true that he had his share of +human failings, among them a tendency to act on the impulse of the +moment. His honour had been touched, he felt that he had been disgraced +and would appear in the light of one who could trample on a fallen foe, +and there can be no question as to the accuracy of the fact, that in +his impulsiveness he did seek the life of Li Hung Chung; though the +Governor afterwards became a bosom friend of his. Mr. Wilson, another +biographer, who has already been quoted, read his MS. over to Gordon, +so that his account is likely to be accurate. In it he says:-- + + "His first impulse, when his two steamers came in sight, was to + obtain hold of the Futai (Governor Li) and inflict summary justice + on that high official. General Ching, however, gave timely warning + of Gordon's incensed state, and Li very wisely hurried into the + city, thus avoiding a meeting. For some days after this Gordon's + anxiety to meet with the Futai was only equalled by that of the + Futai to keep out of his way, and this was the only period of his + campaign during which the commander of the Ever-Victorious Army + _burdened himself with carrying arms_." + +The last words of this quotation, which I have italicised, clearly +indicate what the nature of the summary punishment would have been had +the two men met. Gordon had an opportunity of striking out those words, +but he was too honest to do so, for he knew they were true. Even though +we may blame him for his actions, we cannot but admire the honesty that +would not allow the fact to be concealed. + +Both as a matter of policy and a matter of honour, Gordon saw what a +fearful mistake had been made. He was of opinion that had an honourable +understanding been come to with the rebels at this time, every other +city in their hands would have yielded, and thus the rebellion would +have been terminated. He at once demanded an investigation into the +conduct of Governor Li and General Ching, and refused to co-operate +with them further. While Gordon was taking action in this matter, +Governor Li was sending despatches to Pekin claiming far more credit +than was fairly due for the Imperial troops, though he did not forget +to praise Gordon as well. The Emperor sent the young commander 10,000 +taels (about £3500) in token of his approbation, together with money +for the troops and the wounded. The latter was accepted, but the former +was indignantly declined, and that in a very few stiff sentences +written on the back of the paper containing the order:-- + + "Major Gordon receives the approbation of his Majesty the Emperor + with every gratification, but regrets most sincerely that, owing to + circumstances which occurred since the capture of Soo-chow, he is + unable to receive any mark of his Majesty the Emperor's + recognition, and therefore respectfully begs his Majesty to receive + his thanks for his intended kindness, and to allow him to decline + the same." + +Writing home he said, "To tell you the truth, I do not want anything, +either money or honours, from either the Chinese Government or our own. +As for the honours, I do not value them at all, and never did. I should +have refused the 10,000 taels even if everything had gone well, and +there had been no trouble at Soo-chow." + +Gordon's army remained at Quinsan till the end of February 1864. They +had received £7000 from the Chinese Government, but this, of course, +did not compensate them for being prevented from taking their share of +loot, and not only were they dissatisfied, but their inaction was +doubtless doing them much harm. Moreover, the rebel forces were +recruiting rapidly, and all the good work that Gordon had accomplished +appeared likely to be undone. Gordon heard all the excuses that +Governor Li had to offer, and came to the conclusion that Asiatics must +not be judged according to the standard by which Englishmen, with a +higher sense of honour, measure themselves. He therefore made up his +mind to emerge from his retreat, and, stipulating that in the event of +future capitulations nothing should be done without his consent, he +once more took the field with the object of terminating the rebellion. + +On the 17th February 1864 he had been promoted to the rank of +lieutenant-colonel by the War Office authorities. This, of course, made +no difference to his position as general in the Chinese army. His +resumption of hostilities was marked by similar tactics to those which +he had previously found so successful. Blows rapidly struck at distant +points appear to have been his aim. Having captured Soo-chow, the next +place of importance was Nankin, the second largest city in China, about +100 miles to the north-west. The rebels were in strong force there, and +the place was too distant to make it practicable to capture it, at +once, as there were several cities _en route_ still in the hands of the +rebels. Gordon decided to take these latter in detail, and he commenced +with Yesing, which fell easily on March 1st. He then proceeded to +Liyang, which yielded even more easily. The horrors witnessed on this +march were awful. Gordon said of the inhabitants:-- + + "Those who still remained alive had been driven to eat human flesh, + and the unburied bodies of the dead were in a condition which + showed that much of this revolting food had been consumed." "The + scenes I have witnessed of misery are something dreadful; and I + must say that your wish for me to return with the work incomplete + would not be expressed if you saw the state of these poor people. + The horrible furtive looks of the wretched inhabitants hovering + about one's boats haunts me.... I hope to get the Shanghai people + to assist, but they do not see these things: and to read that there + are human beings eating human flesh produces less effect than if + they saw the corpses from which the flesh is cut." + +Gordon's fate was to be hampered by the blunders of his friends. On +March 20th he marched on Kintang; but just as he was about to commence +operations, an alarming despatch reached him from the Imperial +commander. The Imperialists had actually not been able, with their +immense force, to hold cities that Gordon with his small one had +captured and handed over to their charge. Fushan had fallen, and Chanzu +was in danger. However, Gordon thought that as he was so close to +Kintang, he might as well take it, and so he made an assault. It did +not, however, yield so easily, and Major Kirkham, one of his best +officers, was badly wounded. Gordon himself was also wounded below the +knee. A soldier who saw him struck was about to proclaim the event, +when Gordon stopped him for fear he should discourage the men. He went +on fighting till he fainted from loss of blood, and Dr. Moffitt[2] had +to carry him out of action. + + [2] Surgeon Moffitt of the 67th Regiment was a man of ability and + courage. He became a great personal friend of Gordon's, and + afterwards married one of Gordon's sisters. He died in the year + 1882. He was the only officer who remained with Gordon from the + beginning of the end of the campaign. + +Sir Frederick Bruce, the British representative, wrote to Colonel +Gordon after he was wounded at Kintang:-- + + "Be cautious of yourself. I beg you not to look upon your position + merely from a military point of view. You have done quite enough + for your reputation as a gallant and skilful leader. We all look to + you as the only person fit to act with these perverse Chinese, and + to be trusted with the great interests at stake at Shanghai. Your + life and ability to keep the field are more important than the + capture of any city in China." + +Gordon had to abandon further attempts to take Kintang, and retire on +Liyang. Here he took to his steamer, as he could no longer march owing +to his wound, the first and last that he ever had. With 1000 men he +started on March 24th for Woosieh, to find that the rebels who had been +threatening that place had fallen back. On the following day, lying on +his back in a steamer, and accompanied by a flotilla, Gordon made a +dash with the 1000 men he had right into the midst of the country held +by the rebels, in order to ascertain their disposition of troops. Well +might Colonel Chesney say, "One scarcely knows here whether most to +admire the pluck, or to wonder at the confidence of the wounded +commander!" He quickly took in the whole situation, and made up his +mind that a place called Waisso, which was held by the enemy in some +force, was the point at which to aim. Unfortunately, he was unable to +get about himself, yet he could not take the entire force, which had +been increased by one more battalion, on board. Consequently he had to +divide it, leaving a detachment to go by land. The officers put in +charge seem to have fallen into every mistake it was possible for +soldiers to make. The attacking regiments did not co-operate, their +flanks were left unprotected, and a long gap was permitted to occur +between two regiments. To make a long story short, the assault failed, +the assailants narrowly escaping annihilation. Unquestionably this +signal failure was due to the fact that the commander, being wounded, +could not see to details himself, and was obliged to leave his +principal arm, the infantry, to the direction of others. + +Fortunately the Imperialists with 6000 men came to Gordon's assistance. +The Imperial force had been doing remarkably well in their recent +conflict with the enemy, but unfortunately had lost their commander, +General Ching. This man, who at first had been so jealous of Gordon, +had afterwards learnt to know and respect him, and Gordon had acquired +quite an affection for him in spite of his faults. Gordon was deeply +grieved to hear of his death, indeed it is said that he burst into +tears. It is touching to read an account of the death of this heathen +general, who, it will be remembered, had been a leading man among the +rebels before they degenerated. Mr. Hake's account is founded on the +statement of Governor Li, who says that even when he knew his wound was +fatal, he concentrated his mind on the affairs of the country. He +pointed out that though the rebels had been beaten, their strength was +not to be despised, and begged his colleague to order his officers to +be careful in battle. He remarked that brave men were not easily to be +found, and he bitterly regretted his own fate, by which he was +prevented from doing his duty to his country. When gradually sinking, +he ordered his servant to bring the yellow jacket presented to him by +the Emperor, and to assist him on with it. He then bowed his head +towards the Imperial Palace, and thus he yielded up his brave patriotic +spirit. + +After the junction of the Imperialists with Gordon's force there was +little difficulty in the capture of Waisso, and with the fall of that +place on April 6th it became evident that the campaign was fast drawing +to a close, the only places of any importance remaining in the hands of +the rebels being Nankin and Chanchufu. The former Gordon left to the +Imperialists, who felt confident of victory, and were very jealous of +the successful young soldier. Indeed, it is evident that they could +easily have taken Chanchufu also, but they apparently were in no hurry +to close the campaign. Many of them were mere mercenaries, who did not +want to remove the _raison-d'être_ for their existence as an army. +Strong suspicion exists that an incident which occurred soon after +Gordon reached Chanchufu, and when he was making preparations for the +attack, was really an attempt on his life. He and Major Tapp, a clever +artillery officer, were engaged in the construction of a battery, when +suddenly one of the picquets fired a volley at the battery, and the +rebels, not knowing the cause, fired also. Gordon and his party were +thus between two fires, and Major Tapp and several others were killed. + +The first assault on Chanchufu was made by the Imperialists, and +defeated. Gordon was then asked to co-operate in another assault, which +he did; but not being supported by the Imperialists, he also failed. +After this a combined assault was made, and again it failed. Seeing +that the place was too strongly defended for an ordinary assault, +Gordon taught the Imperialists how to approach it by means of trenches. +Another assault was made by the Imperialists, who were on the point of +being driven back again, when Gordon came to their rescue, and the +stronghold was taken. When the rebel commander was captured he said +that, except for the aid of Gordon and his men, he could have defied +all the Futai hosts to take the city from him. The garrison was 20,000 +strong; the place was skilfully fortified; and the rebels, thinking +that they would receive no quarter, fought with great desperation and +recklessness of life. + +With the capture of Chanchufu ends the list of Gordon's fights in +China. His next care was to break up the Ever-Victorious Army. He knew +this to be very important, for he felt that they would be a standing +danger to the country. With men like Burgevine about, who were not +wanting in skill, and were as unprincipled as they were daring, it was +impossible to say what might happen if the command of such an army fell +into bad hands. The Chinese Government behaved very generously, giving +each wounded officer £900, and others on a similar scale. In a letter +written home, Gordon says:-- + + "The losses I have sustained in this campaign have been no joke: + out of one hundred officers I have had forty-eight killed and + wounded; and out of 3500 men, nearly 1000 killed and wounded; but I + have the satisfaction of knowing that, as far as mortal can see, + six months will see the end of this rebellion, while if I had + continued inactive it might have lingered on for six years. Do not + think that I am ill-tempered, but I do not care one jot about my + promotion or what people may say. I know I shall leave China as + poor as I entered it,[3] but with the knowledge that through my + weak instrumentality upwards of eighty to one hundred thousand + lives have been spared. I want no further satisfaction than this." + + [3] It may be well to note here that his predecessor, Ward, who + was killed in action, accumulated the sum of £60,000, although he + was not very long in command, and was not considered at all an + unscrupulous man. + +A large sum of money was offered to Gordon and at first declined; but +when pressed to accept it, he decided to do so, and divide it among his +men. His pay had been good, being over £3000 per annum, but, in his +usual generous manner, he had spent it almost entirely on his men, +especially in providing comforts for the sick and wounded. + +The last fight had taken place on May 11th, and by June 1st Gordon had +disbanded his army, his promptness exhibiting itself to the very last. +"So parted the Ever-Victorious Army," says Colonel Chesney in his +"Essays on Modern Military Biography," "from its general, and its brief +but useful existence came to an end. During sixteen months' campaigning +under his guidance it had taken four cities and a dozen minor strong +places, fought innumerable combats, put _hors de combat_ numbers of the +enemy, moderately estimated at fifteen times its own, and finding the +rebellion vigorous, aggressive, and almost threatening the unity of the +Chinese Empire, had left it at its last gasp, confined to the ruined +capital of the usurper." + +Gordon paid a visit to the Imperialists who were investing Nankin, +where he interested himself in their mode of conducting the siege, and +gave a good deal of useful advice as to the future existence of the +Imperial army. Beyond this he took no active part. Nankin fell; the +"Heavenly King," who was the author of the rebellion, committed +suicide; and Chung Wang, his celebrated general, was beheaded, +permission being given to him at his own request that he might first +write his autobiography. One cannot but feel that it would have been an +act of policy as well as of clemency had the Emperor spared the life of +this noble fellow Chung Wang, more especially as the so-called Heavenly +King had committed suicide. As long as he was alive Chung Wang showed a +loyalty to him that was worthy of a better cause. He might easily have +escaped with his life but that he was anxious to save the life of the +son of the Heavenly King, a worthless individual, with all the faults +of his father and none of his ability. Chung Wang gave up his +fleet-footed horse to the young man, who did not even know how to make +use of the chance thus given him. The loyalty Chung Wang displayed to +the rebel chief might easily have been transferred to the Emperor. +Governor Li we shall hear of again, for when Gordon revisited China in +1880 he found his old friend still alive and active. There can be no +doubt that Gordon's personal influence over this man was considerable, +and when we next hear of him it is as standing almost alone among his +countrymen, pleading for a peaceable policy. The latter part of the +following letter, which he wrote to Gordon when in the Soudan, shows +that he had imbibed a good deal of that public spiritedness which made +Gordon so willing to sacrifice himself for the good of others. The +letter was dated March 22, 1879. Li Hung said:-- + + "I am right glad to hear from you. It is now fourteen years since + we parted from each other. Although I have not written to you, I + often speak of you, and remember you with very great interest. The + benefit you have conferred on China does not disappear with your + person, but is felt throughout the regions in which you played so + important and active a part. All these people bless you for the + blessings of peace and prosperity which they now enjoy. Your + achievements in Egypt are well known throughout the civilised + world. I see often in the papers of your noble works on the upper + Nile. You are a man of ample resources, with which you suit + yourself to any kind of emergency. My hope is that you may long be + spared to improve the condition of the people among whom your lot + is cast. I am striving hard to advance my people to a higher state + of development, and to unite both this and all other nations within + the four seas under one common brotherhood." + +An amusing circumstance was the utter bewilderment of the Regent of +China, Prince Kung, as to how he could reward Gordon. The money offered +he had refused for himself, and as for honours and distinctions they +had no charms for him. He accepted the yellow jacket, the highest +distinction the Chinese Emperor could confer (corresponding to our +Knight of the Garter), but this he did only to please his parents, not +because he valued it himself. Prince Kung called on the English +Minister at Shanghai and said, "You will be surprised to see me again, +but I felt I could not allow you to leave without coming to see you +about Gordon. We do not know what to do. He will not receive money from +us, and we have already given him every honour which it is in the power +of the Emperor to bestow; but as these can be of little value in his +eyes, I have brought you this letter, and ask you to give it to the +Queen of England, that she may bestow on him some reward which would be +more valuable in his eyes." + +Gordon had already been awarded a brevet lieutenant-colonelcy in the +Royal Engineers, so he was now made a Commander of the Bath; but he was +as indifferent to English honours as to those of the Chinese. As for +Prince Kung's letter to Queen Victoria, we are informed by Mr. Hake +that he has good reason to believe it never reached the Queen, but was +allowed to remain in a pigeon-hole in the Foreign Office! Well may we +quote the words of Axel Oxenstiern to his son, to which the late Prince +Consort once referred in a letter to the late Emperor of Germany, at +that time Crown Prince of Prussia, "Oh, my son, mark how little wisdom +goes to the government of states." Mr. Hake also informs us that when +General Gordon presented himself at the War Office, the Secretary of +State seemed hardly to have heard his name, and knew nothing of his +work in China. Yet this was the man that at the age of thirty had saved +from ruin the largest empire of the world! We are indeed a marvellous +people. We are always manufacturing sham heroes, and parading them +before the world. Yet when we have a real one in our midst we utterly +ignore him. When one thinks of the many campaigns in which England has +been engaged since the Chinese war was over, the public may well be +astonished at a military system which allowed one of its ablest +soldiers to live in obscurity, and not even be consulted in the affairs +of the nation. Sir William Butler with withering scorn says:-- + + "Nay, he was almost a stranger in his own land, and, when nearly a + generation had passed away, and the fruit of many blunders had + accumulated in Egypt a load of disaster that seemed too heavy to be + borne, Gordon was at last called from the obscurity in which he had + been so long consigned--he was, his own brother has told us, as a + person who was now heard of for the first time." + +A report has been circulated that he was offered the command of the +Ashantee Expedition and declined it. This report has absolutely no +foundation. The truth of the matter is that he never was offered a +command on active service of any kind by the British authorities. Those +who manage the affairs of other nations were able to recognise the +merits of this remarkable man, and to find opportunities for him to +exercise his powers, but our own authorities seem to have been +absolutely blind to his qualities. Yet this was he of whom Colonel +Chesney, a great writer on military matters, said, "If there is a man +in the world who can conduct a war with honour, thoroughness, and +humanity, and bring it to a satisfactory close without needless delay +or expense, England has that man in 'Chinese Gordon.'" It is, of +course, quite possible that every army has some men of military genius, +whose services are never utilised in positions of importance, for the +simple reason that they are unknown to the authorities. There is no +profession in which it is more difficult to pick out the born leaders +than is the case in the army. Plenty of men who promise well when in a +subordinate position prove miserable failures when in command. Men who +can pass examinations with flying colours are not always able to make +use of their knowledge in the field. A foreign power had, however, +provided a field in which one of our officers was able to show what +wonderful military instincts he possessed. It is therefore all the more +difficult to find excuses for those who were responsible for the fact +that, as far as England was concerned, Gordon was allowed to live in +obscurity, and was never even offered a command of any sort in any of +the campaigns in which his countrymen were engaged. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +AT GRAVESEND + + +When Lord John Russell visited Elba, he was asked by Napoleon, then a +prisoner there, whether he thought that his rival, the Duke of +Wellington, would be able to live without the excitement of war, which +Napoleon used to call "a splendid game." It seemed incredulous to +Napoleon that a man who had shown himself so good a soldier as +Wellington should retire into the position of a simple citizen, and +Napoleon, little knowing the great man, thought that he would probably +use his influence as a statesman to involve his country in war again. +To some it may possibly seem strange that Gordon, who had distinguished +himself as a soldier, and had saved an empire, should again take up the +humble avocation of an engineer officer, but so he did. He was in +reality only a captain of engineers, though a brevet lieutenant-colonel +in the army, when in February 1865 he returned home. He took a few +months' leave, which he spent quietly at Southampton with his father +and mother, shunning all publicity. + +On the expiration of his leave he was sent to Gravesend, to superintend +the building of some forts for the protection of the Thames. During one +of our periodical panics as to the safety of the country, large sums of +money were voted for defensive purposes. Gordon's duties were very +subordinate as far as these defences were concerned. The plans were +made out by others, and his duty was merely to see them executed. +Though he worked very hard in the performance of his duty, he made no +secret of the fact that he thoroughly disapproved of the way in which +the national money was being wasted. It is said that one day, when the +Commander-in-chief came to inspect the progress of the work, Gordon +denounced the whole thing most vehemently, and exposed its +worthlessness. It is characteristic of the man that he had the courage +of his opinions at all times. He must have been carried away a good +deal by his feelings, for when he got home that day he said that he +might have been put under arrest for the way in which he had denounced +the work of his superiors. As it was, his Royal Highness smiled +good-naturedly at his vehemence, and took no further notice. But though +Gordon thoroughly disapproved of the nature of the defences on which he +was engaged, he worked very hard at them, and it certainly is through +no fault of his if the Thames fortifications are not all they should +be. He was an early riser and a hard worker, and as he hardly ever went +into society, and did not go in for games, he found time to engage in +all kinds of religious and philanthropic work, in addition to his other +duties. He spent six years at Gravesend, and, although this is not a +popular station with many officers, he found so much to be done, that +in after years he used to look back upon the time spent there as the +happiest of his life. After the stirring scenes through which he had +passed in the Crimea and in China, it may have appeared to some a very +commonplace, uninteresting sort of life to eke out for so many years, +but no one more than Gordon felt the force of the truth conveyed in the +lines:-- + + "'A commonplace life,' we say and we sigh; + But why should we sigh as we say? + The commonplace sun in the commonplace sky + Makes up the commonplace day. + The moon and the stars are commonplace things, + And the flower that blooms, and the bird that sings; + But dark were the world, and sad our lot, + If the flowers failed, and the sun shone not; + And God, who studied each separate soul, + Out of commonplace lives made His beautiful whole." + +One remarkable characteristic of Gordon was the persistent way in which +he avoided publicity of any sort, evading every effort to bring him +forward. When he first came to Gravesend no one knew him, and he used +quietly to take a seat in the gallery of the parish church. As soon as +it was discovered that the stranger who occupied such a humble place, +was no other than the renowned "Chinese Gordon," great efforts were +made to induce him to take a more prominent position. But it was in +vain. What was good enough for the poor was good enough for him, and he +did not approve of the rich and the eminent occupying all the good +seats, to the exclusion of the poor, whose souls were just as valuable +in the sight of God. Again, he steadily refused to take the chair at +all public meetings. It was not that he could not speak at such +gatherings, for, although he was not a good speaker, he was by no means +a bad one, and he was always willing to conduct services for the poor. +He had a horror of taking a prominent position, and the only occasion +on which he ever broke through his rule as to taking the chair, was at +a meeting of some three hundred children over which he presided. He +was, however, very much at home when sitting in front of a class of +children, and this he infinitely preferred to giving formal addresses +even to children. Only once was he persuaded to address the whole +school collectively. Speaking to a large number of children requires a +special gift, and this he did not possess. His strength with children +lay in the fact that he obtained a personal influence over each one +individually. With a small class he could get to know each by name, and +win the affections of all one by one. The words, "He loved little +children," which were the only epitaph on the tomb of a certain +Sunday-school teacher, might well be applied to Gordon. It is difficult +to say what kind of teacher he was, or whether he availed himself of +the latest developments in the art of instructing children; but this is +quite clear, that he had one of the best qualifications a teacher can +possess, love for his pupils. There is a tale of a lady visitor who +once asked a little boy why he went so far to his Sunday-school, when +there were as good ones nearer at hand. The reply was, "They may be as +good, but they are not so good for me;" and when the lady asked him +"Why not?" he said, "Because they love a fellow over there." Love is a +qualification that is too often lacking in teachers, but it was one +that Gordon displayed very prominently. Need we wonder that the "dear +little fellows," as he used to call them, responded by loving him in +return? + +Nor was it only in the Sunday-school that Gordon's love for the young +was exhibited; he also had a class in the ragged school, and used to +invite his boys to his house for instruction in the evening on week +days, as well as on Sunday evenings. When three or four of them had +scarlet fever, he nursed them in his own house, and would sit up at +night talking to them, till he could get them to drop off to sleep. He +used to call these boys "kings," a name suggested to him when reading +Rev. i. 6, "And hath made us kings and priests unto God." He exclaimed +to his sister, "Why then, these are little 'kings,'" and he stuck to +the name. He took great pains to secure good posts for his boys in +ships going to sea, and on a map on his wall he kept a number of little +flags representing the boys he had sent abroad. These flags he used to +move about as he heard from time to time where the lads were. We need +not be surprised that among these boys were some who ardently loved +him, and that they used to give expression to their feelings by +scribbling on the wall with a piece of chalk, as boys will do, "God +bless the Kernel," "C. G. is a jolly good fellow," or "Long life to our +dear teacher, Gordon." The ragged school at Gravesend still retains the +Chinese flags which he presented to the boys, flags which he had +himself captured from the Taiping rebels. They are now kept as precious +relics, to be displayed only on special occasions. Sir Henry Gordon +says, that when the news reached England of the death of the heroic +defender of Khartoum, a young man, about twenty-five years of age, +called on him to inform him that he and others who had been Gordon's +boys at Gravesend, wished to put up some kind of memorial to his +memory, and that he was willing to give £25. He was much overcome when +speaking of all that Gordon had done for him. + +Another writer relates that on one occasion when Gordon was watching +some workmen, he saw among them a lad looking very unhappy. On his +inquiring, the lad said, "Mother has left us, and gone away from home; +and everything there is so miserable that it is not like home at all." +At once the boy was invited to spend his evenings at the Fort House, +where he was instructed in the night school class, and taught to read +his Bible. Some little time after this he fell ill, and the doctor +decided that he ought to be taken to the local infirmary. "Shall I see +you there, Colonel?" he asked with wistful eyes; "I know I am going to +die." "But you are not afraid," replied Gordon, "for now you know who +says, 'I am the Resurrection and the Life.' He will be as near to you +in the infirmary as here, and as near to you in death as in life." "Oh +yes, I know Him now;" and so he did, for as the narrator said, "The +Colonel had led him to Christ by his life and teaching." When in the +hospital the young lad said to a nurse, "Read the Bible to me, there is +nothing like it." "But you are very tired," said the nurse. "Yes, I am +very tired. I do long to go to Jesus." This is a briefly narrated +incident, and is but a specimen of many that might be recorded if space +permitted. + +Gordon also took special pleasure in visiting the workhouse and talking +to the paupers, remembering that-- + + "Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter, + Feelings lie buried that grace can restore; + Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness, + Chords that were broken will vibrate once more." + +Workhouse inmates are, as a rule, a very disheartening class to visit. +A large percentage of them have been brought there by faults of their +own, and most of them are beyond the age when one may reasonably hope +for reform. Gordon's kind heart was proof against disappointment, and +he persistently used to visit the old people, supplying tobacco to the +men, and tea to the women, and chatting away to them, in an effort to +help them to forget their troubles. He was mindful, too, of the sick, +caring not who the sufferer was nor what his complaint; so long as he +was in need, so long was Gordon a regular visitor at his sick-bed. +Frequently when he heard that the doctors had ordered delicacies beyond +the reach of a patient, he would purchase what was required, and +administer it with his own hands. Mr. Lilley says:-- + + "On one occasion he visited a poor, wretched woman, in an + apparently dying condition. He at once lighted a fire, made some + gruel for her, and fed her with his own hand. He afterwards + appointed a nurse to look after her, and sent a doctor to her, and + it is believed that she is still residing at Gravesend, a living + testimony to his generous care." + +The people so loved him, that often instead of sending for the +clergyman when in sickness or trouble, the poor would send for the +Colonel living at Fort House, the official residence of the officer +commanding the Royal Engineers. + +Even his house and garden seem to have been placed at the disposal of +the poor in the neighbourhood. A visitor once remarked to his +housekeeper on the beautiful vegetables his garden produced. She +replied that the Colonel never touched them, but used to let the poor +people come in and cultivate plots of ground in the garden, and grow +their own vegetables; and even when presents of fruit were sent him by +friends, he used to take them to the bedside of some sick person, who +he thought needed them more than he did. + +As for his own food, nothing could have been more simple and plain. The +Rev. S. H. Swaine says, "Coming home with us one afternoon late, we +found his tea waiting for him--a most unappetising stale loaf and a +teapot of tea. I remarked upon the dryness of the bread, when he took +the whole loaf (a small one) and crammed it into the slop-basin, and +poured all the tea upon it, saying it would soon be ready for him to +eat, and in half-an-hour it would not matter what he had eaten." It is +said that some of the boys whom he invited to live in his house were a +good deal disappointed when they saw the kind of fare that was put +before them. They had fondly imagined that the occupant of such a grand +house would have sumptuous meals, which they would share, and they were +not prepared for the plain salt-beef, and other good but very plain +food, to which the Colonel was in the habit of sitting down. But though +he denied himself luxuries of any sort, he often used to take grapes +and other dainties to the sick and the dying. + +All forms of distress aroused his interest; and when the late Canon +Miller of Greenwich was collecting money for the suffering people at +Coventry, during the cotton famine, Gordon took a large and valuable +gold medal, that had been presented to him by the Empress of China, and +having with a gouge scooped out his name, which was engraved upon it, +put it into an envelope and despatched it to the Canon, merely +notifying briefly the object for which it was sent. Efforts have been +since made to discover the fate of the medal, which was of the best +gold, and twice the size of a crown piece, but owing to the death of +Canon Miller, they have hitherto been unsuccessful. + +Gordon was, indeed, generous to a fault, and sometimes he was taken in +by impostors; but as he had a good knowledge of human nature, he was +not deceived so often as many with his generous heart would be. His +generosity was only limited by his purse, and there were times in his +life when he drew the line too fine, for, as he himself once said, "I +assure you that many a time I have not known where my food was to come +from, nor if I should find a place in which to lie down at night." So +long as there was money in his pocket, so long had he money to give +away; but on many occasions he forgot that he had a long railway +journey before him, and that the generosity he displayed to the needy +would not be extended to him at the railway ticket office. But on the +whole, his money was well laid out; many is the lad he started in life, +many the waif he picked up from the gutter, who, now a well-to-do +respectable member of society, might, but for him, have been a +criminal, getting into trouble himself, and leading others astray. + + * * * + +It would be interesting to follow more in detail the career of this +remarkable man at Gravesend, but space forbids. Gordon only spent six +years at this kind of work, and much of the time was engaged in his +official duties, yet the results were so good, that one cannot but +regret that a longer part of his career was not passed in the same way. +From his letters written in the Soudan, it is evident that he often +thought of devoting his old age to work among the poor, had he been +spared. It was, however, willed otherwise, and we are only permitted to +see how much can be done by a man in six years, when his heart is +thoroughly in the work. + +It has been remarked more than once, that Gordon's military career +reminds one of the great soldier Cromwell, who did so much to rescue +England from the degenerate condition into which it had fallen under +the miserable rule of the Stuarts. In the same way the six years spent +by Gordon at Gravesend, very forcibly remind us of the great religious +philanthropist, Lord Shaftesbury, who did perhaps more than any other +man of this nineteenth century, or any other century, to relieve human +suffering, and to solve some of those difficult problems that are +associated with the condition of the poor. Lord Shaftesbury had little +in common with Cromwell, except that both loved God and hated tyranny +and injustice. Their ways of going to work were very different, but one +cannot help seeing that Gordon combined much of both characters; and +had his lot fallen in different times or different circumstances, he +might have undertaken the work of either. He had all the martial +instinct of a Cromwell, and, with it, the love of relieving suffering +which so characterised Lord Shaftesbury. His one object seems to have +been to-- + + "Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, + Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; + Weep o'er the erring ones, lift up the fallen, + Tell them of Jesus, the Mighty to save." + +Gordon was never allowed to carry on any work for any great length of +time, and the six years at Gravesend passed very quickly. In 1871 he +was appointed British representative on the European Commission to +superintend the improvement of the mouth of the Danube, so that it +might be made more navigable for ships. He was engaged in this work for +two years, with his headquarters at Galatz; and the eminent war +correspondent, Archibald Forbes, says that he "found his memory still +green there in the early years of the Russo-Turkish war, fourteen years +after he had exchanged the mosquitoes of the Lower Danube for the not +less venomous insects of the Upper Nile." + +Apart from the testimony of Archibald Forbes, we may be quite sure that +he did some good work at Galatz, for it would be difficult to imagine +him doing nothing but the ordinary routine of official duties. He +always discovered an opening of some sort by which he could help his +fellow-creatures, and his active mind and sympathetic nature were, in +the words of Jean Ingelow, always asking the question of those with +whom he came in contact-- + + "Are there no briers across thy pathway thrust? + Are there no thorns that compass it about? + Nor any stones that thou wilt deign to trust + My hand to gather out?" + +The time had now come when he was to be called to a new form of work, +one to which he was to give the best years of his life, and for which +ultimately he was to sacrifice life itself. In the Crimea and in China, +he had shown what he could do as a soldier; at Gravesend he had set a +noble example to the world of what a Christian philanthropist might do +in his spare hours; and now he was to be called to wage war with the +horrors of slavery. We had him in our midst for six years, and we found +no work for him worthy of his abilities; but while we overlooked his +merits, other nations were not so blind. Just as later on the King of +the Belgians was anxious to secure his services which we were allowing +to remain idle, so now Nubar Pasha, the far-sighted minister of Ismail +Khan, Khedive of Egypt, persuaded him to enter the Egyptian service, +and go to Africa as Governor of the Equatorial Provinces. + +But before we follow him into the Soudan, it may be well to dwell for a +little on the distinctly religious aspect of his life. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +SIMPLE FAITH[4] + + +There are few young men who cannot remember having, in their boyhood, +taken a caterpillar and shut it up in a box. Before long the creature +assumed a chrysalis form, and finally developed into a butterfly, with +a completely new power not possessed by the caterpillar. Instead of +only being able to grovel on the ground, the creature in its new +existence is able to soar high into the air. This is one of Nature's +conversions, and is a faint illustration of the spiritual change which +takes place in the human heart, when the natural man becomes a new +creature with new powers. It is customary for some to sneer at the +doctrine of conversion, scorning the idea of a distinctly spiritual +change taking place in the human heart. It would, however, be difficult +to find any other term by which accurately to describe the change that +took place in Gordon's life. + + [4] In this and the following chapter, I have, in order to give + Gordon's views, selected quotations from his letters at different + periods of his life, but not always in chronological order. For + want of space a large number of extracts have had to be omitted; + those that are given must be taken as specimens. + +Up to a certain period, while he had done well all that he was called +upon to do, and had completely outstripped his peers, showing himself, +in his professional capacity, to be a head and shoulders above his +fellows, there were nevertheless latent powers within him, which had +not yet been called into play. Who can study his life without being +convinced that he had a power with God, in later life, that he did not +possess earlier? Christ said, "I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men +unto Me." He was lifted up before Gordon's eyes, and there was a +distinctive response to the magnetic influence of the Cross; and, as in +the laws of magnetism, the instrument that has been charged can in its +turn charge metal brought into contact with it, so in the life of +Gordon we see, that not only had the Redeemer a distinct influence on +his whole nature, but that he was himself so charged with Divine love, +that he was able to exert a magnetic influence over others. +Ecclesiastics may fight and wrangle about names and terms; we have to +deal with facts. It matters little by what name we call it, the fact +remains that a distinct spiritual change came over Gordon, leaving him +a man who had power with God. But though the effect of this change in +Gordon's life was most marked, it is not so obvious when it took place. +As a boy and a cadet he was full of animal spirits, and somewhat given +to practical joking; but, though not a religious boy, he never was bad +in the ordinary acceptation of the term. After he had obtained his +commission, before he went out to the Crimea, there were distinct +indications of a feeling after God, and some have affirmed that this +was brought about through the influence of his mother. That good +mothers are blessed by God as the means of conveying spiritual light to +their boys, is a fact so frequently evident, that writers and others +are often led to assume it must always be the case. Now, though Gordon +possessed an excellent mother, of whom he was very fond, and who in +later years became a true Christian, as a matter of fact in early life +she was somewhat worldly. She was always a remarkably clever and +sensible woman, but in the matter of religion she never attempted to +influence her son. Whatever of spiritual good there was in him, was +therefore not due to her. That he had great affection for her is clear, +even if there were no other evidence, from a letter written during her +illness in October 1873, when he was abroad, to his sister, in which +occurs this passage:-- + + "Kiss my dear mother, and do not fret for me. I have, thank God, + all comfort, peace, and happy reminiscence with the knowledge that + the Comforter is with you all; that He is able, willing, unselfish, + and kind, and that He will keep you all till you reach the land + where the 'sun never sets,' and where you will see Him, and know + why 'Jesus wept' at Lazarus' grave. Feed by the living pastures; + they will fatten you." + +A few days later he says:-- + + "By keeping my watch at your time, I feel enabled to know what you + are doing. It will be a sore trial for you to see my dear mother + leave her worn-out shell, but you will feel that God takes her to + Himself. My dear mother has spent a useful, hard-working life, and + a happy one; it seems as if it is for you she is kept." + +Still the truth expressed in the following lines applied to Gordon's +case:-- + + "They talk about a woman's sphere, + As though it had no limit. + There's not a place in earth or heaven, + There's not a task to mankind given, + There's not a blessing or a woe, + There's not a whispered yes or no, + There's not a life, or death, or birth, + That has a feather's weight of worth, + Without a woman in it." + +Writers have too often ignored the influence of an elder sister in the +formation of a man's character. There can be little doubt that even +before Gordon went out to the Crimea, he was indebted to his sister for +much spiritual help, as the following letter, written from Pembroke in +1854, shows:-- + + "MY DEAR AUGUSTA,--Write another note like the last, when you have + time, as I hope I have turned over a new leaf, and I should like + you to give me some hope of being received. + + "... I got your very kind letter to-day, and am very much obliged + to you for it. I have not had time to look out the texts, but will + do so to-morrow. I am lucky in having a very religious captain of + the 11th, of the name of Drew; he has on the mantelpiece of his + room the 'Priceless Diamond,' which I read before yours arrived. I + intend sending to you, as soon as possible, a book called 'The + Remains of the Rev. R. M'Cheyne,' which I am sure you will be + delighted with. I told Drew to go to Mr. Molyneux; and he did so, + and of course was highly pleased. I cannot write much in favour of + our pastor; he is a worldly man, and does not live up to his + preaching; but I have got Scott's 'Commentaries.' I remember well + when you used to get them in numbers, and I used to laugh at them; + but, thank God, it is different with me now. I feel much happier + and more contented than I used to do. I did not like Pembroke, but + now I would not wish for any prettier place. I have got a horse and + gig, and Drew and myself drive all about the country. I hope my + dear father and mother think of eternal things. Can I do or say + anything to either to do good? When you get my book, read the + 'Castaway.' + + "You know I never was confirmed. When I was a cadet, I thought it + was a useless sin, as I did not intend to alter (not that it was in + my power to be converted when _I_ chose). I, however, took my first + sacrament on Easter day [16th April 1854], and have communed ever + since. + + "I am sure I do not wonder at the time you spent in your room, and + the eagerness with which you catch at useful books--no novels or + worldly books come up to the Sermons of M'Cheyne or the + Commentaries of Scott. I am a great deal in the air, as my fort is + nine miles off, and I have to go down pretty often. It is a great + blessing for me that in my profession I can be intimate with whom I + like, and have not the same trials among my brother officers as + those in a line regiment have. I ought not to say this, for 'where + sin aboundeth, grace aboundeth more fully;' but I am such a + miserable wretch, that I should be sure to be led away. Dearest + Augusta, pray for me, I beg of you." + +For several years after the date of the above letter, he alludes very +little to religion, and if we may accept his own statement on the +subject, in a letter from China, dated Taku Forts, 15th March 1862, it +is probable that he went back for a time. + + "The climate, work, and everything here suits me, and I am thankful + to say I am happy both in mind and body. I have had a slight attack + of small-pox--it is not necessary to tell my mother this, as it + will trouble her. I am glad to say that this disease has brought me + back to my Saviour, and I trust in future to be a better Christian + than I have been hitherto." + +Then followed the stirring adventures he went through in command of the +Ever-Victorious Army in China; but that he could not, during that +period, have had the full assurance which characterised him later on, +and which arises from the witness of the Holy Spirit, is evident from +the fact that he once remarked to his aunt, Miss Enderby, that he could +not make out how it was that he had feared death so little, when all +the time he did not know that he was prepared to die. + +On the 19th September 1865, his father passed away a few months after +he had taken up his appointment at Gravesend. This event seems to have +marked an important crisis in his spiritual life. He shut himself up in +complete retirement for a few days, and emerged a very different man +from what he had been before. From that time to the day of his death, +he was known as an out-and-out Christian. During the previous ten years +it is clear, from his letters, that he was in the highest and truest +sense a child of God, but there seems to have been something wanting in +his character. From the time of his father's death, he seems to have +had such a firm assurance in Christ, that religion was the prevailing +element of his life. + +It is interesting to note that Gordon dedicated himself to the service +of God not only in the full vigour of health and strength, but at a +time when he might have been, had he chosen, one of the world's +favourites. In the case of some, broken health, advancing age, or +disappointed hopes and ambitions, are the causes that lead to a search +for something more lasting than this world can offer. Thankful as we +may be when any man yields to the higher claims of his Heavenly Father, +whatever the prompting cause may be, it is satisfactory to be able to +record an instance in which apparently none but the highest motives +were at work. Gordon at the time of his father's death was only +thirty-two years of age, and though young, he had done deeds of heroism +which might make many a Victoria Cross hero envy his opportunity and +courage. He had seen what the world had to offer, and he decided that +there was a nobler life to be led. To that new life he dedicated his +remaining years, and, it need hardly be added, he never regretted the +choice. As late as the 26th March 1881, after he had just recovered +from a severe illness, he remarks: "B---- said, when dying, how glad he +was he had sought God in his time of strength, for when he was sinking +he could not do so, and so I feel." + +If we may form any opinion from expressions in his letters, dating from +this time to the day of his death, Gordon's religion brought him that +"peace of mind which passeth all understanding," and which the world +can neither give nor take away. The following are but specimens of many +remarks which he let fall from time to time on this subject:-- + + "I may say that I have died suddenly over a hundred times; but in + these deaths I have never felt the least doubt of my salvation." + + "I would that all had the full assurance of life. It is precisely + because we are despicable and worthless that we are accepted. Till + we throw over that idea that we are better than others, we can + never have that assurance." + +Nor must it be thought that the joy and happiness he experienced in +religion arose from any inward sense of self-satisfaction. Never had a +man a humbler estimate of himself than Gordon, but his faith in this +respect took a very healthy form. Instead of morbidly looking into his +own heart for evidences of his union with Christ, he ever kept his eye +on the precious work of his Saviour for him. Space will not permit many +quotations from his writings, so the two following must suffice. The +one was written soon after his conversion, the other near the end of +his life. + + "_May 3, 1867._--We are _born_ corrupt, and, if the devil had his + way, we should be kept in ignorance of it; our permitted + transgressions show us our state; it is the root that is evil, and + evil must be its emanations, yet we feel much more oppressed by the + outward sin than by the inward corruption." + + "_May 7, 1883._--Give me a ream of foolscap and I will sign it: it + may be filled with my demerits and unworthiness, which I agree to; + but my so doing is a proof of how much I accept the free gift of + God. Unless our Lord's sufferings were in vain, it is just that + sheet of demerits that I have signed which gives me my right to + Him; had I a clean sheet I should have no right to Him." + +Gordon's, however, was not a faith which contents its possessor merely +with a sense of the forgiveness of sins. That he possessed this happy +assurance, is evident. But no sooner had he entered into possession of +some of his privileges as a child of God, than he pressed on to obtain +more spiritual advantages. The indwelling of God in his heart was a +truth to which he attached much importance, and the following extracts +are but specimens of much that might be quoted showing that he held the +same truth from a period very soon after his father's death to the year +which preceded his own death. + + "_July 31, 1867._--I have had very nice thoughts on 1 John iv. + 13--'Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God + dwelleth in him, and he in God.' I think it is the key to much of + the Scripture. I am more than ever convinced that the secret of + happiness and holiness is in the indwelling of God. The same truth + is shown in many other verses, but the above, to my mind, shows it + more clearly. Let a man seek the teaching of the Holy Spirit on + such verses, and he will grow much in grace. As we believe _that_ + text, so we shall realise the presence of God in our hearts, and, + having Him there, we have as a sequence holiness and love. He alone + can make us believe the truth and keep it in mind." + + _"March 15, 1882._--It had struck me before, in 1865, that the + ordinary Christian life of _non-assurance_ was not a sufficient + gain to have come from Christ's incarnation and death; then I + learnt _assurance_, then followed the knowledge of His indwelling, + then the solution in my mind of the problem of the safety of + others; and then I halted, having given up the thought that in this + life it was possible to regenerate the body, putting down its + failings as venial and connected with our human infirmities. In + time it came to me that surely some growth, some improvement, ought + to be made, some increased sanctification ought to be expected, + one ought not to be so very barren; glimpses of selfishness, + self-seeking pride, and a certain weariness of one's _châteaux + d'Espagne_ came to me, and led to this--Christ dwelleth in us, and + His light enlightens all dark places." + +He held very strongly the teaching of the Apostle in Rom. vii., that we +have two natures contending for the mastery, the one good and the other +evil. Writing to his sister he says:-- + + "We are torn in twain by our two natures, namely, our own judgment + and our faith, and the result must be inconsistent work. How can it + be otherwise? In appearance the Bible is inconsistent, and so must + we be who fulfil it. The only consolation is to fall back on the + text, 'Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto + thine own understanding.'" + +And again on the 6th October 1878:-- + + "You cannot evade it: we are each composed of two beings--one of + which we see, which is temporal, which will fulfil certain works in + the world; and one unseen, eternal, and which is always in + conformity with God. One is sometimes uppermost, sometimes subdued, + but rules in the long run, for it is eternal, while the other is + temporal." + +Gordon was a remarkable instance of the truth of the text, "The people +that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits," a truth which +is as applicable to individuals as it is to nations. Gifted by nature +with a strong character, its strength was greatly developed by the way +in which he came into personal contact with God in the study of His +Word. He yielded no slavish subservience to any Church or priest, +however good, but tested all doctrines by the unerring standard of +God's truth. "Take the Holy Spirit," he used to say, "for your teacher, +and you will never want another word from man on questions of +doctrine." He never shrank from facing difficulties, or new theories, +as some do who are not quite sure of the ground on which they stand, +but would ask all who propounded novel doctrines for chapter and verse +for their authority. When difficulties arose, he used to treat them as +that great scholar, the late Dean Alford did, as shown in the following +words: "I find difficulties in the Bible as well as others, but I am so +convinced of the general truth of that sacred volume as a whole, that I +can easily afford to suspend my judgment on those matters which for +some purpose perhaps God has not permitted me to understand." + +The Bible was to Gordon a living oracle, to which he used to apply at +all times. Here are extracts from two of his letters showing how he +regarded it:-- + + "Out of commiseration for our dual condition, God _has_ given us an + oracle which will answer any question, advise, instruct, and guide + us; now this oracle must be His voice, for, if not, it would not be + His word. He has in His infinite wisdom incarnated His voice in the + Scriptures; His voice is to be understood by the highest or lowest + intellect; it gives answers, &c., through all time. To the carnal + man it is an ordinary book, to the spiritual man it is alive and + makes alive." + + "Whether we may apprehend it or not, the Scripture contains the + mind of Christ, and is, when illuminated with the Spirit, as if + Christ was ever talking to us. Now, we should think that if Christ + was ever near to talk with us, _that_ should suffice us, and + consequently, _as I believe that in theory_, I try to realise it in + practice." + +Knowing the high value that Gordon placed on the Word of God, we shall +not be surprised to hear that he took intense pains to study the sacred +volume. He incidentally mentions that one page of his Bible had been so +worn by use that he could hardly read the words. The energy and +thoroughness ever evinced in his professional duties, he also practised +in the earnest search for God's truths. He used to apply the text, "In +the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread," to the soul as well as to +the body, to the living Bread of Life as well as to the bread that +sustains physical life. At one time he devoted a great deal of time to +studying the book of Revelation, although he admitted that it was the +most difficult book in the Bible to understand. He did not profess to +understand it all, but he used to quote that saying of Dr. Mackie's, +"The blessing to be looked for does not come by comprehension, but by +the reading of the revelation God has given us in His Word, Rev. i. 3." +But though he read and studied his Bible as earnestly as he would any +other book, he never forgot the fact that only the Holy Spirit can +teach us the truths contained in it. + + "We can see the _history_ of the Bible, and may understand it, but + we forget that we are blind to its secret mysteries, unless God + shows them to us; our Saviour says, 'Unto you it is _given_.' Only + the Spirit _in_ man finds God." + +He contended, moreover, that there could be but little benefit from a +mere theoretical study of the Bible, and that consequently the best +school in which to learn the sacred truths it contained was that of the +discipline of life. + + "I feel sure that no study without trial is of avail; life must be + lived to learn these truths. I believe, if a man knows his Bible + fairly, and then goes forth into the world, God will show him His + works. The Jews learnt the Scripture by heart, and so I expect our + Saviour did; He therefore had no need to study it. He applied its + teachings to life and its trials." + +Nor did Gordon study his Bible only when he was alone, for he was very +fond of reading it in company with those who, like himself, valued it. +Thus Mr. Pearson, of the Church Missionary Society, who was at Nyanza, +gives a brief account of his visit to Khartoum in 1878, and says, +"After the work of the day was finished, Gordon would say, 'Let us have +reading and prayer;' and in that very palace which was, perhaps, the +scene of his death, we used to meet and pray, not separating sometimes +until one in the morning." + +Before leaving Gordon and his Bible, it is interesting to note that the +actual copy of the Scriptures which he had for a long period, including +the time of his first visit to Khartoum, is now at Windsor Castle in +the possession of the Queen. The following is the Queen's letter on the +subject:-- + + "WINDSOR CASTLE, _March 16, 1885_. + + "DEAR MISS GORDON,--It is most kind and good of you to give me this + precious Bible, and I only hope that you are not depriving yourself + and family of such a treasure, if you have no other. May I ask you, + during how many years your dear heroic Brother had it with him? I + shall have a case made for it with an inscription, and place it in + the Library here, with your letter and the touching extract from + his last to you. I have ordered, as you know, a Marble Bust of your + dear Brother to be placed in the Corridor here, where so many Busts + and Pictures of our greatest Generals and Statesmen are, and hope + that you will see it before it is finished, to give your opinion as + to the likeness.--Believe me always, yours very sincerely, + + "VICTORIA R. I." + +It is not a little remarkable that in the history of all eminent +Christians, those who attach great importance to the study of the Word +of God invariably make a point of spending much time at the throne of +grace, waiting on God in prayer. These two means of grace seem to be +almost inseparable, and we seldom find one much in use without the +other. Some people talk about being too busy to spare time for prayer +or study of the Scriptures, but Luther used to say that the more work +he had to do, the more necessary did he find it to hedge-in time during +which he could be alone with God. The more work there is to be done, +the more strength is needed, and therefore the more important is it to +make use of those means which alone can bring strength for work. Few +men get through more work in the course of the year than Gordon did, +but he made a great point of so arranging his work as to enable him to +find time for private communing with God. + +When in the Soudan as Governor-General he used to hoist a flag outside +his tent to indicate to outsiders that he was not to be disturbed +except under very urgent circumstances, and that flag became the signal +that the occupant of the tent wanted to be alone with his God, to seek +for guidance[5] and strength, which he felt he needed so much in +conducting the affairs of the province over which he was called to +rule. Like all men who begin by praying much for themselves, his heart +was soon drawn out in prayer for others; and it is evident that he +interceded much for his enemies, as well as for those with whom he was +officially brought into contact. Thus in one letter he says: "I believe +very much in praying for others; it takes away all bitterness towards +them;" and on another occasion:-- + + [5] It is sometimes said that Gordon used to "toss up" when he + was in any doubt, and that such a step indicates want of faith in + prayer. As a matter of fact, he did appeal two or three times to + lot in this way, and he used to quote Acts i. 26 as a precedent; + but it is not true that he often decided questions thus, nor is + it true that he resorted to an appeal to lot instead of seeking + guidance in prayer. He would pray first, and ask God to indicate + His mind in this modern form of appeal to lot. + + "The only remedy with me is to pray for every one who worries me; + it is wonderful what such prayer does. In heaven our Lord + intercedes for us, and He governs heaven and earth. Prayer for + others relieves our own burdens. God turned the captivity of Job + _when he prayed for his friends_, who had been as thorns in his + side. I feel strongly that the grace God gave me to pray for my + enemies in the Soudan led to my success, though I certainly used + the sword of Cæsar on them." + +Those who are opposed to the doctrine that salvation is not to be +obtained by human merit, but by simple faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, +sometimes assert that the Gospel teaches people to be selfish, by +thinking first of their own salvation. As a matter of fact, the most +active Christians are those who hold this doctrine; and never has the +Church of our country been so fruitful of good works, as when her +children have been careful to make it clear that salvation is not to be +obtained by them. It is not selfishness for a man to think of his own +soul first, when he knows that he cannot do much good to others till +its salvation is assured. The happy combination between a natural +unselfishness, and a newly developed love for the temporal and +spiritual welfare of his fellow-creatures, had very blessed results in +Gordon's case. No sooner was he thoroughly convinced of the importance +of religion, than his unselfish nature exhibited itself in a marvellous +development of the missionary spirit at home and abroad. When Gordon +secured anything good, his unselfish nature at once prompted him to let +others share it. It is sometimes supposed that only men of strong faith +are in earnest about the propagation of their faith, but this is not +altogether a correct way of stating a fact. The young man who makes +good use of the muscular power given to him by Nature acquires greater +strength, whereas he who fails to do so finds that he has to pay the +penalty of his neglect in having his muscles grow flabby and feeble. +And so it is with faith. The unselfish man who starts with a weak +faith, but is determined to let others derive as much benefit as +possible, finds his faith growing stronger and stronger, as he +continues to witness evidences of the influence of that faith on +others. Had Gordon, like one in the parable, wrapt his faith up in a +napkin, instead of making good use of it by putting it out to usury, he +might never have acquired the strong faith which so characterised him. +As it was, he not only to the last day of his life had cause to thank +God for the full assurance he enjoyed, but the number of orphans, of +widows, and of others, who derived benefit directly or indirectly from +his faith, will never be known. + +There are some to whom one might apply, though in a slightly different +sense, the words of Naaman's servants, "If the prophet had bid thee do +some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it?" While willing to +exercise this faith in the performance of great deeds, they overlook +numerous smaller opportunities of working for their Master, and fail to +do anything because they are always looking out for great +opportunities. The great change in Gordon's life took place at +Gravesend, and it was there he commenced to show that intense longing +to do good to others which characterised him to the end. Nothing was +beneath his notice, nobody too insignificant for him. The gutter +children, and the inmates of the workhouse, might have been passed over +by many in his position who had higher aims. It was not so with Gordon, +and consequently he quickly cultivated the missionary spirit, and soon +reaped a rich harvest, proving the truth of Browning's lines about the +humble-minded man, who finds nothing too insignificant for his +energies:-- + + "That low man sees a little thing to do, + Sees it and does it: + This high man with a great thing to pursue, + Dies ere he knows it. + That low man goes on adding one to one, + His hundreds soon hit: + This high man aiming at a million + Misses an unit." + +Here was a man, who had already made a great name for himself in the +world, and might, had he wished, have been far better known, planning +out for himself a future career, the main object of which was to spread +abroad a knowledge of those spiritual truths which had so greatly +benefited him, and that not by the formation of some great society, +some splendid organisation, but by simply putting himself into touch +with some of the humble city missionaries, and, through their +instrumentality, getting at the poor. Witness these two passages from +his letters:-- + + "_January 8, 1881._--I hope, D.V., to put myself in communication + with some of our Scripture-reader people, and shall try and visit + Christ, who is in the East end in the flesh (Matthew xxv. 34). I + feel this is what I shall like; these truths were not given to make + a man idle." + + "_September 24, 1881._--I have been down for two Sundays to meet a + lot of Chinese, and have spoken to them as well as I could. I have + not yet touched on Jesus and His sacrifice, but spoke of God's + indwelling. It was satisfactory, and they were pleased." + +It is also interesting to note how, from time to time, he kept on +reproaching himself for not being more alive to his responsibilities, +and making better use of his opportunities to do good. He even seemed +to begrudge himself the few months' holiday he spent in Palestine +recruiting his health and energies. Writing on August 14, 1882, he +says:-- + + "Fancy, since I left Mauritius, with the exception of twenty-nine + days on board ship, I have been living at hotels, and, I may say, + have not talked of the pearls to more than a dozen people." + +And again from Palestine he wrote:-- + + "You know I do not like idleness; I want to get to a place where I + can find sick people to visit, feeling sure that is the necessary + work for me; I think He will direct me, so I seek no advice + elsewhere. I leave it to God, to decide in His time. I do not like + the ways of the polished world, and my dislike has increased during + the time I have been here." + +However much Gordon might reproach himself, it must not for one moment +be supposed that, in the ordinary acceptation of the word, there was +any cause for it. He was in truth a most indefatigable worker, and no +matter how hard his official work was, he always seemed to find time to +do something for his Master. A case in point is the time he spent in +South Africa, when it is difficult to understand how he got through all +the official work he managed to compress into his brief sojourn. Yet we +find that the herculean task of reorganising the colonial army was not +the only thing that occupied his attention, for on the 12th August 1882 +he writes to his sister:-- + + "How odd, those leaflets[6] being in Dutch, and my wanting them, + and your sending them just as I am about to go up to the Free + State, when, as in the 'Auld time long ago,' I shall be dropping + them along the road near the Boer towns. What hundreds I did give + away; how I used to run miles, if I saw a scuttler (boy) watching + crows in a field! If I, or any one else, went now to Gravesend and + dropped them, how quickly men, now grown up, would remember that + time. Send me the whole lot out unless you want them, I mean of all + languages; it is the loveliest leaflet I ever saw, and it still + looks fresh." + + [6] This leaflet consists principally of a few choice and + carefully selected passages of Scripture, and shows how intensely + he valued the _ipsissima verba_ of God's own word, as a means of + reaching the human heart. + +Francis de Sales, an eminent saint of the Roman Catholic Church, when a +famine was prevailing, and he wanted to preach in a certain village, +purchased twelve waggons and packed them with bread. He sent the +waggons forward one at a time, going on the last one himself. "For," +said he, "we must get at the poor through their physical natures. They +will be the more willing to receive our message for their souls when +they see that we care about their bodies." Gordon used to act on the +same principle, and made a great point of caring for the physical wants +of any he found in trouble. It would be difficult to enumerate all the +instances of this to which publicity has been given, but a few cases +may suffice. One lad who exhibited consumptive tendencies he sent at +his own expense to Margate. The boy recovered, grew up to be a man, and +christened his eldest son "Gordon," in memory of one who, he used to +say, had "saved both his body and soul." Another story is told of a +case in which Gordon handed over a dirty little urchin to one of his +lady friends, with the remark, "I want to make you a present of a boy." +Under good influences the lad grew up until he became a respectable +member of society. Years after, when he was earning good wages at sea, +and was about to be married, he fell from the topmast of his vessel, +and was conveyed to the Gravesend Infirmary with a fractured skull. In +his last moments, however, he did not forget his benefactor, and, in +trembling tones, asked his adopted mother to tell the Colonel how he +valued the truth contained in that beautiful hymn he had taught him, +"Jesus, Lover of my soul." The same writer mentions also the history of +a boy called Albert who, through Gordon's kindness, was apprenticed to +a tradesman at Gravesend. Subsequently the lad went into a business +house at Southampton, where he was placed in a department which he did +not understand. Fearing that his services would be dispensed with, he +communicated with his friends, and they, in turn, wrote to General +Gordon, who happened to be staying in Southampton at his sister's +house. Without loss of time the General called on "Little Albert," whom +he scarcely recognised in the youth of six feet two inches who +presented himself, and had a consultation with his employer. The result +was that the young man was retained in his situation, and placed in a +department with which he was well acquainted. + +It is by no means uncommon to find that those who are eager about the +spread of spiritual truths among professing Christians, are also keenly +alive to the importance of mission work among non-Christian people. +Gordon was a remarkable instance of this happy combination. The chapter +that deals with his life in Palestine gives an insight into this part +of his character, but a few words will not be out of place here to show +his opinion on this subject in other countries. He had a very high +ideal of what a missionary should be, and a supreme contempt for bad +missionaries. He was on the whole fortunate in the class of men he came +across in Palestine, the Soudan, and South Africa. In the first of +these two places the missionaries belonged to the Church Missionary +Society, an organisation with which he was much in sympathy. But he +also met men of other societies, and his large-hearted sympathies went +out to them too. He was a great admirer of Livingstone, and spoke of +him with much respect and affection. The spirit of heroism which has +characterised so many of our missionaries attracted him greatly. "Do +not send lukewarms," he once wrote to Mr. Wright, the Honorary +Secretary of the Church Missionary Society; and one of the first things +he did at Gravesend was to support the Moravian Missions by becoming +their local treasurer. Later on in Africa he writes, "How refreshing it +is to hear of the missionary efforts made in these countries." + +We may not quite agree with all that Gordon said on the subject of +foreign missions, and some may think that the standard he set up was +too high for frail human nature to aim at. Moreover, recent events in +Uganda, and elsewhere, may have shown us that good work can be done by +men who fall far short of Gordon's standard. Nevertheless, we cannot +but feel that he was himself, in the truest sense of the word, a +missionary, and that the Earl of Harrowby did not at all exaggerate the +truth when he said about Gordon, after his death:-- + + "I believe that one effect of that man's example was to lift up a + noble standard for the cross in a way that no professional + missionary could have lifted it up, and to oblige devotees of + pleasure and people who had thought but little of such things to + acknowledge the power of the Gospel. Many who saw him and spoke to + him could not understand him. It was to them a marvellous sight to + witness, and I feel that we can hardly be grateful enough to that + great man for the infinite benefits which he has bestowed upon us + as friends of missions." + +Apart from any direct work that he did to advance the cause of +missions, an illustration has recently been given us in _The Jewish +Intelligencer_, showing what an influence his life had on Mohammedans +and others with whom he came in contact. The writer describes a +conversation he had with a shereef from Mecca, a man who was held in +the greatest veneration by all loyal Mohammedans. He was a +well-informed man, and had travelled much. In speaking of Gordon, he +said: "Oh! the English lost a great man, it is true, but the unhappy +Mussulmans have lost in him a benefactor, a father, and a servant of +the true God. Before I knew him I hated the Christians, but Gordon has +taught me to love them; and I see more clearly every day that a +religion which makes such heroic, faithful, and disinterested men, can +only be a religion coming from the true God." And, believe me, the +whole Mohammedan world has felt, and still feels every day, the loss of +the noble defender of Khartoum. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +HIS CATHOLICITY + + +So many Churches and parties have laid claim to Gordon's patronage, and +such extraordinary views have been attributed to him on religious +subjects, that it may not be out of place to say something on the +point. His mind was very comprehensive, and his whole nature +sympathetic, consequently many, differing widely from each other, have +regarded him as an ally of their own cause. When he became Private +Secretary to Lord Ripon, on the appointment of the latter, who is a +Roman Catholic, as Governor-General of India, it was stated in some of +the Indian papers that the new Viceroy had been urged by Mr. Gladstone +to accept a Baptist as his Private Secretary, in order to conciliate +the Nonconformist and Protestant element in England. There was not a +word of truth in the statement. The Baptist Church has possessed some +very eminent men, such as Sir Henry Havelock, Dr. Carey, Dr. Judson, +Dr. Angus, and Mr. Spurgeon, but General Gordon was not one of their +number. He was baptized as a member of the Church of England, and +though he was never confirmed, yet he lived and died a communicant of +that body. In many ways he was a thorough type of that catholic +generous class of Churchmen, so characteristic of our National Church, +which, taking a large-hearted view of Church membership, recognises all +that is good, noble, and pure in other systems, and is not afraid of +losing caste by associating with Nonconformists. Nor would it be fair +to say that his catholicity developed only in the direction of the +Nonconformists, for no man ever tried more than he to see good in other +systems of religion, such as the Roman Catholic and Greek Churches, and +even Mohammedanism. He had a remarkably open mind, and was always +anxious to distinguish between persons and principles. He fully +recognised the errors of certain religious systems, but this did not in +the least interfere with his recognition of good in the individuals who +adhered to them. The catholicity of his own views may be gathered from +the following extracts made from his letters at different times:-- + + "I do not think much of getting help from only one particular set + of men; I will take Divine aid from any of those who may be + dispensing it, whether High Church, Low Church, Greek Church, or + Roman Catholic Church; each meal shall be, by God's grace, my + sacrament." + + "I would wish to avoid laying down the law: you may look at a plate + and see it is round; I look at it, and see it is square; if you are + happy in your view, keep it, and I keep mine; one day we shall both + see the truth. I say this, because we often are inclined to find + fault with those who do not think as we do, 'who do not follow + _us_.' Why trouble others and disturb their minds on matters which + we see only dimly ourselves? At the same time I own to repugnance + to the general conversation of the world and of some religious + people; there is a sort of 'I am holier than thou' in their words + which I do not like, therefore I prefer those subjects where such + discussions do not enter." + + "Join no sect, though there may be truth in all. Be of the true + army of Christ, wear His uniform, _Love_: 'By this, and by no other + sign, shall men know that ye are My disciples.'" + +If we may judge of a man by his friends and his books, few can surpass +General Gordon in catholicity. He used to say that he learned certain +truths from certain individuals. Thus, from the writings of an eminent +Plymouth Brother, C. H. Mackintosh, he learnt the doctrine of the two +natures within himself, and from a Mr. Jukes he learnt the lesson of +the crucifixion of the flesh. "Mr. Mylne," he used to say, "taught me +the importance of intercessory prayer, and Colonel Travers taught me +the importance of bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit." He valued +also Bishop Pearson's work on the Creed, and the standard work on the +Thirty-nine Articles by the lately-retired Bishop of Winchester. "The +Imitation of Christ," by Thomas à Kempis, was a favourite book, and one +which he gave away largely. "Christ's Mystical," by Hall, and "The Deep +Things of God," by Hill, were also much valued, and given away to his +friends, as well as Clark's "Scripture Promises," and Wilson on +"Contentment." He was an admirer of the eminent preacher Charles H. +Spurgeon, about whom he says:-- + + "I found six or seven sermons of Spurgeon in the hotel, and read + them. I like him; he is very earnest; he says: 'I believe that not + a worm is picked up by a bird without direct intervention of God, + yet I believe entirely in man's free will; but I cannot and do not + pretend to reconcile the two.' He says he reads the paper to see + what God is doing and what are His designs. I confess I have now + much the same feeling; nothing shocks me but myself." + +He was personally very fond of the late Bishop of Lincoln, Dr. +Christopher Wordsworth, describing him as "imbued with the indwelling +of God; only one fault--he is hard on the Roman Catholics." The last +phrase gives a good insight into the working of Gordon's mind. Romish +Catholicism, as a religious system, was about as opposed as anything +could be to his own views, which were all in favour of comprehensiveness, +and a large display of individuality. But though he had no sympathy +with the narrow exclusiveness of that ecclesiastical survival of the +dark middle ages--the Roman system--he had the greatest sympathy with +earnest individuals, who in spite of their system possessed the Spirit +of Christ. He had many sincere friends who were members of the Church +of Rome, and he used to remark that some of them set a noble example of +devotion to many Protestants, who did not act up to their own +principles. Writing on the 5th January 1878, he says:-- + + "Why does the Romish Church thrive with so many errors in it? It is + because of those godly men in her who live Christ's life, and who, + like as Zoar was spared for Lot's sake, bring a blessing on the + whole community. For self-devotion, for self-denial, the Roman + Catholic Church is in advance of our present-day Protestantism. + What is it if you know the sound truths and do not act up to them? + Actions speak loudly and are read of all; words are as the breath + of man." + +But in spite of his large-hearted toleration he had no hesitation in +speaking out against the tendency of Romanism which unduly exaggerates +the position of the priests, and puts the laity into a subservient +position with regard to them. Writing from Khartoum with regard to the +Abyssinians, he says:-- + + "The excommunication of the priests is the great weapon--it is + terrible; far worse than, or quite as bad as, that of the + Inquisition. It amuses me to hear the Catholic priests here + [Khartoum] complain of it, and say that the priests want to keep + the people ignorant, so as to rule them. Is it not what _they_ + would do elsewhere, if they could?" + +It may be supposed by some that General Gordon was a member of what is +known as the Evangelical party in the Church of England, but though he +held perhaps more in common with that party than with any other, it +would be inaccurate to say that he belonged to it. Religious party +views are always rather difficult to describe, and it will be found +that in every party there are some whose minds do not run on partisan +lines. An eminent bishop was once asked to define the three parties of +the National Church, and he replied, that the High Churchman always +asked what the Church taught, the Broad Churchman could be +distinguished by his asking what reason taught, and the Evangelical was +known by his asking what the Bible taught. If such a rough-and-ready +system of classification be applied to General Gordon, there can be no +question that his loyalty to the Bible would stamp him at once. In +addition, however, to this characteristic, which was the most prominent +one in his life, he held in common with the Evangelicals, and far more +strongly than the majority of them, the doctrine of Election, and the +wise policy of cultivating friendly relations with Nonconformists, to +whose places of worship he frequently went, as also the doctrine of +personal assurance, and that of the utter depravity of human nature. +But Gordon was not of a type of mind that can ever go completely with a +party. He had such a strong individuality, that it would have been +impossible for him to do as many do--sink his own views on questions +not of vital importance, so as to be enabled to work with the party +with which he was most in accord. He was nothing, if not original and +genuine; he sought the truth for himself, and would not receive +stereotyped views of religion where he did not see that they were in +harmony with the Bible. + + "He that cannot think is a fool, + He that will not is a bigot, + He that dares not is a slave." + +His fearlessness in the search for truth made him frequently touch on +subjects on which his own mind was not fully made up. The fate of those +who had not accepted Christ as their Saviour was one of these points. +Though he frequently spoke of his own salvation, through the merits of +Christ, he believed that God had provided some means of saving those +who had never had opportunities of hearing of Christ, but he never +dogmatised on what those means were. Referring to his Mohammedan +secretary, Berzati Bey, he writes on the 12th April 1881:-- + + "He will ever be one of those who have taught me the great lesson, + that in all nations and in all climes there are those who are + perfect gentlemen, and who, though they may not be called + Christians, are so in spirit and in truth. They may not see how + Christ is their Saviour, but they die with a sense that all their + efforts are useless, and with the conviction that unless God + provides some way of satisfying His justice, they have no hope." + +The fate of the heathen who are suffering, not from any personal +rejection of true religion, but on account of the sins of some distant +ancestors who forsook the worship of the true God, is a mysterious +subject, and one on which true Christians have differed. The most that +any of us can do is to take comfort in the conviction that-- + + "The love of God is broader + Than the measure of man's mind." + +It must not, however, be thought, because Gordon held that the +ignorance of the heathen was no bar to their salvation, that he in any +way undervalued the benefits of the Christian faith. Again and again, +in view of his being asked to become a Mohammedan in order to save his +life, he says in substance what he wrote on September 10, 1884, when +Khartoum was surrounded with bigoted Mahdists: "If the Christian faith +is a myth, then let men throw it off; but it is mean and dishonourable +to do so merely to save one's life, if one believes it is the true +faith." + +He also believed that heathen magicians had influence with God. Writing +to his sister shortly after a repulse that his men received from some +natives near Moogie, in the Equatorial Province, he says: "Did I not +mention the incantations made against us by the magicians on the other +side, and how somehow, from the earnestness that they made them with, I +had some thought of misgiving on account of them? These prayers were +earnest prayers for celestial aid, in which the Pray-er knew he would +need help from some unknown power to avert a danger. That the native +knows not the true God is true; but God knows him, and moved him to +pray, and answered his prayer." + +But while General Gordon held much in common with the liberal +Evangelicals, there was one point on which he differed from them very +strongly, and on which he was more in sympathy with the Broad Church +party in the National Church, or those amongst the Nonconformists known +as the Down Grade party; this was the doctrine known as Universalism. +Whether we agree with him or not, we must in honesty recognise the fact +that Gordon held a modified form of the doctrine that there is no such +thing as future punishment. Writing on the 13th October 1878 he gives +his views thus:-- + + "I look on universal salvation for every human being, past, + present, or future, as certain, and, as I hope for my own, no doubt + comes into my mind on this subject. Is it credible that so _many_ + would wish it to be otherwise, and fight you about it? And among + those _many_ are numbers, whose lives, weighed truly as to their + merits by the scale of the sanctuary, would kick the beam _against_ + those _they_ condemn. + + "Once I did believe that some perished altogether at the end of the + world--were annihilated, as having no souls. After this, I believed + that the world was made up of incarnated children of God and + incarnated children of the evil spirit; and then I came to the + belief that _the two are in one_. + + "With reference to the doctrine of annihilation, I do not think it + gives the same idea of God as is obtained from this other view. It + may show force to annihilate, but we should think more highly of a + monarch who would, by his wisdom, kindness, and long-suffering, + turn a rebel people into faithful subjects, than of him who had the + land wasted and utterly destroyed his rebellious subjects. I do not + think that after the declaration, 'It is _finished_,' there can be + any more probation; punishment brings no one to God." + +Once more, writing on the 16th May 1883, he says:-- + + "I have become much more timid about speaking of these matters of + universal salvation, yet perforce one comes to this question. If + every one lives, then he must live by the fact of his possession of + an emanation of the Life of Life, which must be good, and never can + be evil. This emanation is the cause of his existence, his life in + fact, and that I regard as the '_he_.'" + +Perhaps the best answer will be found in Sir William Butler's "Life of +Gordon." Dealing with Gordon's difficulty about future punishment, he +says with truth:-- + + "Yet never lived there man who in his own life had seen more of the + vast sum of human wrong-doing which has to be righted somewhere, + and on which no sword of justice ever lights in this world. He does + not seem to have asked himself the question, If I am shooting and + hanging these maker of orphans; if I am punishing with stripes and + chains these sellers and buyers of human flesh, and doing it in the + name of truth and right, is the Great Judge of all to be denied His + right to use the sword of justice upon those who are beyond my + reach? Are nine-tenths of the evil-doers on earth not only to + escape the penalty of their crimes, but often and often to be + favoured reapers in the harvest of the world's success? You catch + the common robber, or the man who steals, perhaps through + starvation, penury, or through knowing no better, and you imprison + him for years or for life; and is the rich usurer who has wrung the + widow's farthing from her, is the fraudulent bankrupt, is the + unjust judge, is the cruel spoiler of war to pass from a world that + in millions and millions of cases gave them wealth and honours, and + stars and garters, instead of ropes and bars and gallows, to go + forthwith to free pardon, to everlasting light and endless rest + beyond the grave? It would indeed be strange justice that meted to + Jude and Judas the same measure of mercy in the final judgment." + +It must be borne in mind that Gordon was not a trained theologian but +an earnest Christian soldier. As his brother, Sir Henry Gordon, reminds +us, he led a very lonely life, and consequently often lost opportunities +of hearing both sides of a question. He might come across a book on one +side, and thus adopt a certain set of views without hearing the +opposite side. No man was more capable of forming a sound opinion, when +arguments _pro_ and _con_ were fairly laid before him, but his peculiar +style of life often prevented him from doing justice to his own +judgment. + +If Gordon was likely to err in one direction more than another, it was +in that of an exaggerated form of kindness. He had a tender, loving +heart, which unduly influenced his judgment. It would be well for all +students of God's Word if it could be said that their only failings +arose from exaggerated virtues. All have some weak points, and it would +be ridiculous to claim for Gordon immunity from error. + + "Find earth where grows no weed, and you may find + A heart wherein no error grows." + +No writer would be doing justice to Gordon if he failed to deal with +his views on the subject of God's Sovereignty, for from the beginning +to the end of his religious life he attached the greatest importance to +this doctrine. He was avowedly what is generally called a Calvinist, +though as a matter of fact he very seldom made use of the term. That +sainted prelate, the late Bishop Waldegrave, when once he heard a young +clergyman sneering at the doctrine which so frequently goes by the name +of Calvinism, remarked: "Young man, before you denounce Calvinism, take +care that you properly understand what the term means, or possibly you +may find yourself contending against some of God's truths." Now that it +is so fashionable to denounce Calvinism, it is perhaps well to act on +the good bishop's advice, and see whether we thoroughly comprehend it, +or whether all the time we are not contending with a creation of our +own imagination which is but a caricature of the thing itself. Even +Froude, the great historian, who, whatever else he is, is not a +Calvinist, inquires how it is that Calvinistic doctrines have +"possessed such singular attractions for some of the greatest men who +have ever lived? If it be a creed of intellectual servitude, how was it +able to inspire and sustain the hardest efforts ever made by man to +break the yoke of unjust authority?" + +Of course in Calvinism, as in the opposite doctrine, some have gone to +great extremes and brought ridicule on the subject, but as Gordon's +views were strictly moderate, and eminently practical, it is not +necessary to consider to what extreme lengths some may go who differ +from him on either side, nor is it necessary to consider all the +revolting doctrines which have been attributed to Calvin by his +enemies, nor some of the things he may even have said in the heat of +argument. Gordon was distinctly of the moderate school of Calvinists; +he believed that the heart of man was so corrupted by the Fall, that he +could not of his own accord turn to God, and that consequently in the +case of those who did turn, it must have been God's work, drawing the +heart to Himself. He contended that to look at Christianity from the +opposite standpoint, that of Human Responsibility, pandered to the +pride which is innate in the human heart. Thus the individual would be +always tempted to think that it was _his_ wisdom, _his_ foresight, +_his_ strength, _his_ decision, or _his_ something, that made him +close with the offer of mercy, and so looking around him, and seeing +many going astray, he would be tempted to congratulate himself on _his_ +success, when so many failed, and to fondly imagine that it was a case +of the survival of the fittest. Once let the Christian grasp the actual +truth, and he is deprived of this element of self-glorification. His +title to honour is removed by the thought that an exterior power, +unknown to himself, drew him with the cords of love, or drove him with +the lash of fear. There are numerous passages in which Gordon expressed +himself on this subject, but perhaps the following states his views as +well as any:-- + + "To accept the doctrine of man having no free will, he must + acknowledge his utter insignificance, for then no one is cleverer + or better than his neighbour; this must be always abhorrent to the + flesh. 'Have not I done this or that?' 'Had I naught to do with + it?' For my part, I can give myself no credit for anything I ever + did; and further, I credit no man with talents, &c. &c., in + anything he may have done. Napoleon, Luther, indeed all men, I + consider, were directly worked on, and directed to work out God's + great scheme. Tell me any doctrine which so humbles man as this, or + which is so contrary to his nature and to his natural pride." + +Although writers have often attempted to show that Gordon was an +extreme Calvinist, there is no evidence that he ever stated his views +on the subject in any stronger language than that used in Article XVII. +of the Prayer-Book of the Church of England, which says:--"Predestination +to life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the +foundations of the world were laid) He hath constantly decreed by His +counsel secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom He +hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to +everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour." However it may be +with others, Churchmen at all events have no right to sneer at Gordon's +views on the doctrine of God's Sovereignty, or Fatalism, as he more +frequently used to call it. + +Nor did Gordon confine his views on Election merely to the initial +stage of the Christian life; he believed that the same loving Father, +who in the first instance had drawn him into the fold, watched over +him, and ordained for him what was to happen. Some fatalists, seeing +that a certain thing is _likely_ to happen, say that God has ordained +that it shall be, and they fold their hands, and make no effort to +avert a catastrophe. Not so with Gordon; until the thing had actually +happened, he would exert all his powers to prevent it; but when he +failed to avert any impending trouble, he would find comfort in the +thought that it was ordained by God, and would fret no more about it. +In a letter to his sister, he said:-- + + "It is a delightful thing to be a fatalist, not as that word is + generally employed, but to accept that, _when things happen_ and + _not_ before, God has for some wise reason so ordained them. We + have nothing further to do, when the scroll of events is unrolled, + than to accept them as being for the best; but _before it is + unrolled_, it is another matter, for you would not say, 'I sat + still and let things happen.' With this belief all I can say is, + that amidst troubles and worries no one can have peace till he thus + stays upon his God--_that_ gives a superhuman strength." + +It has been asserted that Gordon was very hard on the clergy, and that +he did not believe in a divinely appointed order of ministry. This has +probably arisen from certain statements of his that have appeared in a +disconnected form. Take the following passages from letters written at +different periods of his life:-- + + _From the Crimea._--"We have a great deal to regret in the want of + good working clergymen, there being none here that I know of who + interest themselves about the men." + + _From Gravesend._--"The world's preachers and the world's religion + of forms and ceremonies are hard and cold, with no life in them, + nothing to cheer or comfort the broken-hearted. Explain, O + preachers, how it is that we ask and do not get comfort, that your + cold services cheer not. Is it not because ye speak to the flesh + which is at enmity to all that is spiritual and must die (joy is + only from the spirit)?... You preach death as an enemy instead of a + friend and liberator. You speak of Heaven, but belie your words by + making your home here. Be as uncharitable as you like, but attend + my church or chapel regularly.... Does your vast system of + ceremonies, meetings, and services tend to lessen sin in the world? + It may make men conceal it. Where would you find more hardness to a + fallen one than you would in a congregation of worshippers of the + Church of this day? Surely this hardness is of the devil, and they + who show it know not God." + + _From the Soudan, April 20, 1876._--"The sacerdotal class have + always abounded; they are allied with the temporal civil power, who + need their aid to keep the people quiet. 'By whose authority + teachest thou these things?' is their cry; from them alone must + come the authority." + + _From Jaffa, July 11, 1883._--"I believe the deadness in some of + the clergy is owing, firstly, to not reading the Scriptures; + secondly, to not meditating over them; thirdly, to not praying + sufficiently; fourthly, to being taken up with religious secular + work (Acts vi. 2-4). I wonder how it is that, when a subject of the + greatest import is brought up, one sees so very little interest + taken in it; and how willingly it is allowed to drop with a sort of + 'Oh yes, I know all about that.'" + +Yet it is quite incorrect to say that Gordon undervalued the work of +hard-working clergymen. He was of a critical turn of mind and used to +criticise their methods of working, but no one recognised more fully +than he did the good that was being done by many devoted workers, and +these he would of course exclude when administering blame for the +shortcomings of the others. He had a way of speaking and writing in +general terms that might be a little misleading to those who do not +understand him, but he always took it for granted, in his private +letters to his sister, or to his intimate friends, that they would +understand to whom he meant his words to apply. There are plenty of his +statements which show that he valued highly the ministry of some of the +more spiritually minded among the clergy. Those who preached the truth +of the indwelling of God had in his opinion a great influence over +those to whom they ministered. Writing from South Africa on 5th June +1882, he says:--"Both clergymen here preach the great secret, the +indwelling, but not as strongly as I could wish. Their churches are +full, while, where it is not preached, they are comparatively empty." + +It would indeed quite misrepresent Gordon's views to say that he +ignored the work of the ministry as a body. He was one of those who +believed that it was the duty of every one to be a labourer in the +vineyard, whether he was ordained or not, and he himself set a noble +example in working for his Master. At the same time he never called in +question the principle which the Bible, and also the Prayer-Book of the +National Church, recognise, that it is for the good of Christianity +that there should be a division of labour, and that, while all should +be workers, some should give themselves wholly to the work of the +ministry. Apparently, in Apostolic days, every one who was converted +became a labourer, and there certainly was no hard-and-fast line of +demarcation between laymen and ministers. Perhaps we have gone too far +in the other direction, and made too much distinction between lay and +clerical workers, but it is only due to the National Church of this +country to say, that this is the result of custom and of secular law, +rather than of ecclesiastical law. Considering that the Prayer-Book was +written or compiled by the clergy, it is wonderful how carefully they +avoided setting up undue claims, so as to magnify their own office. +There is indeed only one expression in the Prayer-Book to indicate that +the authors believed that the ministry was of Divine appointment, and +that is a sentence, occurring three times over in the Ordination +Service, which runs: "Almighty God, who by Thy Divine Providence hast +appointed divers orders of ministers in Thy Church, &c." This merely +asserts that the Bible teaches that there were deacons and elders, or +ministers, in Apostolic days, and it is difficult to read the New +Testament without recognising this fact. Certainly Gordon did not deny +it. Indeed no body even of the Nonconformists does so except the +Plymouth Brethren. Gordon's shrewd common sense showed him that, apart +from any Divine sanction to the principle, there must be a division of +labour, there must be specialists in every department of life, and +religion was no exception to the general rule. Though he would resent +the pretentious claims of an exclusive ministry, he never opposed the +principle of a scriptural ministry. He had friends who were in the +ministry, and he derived great benefits from their teaching. + +The truth is that Gordon thought more of the man than he did of the +profession or calling. Shovel hats, wideawakes, long-tailed black +coats, and white ties were nothing to him. What he valued was the man +who was to be found beneath the clerical costume. Was he a true man, or +was he merely a professional hireling? Had he a heart to sympathise +with the sufferings of his fellow-creatures, and to help them to wage +war with sin and temptation? If so he would find a true friend in +Gordon; but it mattered little in his eyes what the external profession +was, if there was an absence of the internal reality. Gordon hated +everything that was not genuine, and of all the shams in life the +religious one was to him the worst. + +It is not a little interesting to note that while some considered him +almost a Plymouth Brother on the one hand, others have attributed to +him extreme party views in an opposite direction on the subject of the +Lord's Supper. It may not, therefore, be out of place to show exactly +what his views were, for though apparently peculiar, they were +certainly not extreme. For many years he appears not to have given much +thought to the subject of Holy Communion, but in 1880 the Rev. Horace +Waller directed his attention to it, and after that time he took up the +subject very warmly, as the following passages will show:-- + + "_December 4, 1880._--'This do in remembrance of _Me_.' I mean, + with God's blessing, to try and realise the truth that is in this + dying request. I hope I may be given to see the truth and comfort + to be derived from the Communion. I have in some degree seen it + must be a means of very great grace; but of this in the future. It + is a beautiful subject. Do not peck at words. Communion is better + than sacrament, but communion may exist without the eating of the + bread, &c. Sacrament means the performance of a certain act, which + is an outward and visible sign of spiritual grace. You need not + fear my leaving off this subject, it is far too engrossing to me, + and is extremely interesting." + + "_March 26, 1881._--I had looked forward to a Communion, but could + not go. I must confess to putting great (but _not salvation_) + strength on that Sacrament." + + "_February 18, 1882._--What a wonderful history! these thoughts of + eatings and sacraments. Eat in _distrust of God_, and _trust in + self_, and eat in _distrust of self_, and _trust in God_. It is + very wonderful, as is also that the analogy should be so hidden. + Eve knew no more what would happen to her by her eating, than we do + by our eating." + + "_January 10, 1883._--I hear that at my village the Greek-Russian + Church give the Lord's Supper to all who present themselves, + without query; they give it in both kinds--bread and wine, so I + shall go there. It is odd that no queries were asked when we + poisoned ourselves in Eden; but that, when we wish to take the + antidote, queries are asked. It is sufficient for me that the Greek + Church is Christian, and that they 'show forth the Lord's death + till He come.'" + +But though Gordon never adopted extreme views, or in any way +exaggerated the benefits of that sacred meal to which all Christians +attach importance, still, from the somewhat peculiar way in which he +sometimes stated his views, they might be thought very fanciful. For +instance, he used to contend that as sin came into the world by eating, +it was only natural that by "eating, spiritually and actually, Christ +who is the Life," sin should be destroyed. "I cannot repeat it too +often, that as the body was poisoned by the eating of a fruit, so it +must be cured from its malady by absorbing an antidote. To the world +this is foolishness. I own it, but the wisdom of God is foolishness to +man" (_Observations on Holy Communion_, p. 12). In other words, the +evil came in by eating, so the antidote to sin should come by the same +means. Plainly stated, this does unquestionably sound somewhat +fanciful; but then it must be remembered that Gordon was neither a +theologian nor a lawyer, and consequently he never studied accuracy of +definition. The fact is, that many have completely misunderstood his +views for the simple reason that they have interpreted his words too +literally, and made no allowance for poetic imagination and figurative +language. There is a sense in which he was correct. No orthodox +Christian doubts the fact that sin came into the world through our +ancestors eating the forbidden fruit. The antidote to sin is Christ, +and for us to partake of the benefits of His death we must appropriate +Him by faith, or, in other words, we must by faith feed on Him, which +is the same as a spiritual participation. By "eating," Gordon meant, +not the mere swallowing of the symbols, but the whole process of +participation in the death of Christ. Every sound Christian theologian +must admit that this is necessary to salvation, and more than this +Gordon did not mean. + +It is interesting to note that this independent searcher after truth +was by no means singular in his views, and that traces of them are to +be found in the works of Augustine and other patristic writings, which +possibly he had never seen. One writer has remarked that in the garden +of Eden the command was "Eat not," and we know too well how that +injunction was disobeyed. When Christ, the antidote to sin, came, He +bade His followers "Take, eat," but with the perversity of human nature +that characterises fallen man, too often that command is also +neglected. + +There is another point to which reference should be made. When at +Khartoum, Gordon wrote to a friend, "There is no eating up here, which +I miss." Some have contended that in this sentence he showed that he +recognised the necessity for the presence of a priest, to make the +Lord's Supper a valid ordinance. As a matter of fact, he never believed +that the presence of a clergyman was necessary for Holy Communion. +There were besides himself only two Englishmen at Khartoum during the +siege, and one of them was Power, a Roman Catholic, who, although a +great admirer of Gordon, probably would, from early training, have had +conscientious scruples about taking the Lord's Supper without the +presence of a priest. The other Englishman was Colonel Stewart, who, +despite his friendship for Gordon, was not in sympathy with him in +regard to religious matters. Had the three Englishmen been like-minded, +there can be no question that that sentence in Gordon's letter would +never have been written. + +This is a subject that touches Christian men in the army and navy, as +well as in the merchant service, very closely. Frequently such men for +months together never see a clergyman, and it would be absurd to say +that under such circumstances they must neglect the dying command of +their Saviour. + +It is told of three officers, who were great friends, that on the night +before the battle of Waterloo, they agreed to partake together of the +Holy Communion. The senior of them took an ordinary glassful of wine +and some bread, and they knelt together, and asked God to bless the +sacred rite. They rose, and the senior administered to each, using the +beautiful words of the Church of England Communion Service. They never +met together again on earth, but who can question the validity of that +sacred meal, and who would dare to say that the ceremony would have +been more acceptable to God if a clergyman had been present? The Bible +nowhere asserts that the presence of a minister is necessary, and our +National Church has very wisely followed the example of the Bible. The +Church of Rome does teach that the presence of a priest is necessary to +make Holy Communion a valid ordinance. Our National Church, in common +with the various bodies of Nonconformists, recognises, as a matter of +ecclesiastical order, that under ordinary circumstances, an officiating +clergyman should be present. But his presence in no way affects the +validity of the sacrament, being merely a wise precaution against the +admission of unworthy communicants. The laity surrender into the hands +of the clergyman, or the minister aided by elders or deacons, their +power of admitting or rejecting worthy or unworthy persons. But under +abnormal circumstances, such as those in which Gordon was placed at +Khartoum, ecclesiastical order would be suspended, and any two or three +Christian laymen would have a perfect right to partake of the Holy +Communion in accordance with the Word of God. This is the view that +Christian officers in the army and navy have always taken, and those +who were pained to think that Gordon gave his support to their +opponents, may rest assured that no man contended more than he did for +that liberty which is the very essence of Christian teaching. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +AS GOVERNOR OF THE EQUATORIAL PROVINCE + + +It has already been mentioned that when Colonel Gordon was at Galatz he +met Nubar Pasha. In September 1873 Nubar asked him to enter the service +of the Khedive of Egypt. While waiting to know whether the British +Government would sanction this step he wrote home as follows:-- + + "For some wise design God turns events one way or another, whether + man likes it or not, as a man driving a horse turns it to right or + left without consideration as to whether the horse likes that way + or not. To be happy, a man must be like a well-broken, willing + horse, ready for anything. Events will go as God likes. It is hard + to accept the position; the only solace is, it is not for long. If + I go to Egypt or not is uncertain; I hope He has given me the + strength not to care one way or the other; twenty years are soon + gone, and when over it will matter little whether I went or not." + +The proposed step was sanctioned by the authorities, and so, at the age +of forty-one, Gordon became the governor of the immense Equatorial +Province. _En route_ to Egypt he writes from Paris: "I remember that +God has at all times worked by weak and small means. All history shows +this to be His mode, and so I believe if He will He may work by me." + +Of course some little time had to be spent in Cairo; the Khedive Ismail +was anxious to make the acquaintance of his new governor, and certain +preliminaries had to be settled. Gordon had a suspicion that his +appointment was a sham, and that he would not have the power he needed +to suppress the slave trade. He was determined that _coûte qui coûte_ +he would not be made a tool of to blind the European public, so at +the very outset he showed his colours, and let the Khedive clearly +understand that he was not a mere hireling anxious to secure a +well-paid billet. As for his pay, though his predecessor had received +£10,000 per annum, he decided to cut it down to £2000; for, as he said, +the whole would be wrung out of the unfortunate natives, who could ill +afford the high taxation to which they were subjected. Writing home at +this juncture, he said:-- + + "My object is to show the Khedive and his people that gold and + silver idols are not worshipped by all the world. They are very + powerful gods, but not so powerful as our God; so if I refuse a + large sum, you--and I am responsible to you alone--will not be + angry at my doing so. From whom does all the money come? From poor + miserable creatures who are ground down to produce it. Of course, + these ideas are outrageous. 'Pillage the Egyptians!' is still the + cry. + + "I am quite prepared not to go, and should not think it unkind of + God if He prevents it, for He must know what is best. The twisting + of men carries out some particular object of God, and we should + cheerfully agree now to what we will agree hereafter when we know + all things." + +His characteristic outspokenness--a style of thing to which Egyptian +officials were not accustomed--somewhat alarmed a few of his friends, +and on one occasion he was urged not to make an enemy of Nubar Pasha, +who was a very powerful minister, and could, it was said, do him a +great deal of harm. At this Gordon fired up, and before those present +said that he would like to see the man who was capable of injuring him. +Shakespeare has well said:-- + + "What stronger breastplate than a heart untainted! + Thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just, + And he but naked, though locked up in steel, + Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted." + +Though Nubar showed his powers of appreciation in recognising merit in +Colonel Gordon, when he met him at Galatz, there can be no question +that he little understood the honest, straightforward character of the +man with whom he had to deal. He must have often wished that he had +never met Gordon, for, whilst the new governor was not a man to seek +office for the sake of the "loaves and fishes," once in power he was +not one of those pliant characters who will act as mere dummies in the +hands of others. Men with great strength of character, good abilities, +and honest intentions are invaluable, when their official superiors are +capable of appreciating their merits; but when those under whom they +serve have ulterior purposes to attain, weak, pliant natures make +better servants for their purposes. In Colonel Gordon's own mind his +mission at this time was to combat slavery, and in every possible way +to ameliorate the sufferings of the unfortunate people over whom he was +called to rule. Nubar Pasha held very different views from the +newly-appointed governor on many points that were likely to arise in +connection with these duties. The Soudan and the Equatorial Province +were so frightfully mismanaged and cruelly governed that, Gordon says, +"when Said Pasha, the Viceroy before Ismail, went up to the Soudan with +Count F. Lesseps, he was so discouraged and horrified at the misery of +the people that at Berber the Count saw him throw his guns into the +river, declaring that he would be no party to such oppression. It was +only after the urgent solicitations of European consuls and others that +he reconsidered his decision." + +It is quite amusing to see the efforts that were made at Cairo to break +in the new governor, and to fit him for his post, in accordance with +the traditions of the country. As soon as everything was settled, +Gordon, with his usual promptness, and absence of all love of display, +was anxious to be off to his post of duty, and for that purpose to +utilise the ordinary passenger steamer from Suez. But about states such +as Egypt was before the British occupation, there is a strange mixture +of reckless expenditure combined with paltry meanness. Although the +Egyptian authorities once refused to pay the travelling expenses of an +official travelling on duty from Alexandria to Cairo in connection with +Colonel Gordon, yet they insisted on this occasion that it would be +unbecoming to the dignity of a governor to travel by an ordinary +steamer, so a special one was set apart for this purpose. Gordon +afterwards calculated that had he been allowed his own way, he would at +the outset have saved at least £400! For the sake of peace he yielded +the point, and went from Cairo in a special train, and from Suez in a +special steamer, accompanied by a large number of useless servants. He +had his revenge, however, for owing to an engine getting off the line, +there was a long halt, and finally he had to proceed by the ordinary +train. Gordon was a remarkable instance of the general rule, that the +greater the ability of a man the less affection has he for display, and +for all the official trappings of office. The only display that Gordon +ever cared for was that of intrinsic merit and hard work, and these +qualities he always looked for in his subordinates. + +Colonel Gordon reached Suakim on February 25th, 1874, and writing home, +he records his impressions of Cairo and its officials. "I think the +Khedive likes me, but no one else does; and I don't like them, I mean +the swells, whose corns I tread on in all manner of ways. Duke of This +wants steamer, say £600. Duke of That wants house, &c. All the time the +poor people are ground down to get money for all this. 'Who art thou to +be afraid of man?' If He wills, I will shake all this in some way not +clear to me now. Do not think I am an Egoist; I am like Moses who +despised the riches of Egypt. I will not bow to Haman." Little did he +then foresee that before eight years had passed British guns would be +shaking the stronghold of Alexandria, and that 10,000 Egyptian soldiers +would yield the citadel of Cairo to a small force of some 300 troops +carrying the British flag. From Suakim he went on a camel to Berber, +and thence by steamer to Khartoum, the first time he ever visited a +place which now can never be mentioned without awakening in the mind +associations of this noble servant of God, who feared neither man nor +devil. + +At first Gordon was to a certain extent subordinate to the +Governor-General of the Soudan, through whom he had to get supplies. +But by September 8th he was enabled to write: "I have now entirely +separated my province from that of the Soudan. When I came up I had +instructions to ask for all I wanted from the Governor-General of +Khartoum, who was ordered to supply me. Now this was from the first a +fruitful source of quarrel, and must have been so, for I could not be +continually writing to the Khedive about the non-supply of things and +money; it would have worn me and every one out. Now I am quite +independent, raise my own revenue, and administer it, and send the +residue to Cairo, which residue is all they care for there." + + * * * + +The Equatorial Province lies considerably to the south of Khartoum, and +is bisected by the Nile. As a matter of fact, the equator does not run +through any part of the province, though the southern part comes very +close to it, just touching the Victoria Nyanza, through the north of +which the equator runs. The hold that Egypt had at any time on this +province was indeed very slight, and considering how little capable she +was of managing even her own affairs, it does seem ridiculous in the +extreme that she should ever have attempted to annex an enormous +country outside her borders. When Egypt was really strong and powerful, +as in olden times, it does not appear that she ever held territory +beyond Wady Haifa, and it is in reality only within this century, +during the whole of which Egypt has been weak, that she has extended +her territory down to the equator. Far from gaining either money or +prestige, she has lost greatly by her annexations. Had the Nile, which +is the only highway, been easily navigable for ships of any size, +possibly the tide of civilisation might have gone south as well as +north, and the history of these provinces might have been very +different. But the Nile is full of rapids, or cataracts, as they are +called, and at certain seasons of the year is absolutely impassable for +large boats, while the paucity of wells makes regular travel by land +impossible. From Khartoum to Gondokoro, which was the capital of +Colonel Gordon's new province, a distance of about 1000 miles, another +obstacle presents itself, in the form of an almost impassable barrier, +known as a "sudd," which forms on the river, and puts a stop to +traffic. Gordon said that the sudd is formed by an "aquatic plant with +roots extending five feet in the water. The natives burn the top parts, +when dry; the ashes form mould, and fresh grasses grow till it becomes +like _terra firma_. The Nile rises, and floats out the masses; they +come down to a curve and then stop. More of these islands float down, +and at last the river is blocked. Though under them the water flows, no +communication can take place, for they bridge the river for several +miles." + +Gordon left Khartoum on March 23, 1874, for Gondokoro, and on the 26th +he writes: "Last night we were going along slowly in the moonlight, and +I was thinking of you all, and the expedition, and Nubar, &c., when all +of a sudden from a large bush came peals of laughter. I felt put out; +but it turned out to be birds, who laughed at us from the bushes for +some time in a rude way. They are a species of stork, and seemed in +capital spirits, and highly amused at anybody thinking of going up to +Gondokoro with the hope of doing anything." Gordon was full of hope, +and very sanguine of success; but from the day when he reached Cairo, +croakers all along the route had been whispering in his ear the +hopelessness of his mission, and how utterly impossible it was to +reform anything connected with such a corrupt administration as that of +Egypt. Fortunately, though he used at times to have terrible fits of +depression, he possessed a great deal of dogged perseverance. It was +this that in China had enabled him to overcome all obstacles in +fighting the enemy, and the same indomitable spirit now made him +persevere and hope on, when every one else despaired. Not only were +there real foes in every direction, determined if possible to frustrate +his mission, but in addition there was physical suffering to endure +from climatic and other causes. "No one can conceive," says he in a +letter written on April 10th, "the utter misery of these lands, heat +and mosquitoes day and night all the year round. But I like the work, +for I believe that I can do a great deal to ameliorate the lot of the +people." Two days after this he passed through a place called St. +Croix, which had been a Roman Catholic mission station, but so +unhealthy was it that it had at last been abandoned. After thirteen +years of work not a single convert had been made, although during that +period the missionaries had plodded on in the face of discouragement, +and in spite of the appalling havoc that death and sickness had made in +their ranks. Out of twenty missionaries thirteen had died of fever, two +of dysentery, and two had been invalided. A few banana trees were all +that remained of the settlement at which these heroes had been +sacrificed. + +Gordon reached Gondokoro on April 16th, just twenty-four days after +leaving Khartoum. Everybody was much surprised to see him, for it was +not even known that he had been appointed. He remained only six days, +and then started back to Khartoum, in order to get his baggage. Not +finding it there, he went on to Berber to hurry up the escort, but not +till he had given the corrupt Governor of Khartoum a bit of his mind. +"I have had some sharp skirmishing with the Governor-General of +Khartoum," said he in a letter home, "and I think I have crushed him. +Your brother wrote to him and told him he told _stories_. It was +undiplomatic of me, but it did the Governor-General good." Having +secured his baggage, he returned to Gondokoro. _En route_ he writes +from the entrance of the Sanbat River:-- + + "We arrived here from Khartoum a week ago, and I have made a nice + station here, and made great friends with the Shillock natives, who + come over in great numbers from the other side of the river. They + are poorly off, and I have given them some grain; very little + contents them. I have employed a few of them to plant maize, and + they do it very fairly. The reason they do not do it for themselves + is, that if they plant any quantity they would run the chance of + losing it, by its being taken by force from them; so they plant + only enough to keep body and soul together, and even that is sown + in small out-of-the-way patches." + +He reached Gondokoro the second time on September 4th, receiving the +salaams and salutes of the officers, men, and functionaries, together +with the submission of all the neighbouring chiefs. In the whole of his +province Egypt had only two forts, one at Gondokoro, the capital, with +300 men, and one at Fatiko, further south, with 200 men. "As for paying +taxes," said he, "or any government existing outside the forts, it is +all nonsense. You cannot go out in any safety half-a-mile, all because +they have been fighting the poor natives and taking their cattle. I +apprehend not the least difficulty in the work; the greatest will be to +gain the people's confidence again. They have been hardly treated." + +The chief culprit, to whom much of this misgovernment was due, was +Raouf Bey, whom Gordon found at Gondokoro. This man had been in office +for six years, and proved a miserable failure. "Raouf had never +conciliated the tribes, never had planted dhoora; and, in fact, only +possessed the land he camped upon." Yet he made it a grievance that +Gordon refused to employ him, and the present Khedive of Egypt many +years afterwards made him Governor-General of the Soudan when Gordon +resigned. + +What most astonished Gordon was the apparent want of affection on the +part of the natives for their offspring, and it pained him none the +less when he reflected that this was entirely due to the slave trade, +and the sufferings the poor people had endured. One man brought Gordon +two of his children of 12 and 9 years old, because they were starving, +and sold them for a basketful of grain, and though the father often +came to the station after this, he never asked to see them. Gordon +mentioned another case, of a family in which there were two children. +Passing their hut one day, and seeing only one child, he asked the +mother where the other was. "Oh," said she, "it has been given to the +man from whom the cow was stolen"--her husband having been the culprit. +This was said with a cheerful smile. "But," said Gordon, "are you not +sorry?" "Oh, no! we would rather have the cow." "But you have eaten the +cow, and the pleasure is over." "Oh, but all the same, we would sooner +have had the cow!" Gordon adds, "The other child of twelve years old, +like her parents did not care a bit. A lamb taken from the flock will +bleat, while here you see not the very slightest vestige of feeling." +Such an incident shows how the human heart can, under certain +circumstances, degenerate to being "without natural affection." It is +not the people who are to blame, but their cruel conquerors. Not many +miles away from this place, in a district which the tyranny of slavery +has not yet reached, Dr. Schweinfurth says of the natives: +"Notwithstanding that certain instances may be alleged which seem to +demonstrate that the character of the Dinka is unfeeling, these cases +never refer to such as are bound by the ties of kindred. Parents do not +desert their children, nor are brothers faithless to brothers, but are +ever prompt to render whatever aid is possible." The famous negro +prelate, Bishop Crowther, and the celebrated traveller, Mr. Stanley, +bear similar testimony. There can be no question that the African, in +his normal condition, is as capable of affection as the native of any +other country. + + * * * + +Slavery has been, is, and as long as it exists will be, the curse of +Africa. "Not a soul," said Gordon, "to be seen for miles; all driven +off by the slavers in years past. You could scarcely conceive such a +waste or desert." Such was his comment when at the entrance of the +river Sanbat, and such would have frequently been a correct description +of the country blighted by this cursed traffic. + +Speaking generally, slavery exists now only in Mohammedan countries +(though there are a few exceptions), yet it cannot be called a +Mohammedan institution. The Prophet sanctioned only the taking of +slaves in war. The custom of his time was to kill and often to torture +prisoners taken in war, so that really it was a step in advance to +suggest that these captives should be utilised as servants. To a great +extent, if not entirely, slavery as an institution is due to the low +moral standard set up by the Koran. Were it not for love of sensual +indulgence, slavery would long ago have died a natural death. Over and +over again has it been proved that voluntary service is far cheaper +than enforced labour. An Indian coolie will work all day, and ask for +little more than enough to keep body and soul together. This much the +slave-owners are compelled to give to keep their slaves in health. +Slaves are valuable property, and it is cheaper to feed them well than +badly. But over and above the food, the slave-owner has to bear the +cost of transit from their bright happy homes in Central Africa, +through hundreds of miles of scorching desert, which demands a +frightful death-toll. Only the strongest ever reach the slave-markets, +and it has been calculated that at least 500,000 lives are annually +sacrificed during transit. Indirectly the slave-owner has to pay for +these. When slaves were taken in war, they cost nothing to transport; +but when Mohammedan conquests ceased, the supply ceased with it, for +Mohammedans are not allowed by the Koran to make slaves of men of their +own creed, though they do sometimes infringe this rule. + +It is generally supposed that the slave trade originated in the fact +that in certain parts of Central Africa there are no horses or beasts +of burden, as owing to the existence of the tetse-fly no animal can +live. Consequently ivory and everything else has to be carried on the +heads of porters. These porters were engaged by the Arab ivory dealers +in the interior, and marched in large gangs to the seaports. Having +reached their destination, and given up their loads, the question of +transport back to their villages would arise. The Arab traders found +that it would suit their purpose best to sell the porters as slaves. +Who was to know whether or not they were taken in battle? In Mohammedan +countries, so long as plenty of backsheesh is forthcoming, those in +authority ask few questions. Soon the sale of slaves became more +profitable than the ivory trade, which possibly had originated it, and +so the one was substituted for the other, the authorities not only +winking at it, but encouraging it as a source of large revenues to +them. At one time a large number of so-called Christians were engaged +in this unholy traffic, but the scandal became so great that European +public opinion would not tolerate it, and so they had to sell their +stations to Mohammedan Arabs, who if possible were even more cruel and +relentless in the way they conducted the trade. Merchant princes arose +among them, and they carried on their business with a thoroughness and +a system worthy of a better cause. Soldiers were trained, and large +armies kept for no other purpose than that of collecting slaves. +Peaceful villages were surrounded, night attacks were made, whole +tribes were marched off to the slave markets, the road being lined by +grinning skulls to show the way in which the victims suffered _en +route_. + + "Not for this + Was common clay ta'en from the common earth, + Moulded by God, and tempered with the tears + Of angels, to the perfect shape of man!" + +The unfortunate captives were chained together to prevent escape, and +often the fastenings were secured in a way so unnecessarily cruel, that +they had great difficulty in securing any sleep, either at night or +during the day when the periodical halts were made. Indeed the ordinary +precautions that we take in the convoy of large herds of cattle were +generally neglected. This is all the more surprising when we consider +what great trouble these men took to secure their victims; one would +have thought that self-interest at least would often have dictated a +more humane policy, but it does not appear to have been so. + + * * * + +In hunting for these gangs of slaves, it was a subject of deep regret +to Gordon that often his action only tended to increase their +sufferings. In the Central African deserts there are only a few wells, +at long intervals, and the poor captives suffered terrible thirst on +the march from well to well. But the surest way of intercepting the +gangs was to hold the wells. When the slave-dealers knew that a certain +well on which they were marching was held by Gordon, they would make a +detour in order to avoid him, and their unfortunate victims would be +kept from quenching their thirst for unusually long periods, with the +result that many would succumb to the appalling heat. If a slave +exhibited great exhaustion, and showed little chance of being able to +reach the next halting-place, the drivers would not even trouble to +waste a round of ammunition, but, unchaining the victim, would kill him +by a blow on the back of the neck with a mallet or a piece of wood, and +leave his body where it lay, to feed the vultures. Often young girls, +and even infants, were marched through deserts, through which Gordon +declared that he shuddered to contemplate a journey on his fleet-footed +camel. It was with truth that Burns said-- + + "Man's inhumanity to man + Makes countless thousands mourn." + +Some of the slave traders had become very rich, and one of them, Zebehr +Rahama, now in captivity in Gibraltar, had become so powerful that even +the Khedive dared not molest him. His field of operations lying at a +considerable distance from Gordon's province, these two did not come in +contact, until the latter was made Governor-General of the whole of the +Soudan, and so it is not at the present time necessary to do more than +merely allude to him as the king of slave hunters. Many more carried on +a successful business, and some of them conducted their operations in +the Equatorial Province; and it is hardly necessary to say that the +first thing the new governor did was to break up the organisations of +these men. He was only appointed in Cairo during the month of February, +and after that time he had to spend many weary days and nights in +travelling. But in June we find him seizing an Arab dealer named +Nassar, at the head of a large convoy of slaves, and casting him into +prison. By this brilliant stroke he not only got possession of a +well-known culprit, but struck terror into the hearts of smaller +dealers. But, as in the case of the Taiping rebels, whom he at once +turned into soldiers to fight for him, so Nassar was enlisted into his +service. "Do you know," he wrote, "I have forgiven the head slaver +Nassar, and am employing him; he is not worse than others, and these +slavers have been much encouraged to do what they have done. He is a +first-rate man, and does a great deal of work. He was in prison for two +weeks, and was then forgiven." Other quotations could be made from his +letters showing that he had formed a high opinion of the abilities of +the Arabs engaged in slave dealing, with a correspondingly low one of +the Egyptian soldiers who were employed to put them down. The Arabs +were enterprising, plucky fellows, with the spirit of a man in them, +whereas the soldiers were a cowardly and contemptible lot. When in +large numbers, they used to ill-treat and bully the natives, who +consequently took every opportunity of retaliating. Gordon, with his +quick perception, saw that the best way to remedy this was to scatter +the soldiers about in small detachments, just strong enough to defend +their posts, but not to take advantage of the people:-- + + "I have the garrisons small on purpose to make them keep awake; and + it has its effect, for they are all in a fearful fright along the + line. I cannot help feeling somewhat of a malicious enjoyment of + their sufferings. If I personally am at any station, even if there + are thirty or forty men there, the sentries all go to sleep in + comfort. Not so in my absence; every one is awake, I expect. Having + nothing to do--or rather not doing anything, though there is plenty + to be done--they sit and talk over the terrors of their position, + until they tremble again. I never in the course of my life saw such + wretched creatures dignified by the name of soldiers. Fortunately, + though I can do the work of the province without an interpreter, I + cannot speak to the men except by my looks, or tell them my opinion + in words, though my letters are pretty strong." + +The results of this policy were excellent. Not only were the garrisons +kept on the alert and prevented from oppressing the people, but the +country was opened up and travelling rendered safer. Writing home, +Gordon says:-- + + "It is such a comfort having my roads open. One man came down from + Bedden to-day alone. Before I came it would have needed thirty or + at least twenty men to go along this route. The blacks would have + concealed themselves in the grass, and stuck a spear into the + hinder-most man; now they are quite friendly. A Bari in my + employment stole a sheep yesterday, and down came the natives to + complain and have justice, which they got. Is it not comfortable? + All this has effected a great change among my men. They no longer + fear the blacks as they did, and altogether a much better feeling + exists. Going up to Kerri, where in September last the convoy of + Kemp was harassed all the route, I went on alone with four or five + soldiers behind me, and never felt the least apprehension; for the + natives talk much amongst themselves, and the virgin tribes had + heard we were not to be feared, and that their cattle was safe from + pillage. A year ago an escort of five or six soldiers used to + accompany each nuggar either coming up or down. Even the steamers + carried an escort of the same number. Now not one soldier either + goes with one or the other. This has prevented all pillaging _en + route_, for our people dare not do it now, not having the escort + of soldiers." + +In spite of his contempt for the soldiers under him, he treated them +kindly and made great efforts to improve them. Now and then he would +give them a magic-lantern lecture, and in other ways try to benefit +them mentally and morally. No doubt in this he succeeded to a great +extent, and at all events he had the satisfaction of feeling that he +was liked by them. In another letter he says:-- + + "The men and officers like my justice, candour, and my outbursts of + temper, and see that I am not a tyrant. Over two years we have + lived intimately together, and they watch me closely. I am glad + that they do so. My wish and desire is that all should be as happy + as it rests with me to make them, and though I feel sure that I am + unjust sometimes, it is not the rule with me to be so. I care for + their marches, for their wants and food, and protect their women + and boys if they ill-treat them; and I do nothing of this. I am a + chisel which cuts the wood; the Carpenter directs it. If I lose my + edge, He must sharpen me; if He puts me aside and takes another, it + is His own good will. None are indispensable to Him; He will do His + work with a straw equally as well." + +Gordon had not been long in his province when he saw that the only +effectual way to abolish slavery was to open up the country, and +encourage traders by making it safe for them to travel about. Much as +he did personally to punish slave-hunting, and to break up gangs of men +so engaged, he always considered that his best efforts should be +devoted to the opening up of the country for trade. At the time he was +there, and now also, the leading men were all more or less engaged in +slave-hunting, and no one dared to say a word against them. Gordon +wanted to introduce an independent class of traders, who would soon be +sufficiently powerful to give evidence against the leaders of the +slave-hunting system. His desire afterwards to serve the King of the +Belgians in the Congo territory was with the object of developing +trade, and thus ultimately of preventing slave-dealing. With regard to +Egypt, he formed his ideas during the first year he was in the country, +and he steadily adhered to them to the end. Writing from Tultcha, on +17th November 1873, he says:-- + + "I believe if the Soudan was settled, the Khedive would prevent the + slave trade; but he does not see his way to do so till he can move + about the country. My ideas are to open it out by getting the + steamers on to the lakes, by which time I should know the promoters + of the slave trade and could ask the Khedive to seize them." And + again: "God has allowed slavery to go on for so many years; born in + the people, it needs more than an expedition to eradicate it; open + out the country, and it will fall of itself." + +Though he was not permitted during his life to see much permanent +result from his arduous labours, yet far from his efforts having been +in vain, he it was who revived in Europe an interest in the subject, +and conclusions arrived at by the recent Anti-Slavery Conference, at +Brussels, clearly indicate that the more thoughtful philanthropists who +are moving in the matter recognise that the lines he laid down are the +right ones to follow. The number of years that he was permitted to +devote to this struggle with slavery were not many, but the seeds were +sown which will bring forth a rich harvest in the future. In that noble +crusade, which he undertook single-handed against tyranny and +oppression, he supplied the best possible answer to the cynic's +question whether or not life is worth living:-- + + "Is Life worth living? Yes, so long + As there is wrong to right, + Wail of the weak against the strong, + Or tyranny to fight; + Long as there lingers gloom to chase + Or streaming tear to dry, + One kindred woe, one sorrowing face, + That smiles as we draw nigh."[7] + + [7] Mr. Alfred Austin in the _English Illustrated Magazine_. + +Not only had Gordon to contend with the slave trade, corrupt officials, +an unsympathetic government at Cairo, and incompetent troops, but to +add to his troubles his staff broke down with sickness and even death, +while he for the first time in his life suffered from ague and liver +disorders. Here are descriptions of the climate from some of his +letters:-- + + "This is a horrid climate. I seldom, if ever, get a good sleep. It + is a very great comfort to feel that God will rectify one's defects + in this life, and make right all mistakes, also that He governs + everything. Is it my present temperament, or is it truly the case + that things go untowardly more in this land than anywhere else? You + wrap up an article in paper, the paper is sure to tear, the string + you least want to be broken is broken; every, _every_ thing seems + to go wrong. It may be my liver which makes me think this, but it + has been the same with all travellers." ... "The mosquitoes are + horrible here; the proboscis is formed like a bayonet, with a hinge + at the bend; they turn it down for perforation and press on it with + their head, muscles, and chest. I am very susceptible of their bite + or dig; the least touch of the 'bayonet' makes a lump." + + ... "Variety is pleasing! Got away from mosquitoes to find + sand-flies and harvest-bugs instead. However, they are quiet by + day, and here there are no flies with irritating feet. There must + be some wonderful mystery about this life. Why should these + countries be so full of annoyances to man? Why should even the + alighting of a fly, _his footprints_, cause such irritation to the + skin. It must be for some good object eventually to be made known + to us." + +Most of Gordon's efforts were directed to the abolition of slavery, and +the amelioration of the sufferings of the people he governed, but as an +explorer and a surveyor he also did good work, and he might, had he +cared for such distinctions, have received honours from the Royal +Geographical Society. Though suffering a good deal from sickness and +from mental worries, he endeavoured to explore the seventy miles of +country between Foweira and the Albert Nyanza. In one of his letters he +says:-- + + "It was contended that the Nile did not flow out of Lake Victoria + and thence into Lake Albert and so northward, but that one river + flowed out of Lake Victoria and another out of Lake Albert; and + that these two rivers united and formed the Nile. This statement + could not be positively denied, inasmuch as no one had actually + gone along the river from Foweira to Hagungo. So I went along it + with much suffering, and settled the question." + +As he did not personally come into contact with M'tesa, the King of +Uganda, it is not necessary to do more than mention the fact that this +strange monarch wrote a letter to him, and even asked him to plant a +stockade for his troops within Uganda territory. Gordon, however, did +not trust M'tesa, and at one time, on account of some misbehaviour on +the part of that monarch, even contemplated attacking him. But Mr. +Stanley, the great explorer, sent a vigorous protest against any +aggression on the part of a Christian representative, even of a Moslem +Government, towards a newly Christianised state, if one may apply that +term to Uganda. Gordon evidently recognised the wisdom of Stanley's +contention, for the attack was never made, and Stanley received from +Gordon a letter giving him much information. + +Gordon reached Lake Albert at the end of July 1876, and from then till +he left to return home he was busily engaged in surveying the country, +wading through rivers, cutting his way through dense jungles, +encountering natives armed with assegais, and in other ways risking his +valuable life, all for the sake of his fellow-creatures, and in the +hope of ultimately opening up the country. Was there ever a man more +strongly actuated by the spirit of altruism? + +His three years were drawing to a close, and not having received the +support he thought he deserved, he decided to leave the service of the +Khedive. On October 6th he commenced his journey, and by Christmas Eve +of that year he had reached England. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF THE SOUDAN + + +Colonel Gordon's visit to England was a very short one, for no sooner +did the Khedive Ismail realise the fact that such an able public +servant had definitely decided to quit his service, than he wrote +imploring him to return on his own terms, which were nothing less than +that he should be invested with the Governor-Generalship of the whole +Soudan, including the Equatorial Province, over which he had for three +years ruled. The Khedive was sufficiently wide awake to know what an +able, conscientious servant he had in Gordon, and, cost what it might, +was determined not to lose him. The truth of the matter was that Gordon +had made himself indispensable to the Khedive, and when a man does that +he may practically demand his own terms. His heart was thoroughly in +the work, and the only reason for his having resigned was that he was +disgusted with Ismail Yacoob, the Governor-General of the Soudan, who, +although Gordon was not under him, was from his position in many ways +able to hamper his reforms. The Khedive wisely decided to recall Ismail +Yacoob from Khartoum, and to put Colonel Gordon in his place. "Setting +a just value," wrote the Khedive, "on your honourable character, on +your zeal, and on the great services that you have already done me, I +have resolved to bring the Soudan, Darfour, and the provinces of the +Equator, into one great province, and to place it under you as +Governor-General. As the country which you are thus to govern is so +vast, you must have beneath you three vakeels (or deputy governors): +the first for the Soudan properly so called, the second for Darfour, +and the third for the shores of the Red Sea and the Eastern Soudan." +Thus, at the age of forty-four, Gordon had committed to his charge the +absolute control, including power over life and death, over a province +as large as France, Germany, and Spain together! He had already served +the Khedive for three years in the unhealthy Equatorial Province, and +now he was to govern for nearly three years more this larger and still +more unwieldy province, his reign only ceasing with the abdication of +Ismail. + +When Gordon left England for Cairo, the appointment had not been +conferred upon him. He merely went out to see the Khedive, and it was +not till February 13, 1877, that the matter was finally decided. +Writing home in reference to the Khedive's kindness, he quotes that +text, "Ask of me, and I will give thee to the half of my kingdom," and +then he goes on to say:-- + + "And now for the reverse of the medal. It is the sacrifice of a + _living_ life. To give your life to be taken at once, is one + thing; to give a life such as is before me is another and more + trying ordeal. I have set my face to the work, and will give my + life to it. I feel as if I had nought to do with the Government. + God must undertake the work.... I think how many would be weighed + down by this immense charge; how they would shrink from accepting + it without some other help, for fear of their reputation. But for + me, I never gave the question a thought. I feel sure of success; + for I do not lean on my own understanding, and He directs my path." + +On March 19th he writes with regard to his grand escort:-- + + "Here I met two hundred cavalry and infantry, who had come to meet + us. I am most carefully guarded--at six yards' radius round the + tree where I am sitting are six or eight sentries, and the other + men are in a circle round them. Now, just imagine this, and put + yourself in my position. However, I know they will all go to sleep, + so I do not fret myself. I can say truly, no man has ever been so + forced into a high position as I have. How many I know to whom the + incense would be the breath of their nostrils. To me it is irksome + beyond measure. Eight or ten men to help me off my camel! as if I + were an invalid. If I walk, every one gets off and walks; so, + furious, I get on again." + +After being appointed Governor-General of the Soudan, the first thing +Colonel Gordon did was to attempt to bring about a definite peace +between the Khedive and the King of Abyssinia, whose territory adjoins +the Soudan. It will be remembered that in the year 1868 an English +expedition, under the late Lord (then Sir Robert) Napier, went against +Theodore, King of Abyssinia, to punish him for imprisoning and +ill-treating British subjects. Being defeated, that monarch committed +suicide. Before his defeat, as he was much hated, some of his +chieftains had broken into open revolt, and one of them had proclaimed +himself king of a certain province. Sir Robert Napier presented this +chieftain with four guns and a thousand rifles, and this recognition on +the part of the conquerors enabled the chief in question to mount the +Abyssinian throne, taking for himself the name of Johannis. + +In 1874 a Swiss adventurer, who was at that time governor of Massowah, +under the Khedive, seized Bogos, a piece of territory belonging to +Abyssinia, and held it for his master, at the same time urging him to +add another province, that of Hamaçen, to his ill-gotten gains. At this +time the Khedive was rich, having just received £4,000,000 from the +British Government for the Suez Canal shares, and instead of spending +the money in developing the resources of the territory he already +possessed, he was ill advised enough to go to war, and got defeated. +Foremost among the Abyssinians in the conflict was Walad el Michael, +the hereditary prince of Bogos and Hamaçen, who before the war was +imprisoned for having sought the aid of Napoleon III. against the +Abyssinian king. He was released at the commencement of hostilities, +and proved very successful. But, having defeated the Egyptians, Walad +got disgusted with the Abyssinian king for depriving him of his share +of the spoils of war, and consequently, when the Egyptians in 1876 +sought to avenge their defeat, Walad turned against his own king. The +Egyptians were however again defeated, 9000 of them being killed, and +an enormous number taken prisoners. The spoils of war were great, for +all the Egyptian tents, twenty-five guns, 10,000 rifles, and a large +amount of English gold, were captured by the Abyssinians. So ignorant +were they of the value of this spoil, that they mistook English +sovereigns for brass counters, and thirty of them were sold for four +dollars! The Abyssinian king was so incensed at the conduct of Walad, +who had 7000 men and 700 rifles, that, as one of the conditions of +peace, he demanded that the Khedive should give him up. This of course +the Khedive could not do, and a long delay followed, during which the +Abyssinian monarch sent an envoy to Cairo. But the Khedive treated the +envoy badly, and he, rightly or wrongly, imagined that his life was in +danger. He managed to get away, and the ill-feeling between the two +monarchs was intense when Colonel Gordon arrived on the scene. Just at +this time the great bulk of the Egyptian troops were required for the +Turkish war against the Russians, and Gordon was left helpless, as he +had not sufficient force with him to compel Walad to cease his +intermittent attacks on Abyssinia. + +Seeing the hopelessness of his position, Gordon decided to waste no +more time over the question, more especially as he had not yet been to +Khartoum, the capital of his huge province, to take up his duties, and +all the time there was a revolt going on in Darfour, on the extreme +west of his dominion. Having once made up his mind, he lost no time in +getting to Khartoum, leaving Walad to be dealt with at his leisure +later on. On reaching Khartoum, which he did by travelling forty-five +miles a day in the extremely hot months of April and May, he had to +submit to the ordeal of installation. It was on this occasion, after +the firman had been read and the royal salute had been fired, that he +made the memorable speech which so delighted the people, and which may +be summed up in one sentence that he made use of, "With the help of God +I will hold the balance level." By this he meant to say, that as long +as he was Governor-General there should be none of the cruel, grinding +tyranny that had existed in the time of his predecessor. It may be well +here, anticipating events, to illustrate the desperate condition of the +people under the tyranny of the Egyptian rule. Mr. Frank Power, +correspondent of the _Times_, in a private letter to his mother in the +year 1884, describes the way in which the poor people were ground down +with taxation. He says:-- + + "Every Arab must pay a tax for himself, children, and wife or + wives. This he has to pay three times over--once for the Khedive, + once for the tax collector or local Beys, and once for the + Governor-General. The last two are illegal, but still scrupulously + collected to the piastre. To pay this he must grow some corn, and + for the privilege of growing corn he must pay £3 per annum. To grow + corn the desert earth must have water: the means of irrigation is a + 'Sakeh,' a wheel like a mill-wheel with buckets on it, which raise + the water into a trough, and then it flows in little streams over + the land. A sakeh is turned by two oxen. Every man who uses a sakeh + must pay £7: if he does not use it, he must go into prison for + life, and have his hut burned. Every one must pay for the right of + working to earn money; every one must pay if they are idle; in any + case every one must pay to make the officials rich. If you have a + trading boat, you are fined £4 if you do not continually fly the + Egyptian flag, and you must pay £4 for the privilege of flying it." + +In another letter he says:-- + + "If they wish to grow corn they must pay for permission to do so, + pay for liberty to take water from the broad Nile, and pay for + liberty to sell the corn. If the crop is good, pay double taxes + (one for private purse of the Pasha and one for the Government at + Cairo). If they don't grow the corn they can't pay the taxes at + all, and get kourbashed (flogged) and put into prison. No matter + how they make a few piastres, the dragoman of some Bey or Pasha + will steal it for his master. They frequently pull down huts and + tear up yards and fields to find where the coins are hidden. If the + peasant buys a few rags for his wife or child, or mends a hole in + his hut to keep out the sun, he is told he must have got money + somewhere, and he is doubly taxed; and after all, his sole + possessions are a hut made of mud and river reeds, a rush bed, a + rush mat, and an earthen pot." + +In still another letter he says:-- + + "Some of these merchants, who sit all day in their little stalls in + the bazaar, are really millionaires, and would buy up many of the + London merchant-princes. They live like kings in what, outside, + looks like a mud hut. If one shows any outward signs of wealth, the + Pasha lets him know quietly that he will at once be charged as a + rebel or something, and put in prison if he does not make him a + little present, generally from £300 to £1000. One Pasha left here + last year, admitting, report says, that in three years he had made + £60,000. He came here three years ago as a clerk on £2 a month. + Abdul-Kereem Pasha, the Governor, took a fancy to him, and made him + chief of the tax-gatherers; in three years he gained the rank of + Pasha and £60,000--meaning 5000 ruined homes, several million + strokes of the bastinado, rapine, robbery, and men driven to + exasperation, and shot down at their doors." + +Need we wonder that people so ground down by tyranny were delighted to +hear their Governor-General announce that he would hold the balance +level, and that no longer should the rich and powerful trample on the +weak and poor? + +The prominent characteristic of the Egyptian rule in the Soudan was +fittingly summed up in the sentence, "_Kourbash, kourbash, et toujours +kourbash_," which being interpreted means, "Flogging, flogging, always +flogging." As to administration of justice, there was no such thing. He +who could bribe the judges the highest got judgment delivered in his +favour, while his opponent received the kourbash. The symbol of +authority might well have been a kourbash, which corresponds to the +English cat-o'-nine-tails. Men were often kourbashed for no other +reason than that they would not, or could not, bribe any official who +had the power of administering this form of punishment not to inflict +it on them. Nor must it be supposed that an ordinary flogging, such as +we understand by that term, would satisfy these tyrannical perpetrators +of cruelty. Often the use of the kourbash meant that the victim was +maimed for life, and the unfortunate one might always consider himself +lucky if he escaped without any permanent injury. In many cases it +amounted to nothing more or less than a form of torture, such as used +to be inflicted in England in the barbarous Middle Ages, and if the +sufferer had not actually got the money he was supposed to have, he +would often have to borrow as much as he could of the required amount, +in order to avoid further torture. We can imagine how Gordon's blood +must have boiled with indignation at such gross miscarriages of +justice; and during the whole time he served the Khedive, his object +was to do away with this kind of tyranny. Often his journeys from place +to place were marked by signs of fallen greatness, as he would not +tolerate tyranny. "In one month," he says, "I have turned out three +generals of division, one general of brigade, and four lieutenant-colonels. +It is no use mincing matters." + +He allowed every one to approach him and to make complaints. A box +always stood at his tent or palace, into which any one who had a +grievance could drop his written complaint, with a certainty that it +would receive immediate investigation. Such a method gave publicity to +instances of cruelty and oppression, and often, directly Gordon heard +of cases of this kind, he would jump on his camel, pay a personal visit +to the individual concerned, and having investigated the case on the +spot, would deal out justice upon the culprit. Of course, in such an +extensive province as his, without railways, it was absolutely +impossible to investigate all the cases, but by taking the more +prominent and the grosser ones, he could strike terror into the hearts +of evil-doers in high places; and in this way he considerably reduced +the evil of tyrannical rule, and taught the oppressed people that they +had as much right to live as their oppressors had. + +Of course Gordon was a much-hated man among the oppressor class, as +reformers of deep-seated abuses usually are; but he knew that the weak +and helpless at all events would appreciate him. When Wilberforce, the +great slavery abolitionist, was accused by an opponent of interference +with the rights of man, he asked what those rights were, and received +for answer, "The right that every man has to lick his own nigger!" To +rights of this kind, however long established, Gordon was an inveterate +enemy; his object was to show that the weak and the helpless had rights +as well as their oppressors, and in this he succeeded to a marvellous +extent. "My great desire," said he, "is to be a shelter to the people, +to ease their burdens, and to soften their hard lot in these +inhospitable lands." And again:-- + + "I have an enormous province to look after; but it is a great + blessing to me to know that God has undertaken the administration + of it, and it is His work, and not mine. If I fail, it is His will; + if I succeed, it is His work certainly. He has given me the joy of + not regarding the honours of this world, and to value my union with + Him above all things. May I be humbled to the dust and fail, so + that He may glorify Himself. The greatness of my position only + depresses me, and I cannot help wishing that the time had come when + He will lay me aside and use some other worm to do His work." + +Besides putting an end to cruelty and injustice, he introduced into +Khartoum a system of water supply. But important as his work at +Khartoum was, he was on May 19 compelled to leave, a revolt having +broken out at Darfour, where his immediate presence was required. So +off he went on his camel into the very heart of the slave-hunting +district. Writing from Fogia, on the frontier of Darfour, he says:-- + + "I have a splendid camel--none like it; it flies along, and quite + astonishes the Arabs. I came flying into this station in marshal's + uniform, and before the men had time to unpile arms, I had arrived + with only one man with me. I could not help it; the escort did not + come in for an hour and a half afterwards. The Arab chief who was + with me said it was the telegraph.... It is fearful to see the + Governor-General arrayed in gold clothes flying along like a + madman, with only a guide, as if he was pursued.... Specks had been + seen in the vast plain around the station moving towards it (like + Jehu's advance), but the specks were few--only two or three--and + were supposed to be the advanced guard, and before the men of Fogia + knew where they were, the station was taken!" + +Writing from Oomchanga near Fascher, the capital of Darfour, he says:-- + + "All this revolt is the fault of the Bashi-Bazouks. I said the + other day, 'If the people of this country were Ryahs or Christians, + I might understand your bad treatment of them, but I do not when I + see they are Mussulmans, as you.' Upon which the Darfourians were + delighted, and clapped their hands. Now the Darfourians were so + fanatical that they would never let a Christian into their country, + and now they ask me to send Christian Governors!" + +Their hatred of the Bashi-Bazouks was well illustrated by an incident +Gordon mentions, which was told him by one of the officers. "An officer +declared to me," he said, "that a woman with an officer escaped with +the child he had by her, and taking the child to the chief of the +insurgents, asked him to kill it, as 'the child of a Turk,' which the +chief did." + +On June 29 Gordon was able to write, "We have made peace with the +tribes around here half-way to Fascher;" but he records, "I speak my +mind, and I cannot help saying to some" (of the Darfourians who had +come in to ask for peace), "'You ought to pardon me.' Really no people +could have been treated worse than these people." + + * * * + +No sooner was one trouble settled than he was off on another +expedition, and this time his steps were directed towards Dara, the +stronghold of the great prince of slave-dealers, Zebehr Rahama. _En +route_ he was nearly starved as well as poisoned by putrid water. +Writing from Toashia on July 3, he says, "We have been two whole days +without meat," and he finds a garrison who for three years have been +without pay! He left Toashia on July 11 with 500 men, of whom 150 only +were any good. On this march there was a threatened attack, which +fortunately did not come off, but that he felt he was in great danger +we may gather from the extract: "We have, thank God, passed our +dangers. Whether they were imaginary or not, I do not know, but we were +threatened by an attack from thousands of determined blacks, who knew I +was here. Now very few Englishmen know what it is to be with troops +they have not a bit of confidence in.... I do not fear death, but I +fear, from want of faith, the results of my death--for the whole +country would have risen." + +At Dara he came across a gang of 210 slaves, who had been rescued, but +who had received no food for thirty-six hours. His heart was filled +with pity for them, and he wrote:-- + + "I am a fool, I dare say, but I cannot see the sufferings of these + people without tears in my eyes.... It is a sad sight to see the + poor starved creatures looking so wistfully at one. What can I do? + Poor souls! I cannot feed or look after them. I must leave it to + God, who will arrange all in kindness. Some of them were so + miserably thin. I have sent them some dhoora. I declare solemnly + that I would give my life willingly to save the sufferings of these + people; and if I would do this, how much more does He care for them + than such imperfection as I am! You would have felt sick had you + seen them. Poor creatures! thirty-six hours without food!" + +The more experience Colonel Gordon had of his Bashi-Bazouk soldiers, +the more he seems to have disliked them:-- + + "I am worn to a shadow by the utter uselessness of the + Bashi-Bazouks. The very sight of them excites my ire. I never saw + such a useless, expensive set. I hate (there is no other word for + it) these Arabs; and I like the Blacks--patient, enduring, and + friendly, as much as the Arab is cowardly, cruel, and effeminate. + All the misery is due to these Arab and Circassian Pashas and + authorities. I would not stay a day here for these wretched + creatures, but I would give my life for these Blacks." + +Writing from Dara, he mentions an instance which occurred on the march +to that place to show the cowardly nature of his men, as well as the +bravery of the Blacks. His force of 3500 men was attacked by the +Leopard tribe, numbering only 700 men. In spite of these overwhelming +odds in their favour, Gordon says that his men were nearly beaten. "I +was sickened," he said, "to see twenty brave men of the tribes in +alliance with me ride out to meet the Leopard tribe, unsupported by my +men, who crowded into the stockade. It was terribly painful. The only +thing which restrained me from riding out to the attack was the +sheep-like state in which my people would have been had I been killed. +What, also, would have become of the province?" + +Notwithstanding the inferior quality of his troops, Colonel Gordon was +determined to march on and pay a visit to Zebehr Rahama's camp, one of +the boldest acts of his life. Zebehr, himself the head of the cursed +slave traffic, was at this time practically a prisoner in Cairo. He +had, foolishly enough, gone there with £100,000, in the hope that he +could bribe the Khedive and his officials, and he even had the +effrontery to ask Gordon to intercede for him. Unfortunately for +Zebehr, he was too powerful a man for the Khedive to care to have at +large. He was practically an independent chief, his power and influence +being greater in the Soudan than that of the Khedive. He lived in regal +style, and every one trembled at his name. Dr. Schweinfurth thus +describes the surroundings of this remarkable man. He was "surrounded +with a court that was little less than princely in its details. Special +rooms, provided with carpeted divans, were reserved as ante-chambers, +and into these all visitors were conducted by richly-dressed slaves. +The regal aspect of these halls of state was increased by the +introduction of some lions, secured, as may be supposed, by +sufficiently strong and massive chains." Dr. Birkbeck Hill says, "He +owned no less than thirty stations. These fortified posts were carried +far into the heart of Africa; and all along the line from one to +another, and round each one of them far and wide, the slave-dealer +exercised despotic rule." + +The only foolish act this prince of slave-hunters ever did was to put +himself into the power of the Khedive, by going to visit him at his +capital. Once at Cairo, the Khedive kept him there as a prisoner. +Zebehr's son, Suleiman, was at the head of his army of some 3000 +fighting men, as plucky as Gordon's men were cowardly. When the father +was detained at Cairo, he telegraphed in cipher to his son to break +into open revolt, and even to attack the Government. Gordon knew that +his men were utterly unable to meet Suleiman's troops in the field, so +he tried another method to intimidate the rebels. He rode on alone +ahead of his escort, covering eighty-five miles in a day and a half, in +the heat of August, and dashing into the camp of these robbers, +summoned their chief to an interview. Suleiman and his followers were +dumbfounded by this bold act, and offered no resistance. The +Governor-General then told Suleiman that he was aware of the meditated +revolt, and that if he did not submit to his authority, his band should +be broken up and disarmed. Suleiman and his chiefs went off to consider +their course of action. Of course many were for making Gordon a +prisoner, and he had, humanly speaking, a narrow escape. However, +Suleiman decided to submit, and though afterwards we hear of him again +in open revolt, for the time being Gordon carried the day. Nothing but +his daring courage preserved him on that occasion. He even accepted an +invitation to visit Suleiman at Shaka, where he spent two days. When +Suleiman asked for an appointment, it was refused, on the ground that +he had not yet shown his loyalty to the Khedive. Gordon, however, made +him a present of his own gun, and taught him to use it. + +Gordon often used to speak of this adventure as a most remarkable +answer to prayer. He had prayed for Suleiman before starting, and had +also asked for guidance for himself, and God heard him. It has +sometimes been represented as a mad freak on Gordon's part to put +himself into the lion's den in this way, but it was nothing of the +kind. Suleiman was in revolt, supported by a splendid army. Gordon was +absolutely at his mercy, for he could not rely on his troops. It was +only Gordon's daring courage that intimidated Suleiman, and made him +think Gordon was stronger than he really was. + + * * * + +After obtaining the submission of Suleiman, Gordon returned to +Khartoum, and again for a time resumed his ordinary official duties. +But this was not for long; he had before him another visit to Walad el +Michael, the turbulent Abyssinian chief, whom he had visited before +taking up his duties at Khartoum. Gordon's object was to persuade Walad +to submit to the authority of King Johannis of Abyssinia. But nothing +would induce Walad to do this. He was surrounded by 7000 soldiers, and +Gordon felt himself, in spite of the denials of the rebel chief, +practically a prisoner. Walad demanded authority to go on attacking +Johannis, but to this of course the Governor-General could not assent. +He therefore compromised matters by offering Walad £1000 per mensem, on +condition that he should leave his old king alone. + +Having settled Walad, Gordon left, intending to return to Khartoum, but +was intercepted by a telegram from the Khedive begging him to go to +Cairo to help him in his financial difficulties, and he started for +Cairo on February 3, 1878, having completed one year's service as +Governor-General of the Soudan. + +In spite of the hard rough life of the Soudan, he infinitely preferred +it to the more artificial civilised existence which the officials were +living at Cairo. He arrived there on March 7th, and left again on the +30th; and during the whole of his stay he was wretched. At first the +Khedive paid great attention to him, receiving him with a splendour +which suggested the "Arabian Nights." He asked him to be the president +of a commission of inquiry into the finances of the country, with the +condition attached that he should use his influence to arrange with the +representatives of the different countries that the commissioners of +the debt or the representatives of the creditors who had lent money to +Egypt should not serve on that commission of inquiry. After a good deal +of discussion, it was finally ascertained that this condition would not +be consented to by the foreign Governments. This of course relieved +Colonel Gordon of any obligations in the matter, and he, seeing that he +could be of no further service, decided to return to his province. +Considering how much Gordon had done to try and accomplish the desires +of the Khedive, there can be little question that he was in this matter +treated very badly. "I left Cairo," said he, "with no honours, by the +ordinary train, paying my own passage. The sun which rose with such +splendour set in the deepest obscurity. I calculate my financial +episode cost me £800. His Highness was bored with me after my failure, +and could not bear the sight of me." + +Fortunately for Gordon, he cared very little for official favour. "I +now only look," said he in a letter written a short time after this, +"to benefiting the people." It was in this spirit he visited Harrar, a +small province detached from the Soudan, and lying to the south of +Abyssinia, on the eastern coast of Africa, almost opposite to Aden. +This province had once belonged to Turkey, but had been transferred to +the Khedive in exchange for £15,000 per annum extra tribute. The +governor of the province was Raouf Pasha, whom Colonel Gordon, it will +be remembered, had refused to employ on account of his cruel treatment +of the natives in the Equatorial Province four years before. Again he +had been playing the tyrant, and Gordon felt it to be his duty to turn +him out. As this man afterwards succeeded Colonel Gordon as +Governor-General of the Soudan, it is to him more than any one that the +present Khedive is indebted for having lost the whole of the Soudan. By +his tyranny, following after Gordon's kindness, the province was +stirred into revolt, and the Mahdi enabled to usurp authority. We are, +however, anticipating events. + +Having freed Harrar of this tyrant, he went to Massowah, and thence on +May 22nd to Khartoum. Back once more at his capital, he devoted himself +first to a thorough reform of the prisons and the administration of the +law. "The prisons," he wrote, "were dens of injustice, and I am glad to +have had time to go into the question of each individual prisoner." + + * * * + +Although he used to tell amusing stories against himself and his own +personal expenditure of money, yet Gordon had great aptitude for +finance, and could make money go farther than most men. Had his views +been adopted for Egypt, it is more than likely that we should have been +saved the Egyptian war, to say nothing of the loss of the Soudan, and +all that was associated with it. In the Soudan province there was an +annual deficit amounting to something like £259,000. By dint of cutting +down expenditure and increasing the receipts, Gordon reduced this +during the second year to £50,600! Had he continued Governor-General +for many years, there can be no question that he would have not only +made the two ends meet, but would have obtained sufficient to carry out +his schemes of opening up the country by railways and steamers, thus at +the same time developing trade and reducing slavery. He calculated that +with great economy, and utilising the machinery and the rails that were +already lying idle in the country, a highway from Cairo to Khartoum +might have been opened up for £70,000, a sum of money which over and +over again has been frittered away in building great useless palaces +for the Khedive or some other Egyptian official, which bring in no +income, and are a great expense to keep up. The traffic, especially the +conveyance of ivory and other merchandise, would soon have recouped the +Government for their original outlay. The way in which Colonel Gordon +was thwarted in every possible manner at this time troubled him a good +deal. "As for myself," he writes, "I am exceedingly weary, and wish, +with a degree of bitterness, that it was all over. I am cooped up here +now, but am much occupied with finances, which are in a very low state. +My life is burthensome and weary, but I feel that it is better to be +employed here than to be idle elsewhere." + +Writing on November 20, 1878, he says:-- + + "I will give you an instance of the miserable way the Cairo + Government treats the Soudan. I asked H.H.[8] a long time ago to + send up a man A. H.H. replied he wanted the man A., and could not + send him. To-day I got a request for £7, 10s., stating that I had + asked for A., who was at Port Said; that in consequence A. went to + Cairo and said that he did not want to come; so they ask me to pay + the £7, 10s. for his passage from Port Said to Cairo and return, + which I have refused to do." + + [8] The abbreviation he generally used for His Highness + the Khedive. + +Closely associated with this question of finance was the still more +important question of slavery. The Khedive's Government were at this +time at their wit's end for money. They wrote to Colonel Gordon asking +him to send them £12,000, and he replied that he had no funds +available. Nubar Pasha, who was Minister at the time, was casting about +to see how money could be raised, and not being troubled with +conscientious scruples on the subject of slavery, he made overtures to +the great slave-dealer Zebehr, who, it will be remembered, was +practically a prisoner in Cairo. Zebehr jumped at the offer, and +promised to send £25,000 per annum to Cairo from the Soudan, if he were +made Governor-General in place of Gordon. This of course meant that he +would be allowed a perfectly free hand to kidnap as many slaves as +possible, in order to make up the annual deficit in addition to this +subsidy of £25,000. Writing from Khartoum on February 18, 1879, Gordon +says that he was ordered to return to Cairo for consultation. This, +however, he steadily refused to do, on the ground of certain +disturbances which had occurred. There was a simultaneous rebellion of +slave-dealers in the Bahr-Gazelle, and also risings in Darfour and +Kordofan, and Gordon felt it to be his duty to go and assist his +lieutenant, Gessi, who was endeavouring to crush Zebehr's gang. Again +all the horrors of the slave-trade were forced upon Gordon's mind. + + "I declare if I could stop this traffic I would willingly be shot + this night. This shows my ardent desire; and yet, strive as I can, + I can scarcely see any hope of arresting the evil. Now comes the + question, Could I sacrifice my life and remain in Kordofan and + Darfour? To die quickly would be to me nothing; but the long + crucifixion that a residence in these horrid countries entails + appalls me. Yet I feel that, if I could screw up my mind to it, I + could cause the trade to cease, for its roots are in these + countries.... I have written to the Khedive to say I will not + remain as Governor-General, for I feel I cannot govern the country + to satisfy myself.... Now as I will not stay as Governor-General of + the whole of the Soudan, query, shall I stay as Governor of the + West Soudan, and crush the slave-dealers? I agree, if the death was + speedy; but oh! it is a long and weary one, and for the moment I + cannot face it." + +Again, writing from Kalaka at the beginning of May 1879, he says:-- + + "All the road from here to Shaka is marked by the camping-places of + the slave-dealers, and there are numerous skulls by the side of the + road. What thousands have passed along here! I hear some districts + are completely depopulated, all the inhabitants having been + captured or starved to death." + +But though Gordon could not do all he desired, he was enabled to do +more perhaps than any other man could have accomplished in the +circumstances, and by the end of June 1879, Suleiman, the son of the +great Zebehr, had been hunted down by Gessi, who discovered papers +clearly proving the guilt of both father and son. The latter was tried +by court-martial and shot, and Gordon sent the evidence against the +father to the Khedive. No notice was taken of it, and Gordon bitterly +complains that, instead of being punished, Zebehr was _pensioned_! +"What pensions," he asks, "have the widows and orphans whom Zebehr has +made by the thousand? What allowance have the poor worn-out bodies of +men, strong enough till he dragged them from their homes, who are now +draining the last bitter dregs of life in cruel slavery? What +recompense has been made to those whose bleached bones mark the track +of his trade over many and many a league of ground?" + +Space does not permit a detailed account of the interesting and +exciting campaign in which Gessi delivered this crushing blow against +the great slave-dealer. No man had imbibed more of Gordon's detestation +to the slave trade than Gessi, and with quite a small force he captured +the redoubtable Suleiman, who had a large force at his disposal. Gordon +made him a Pasha and gave him a reward of £2000, which he richly +deserved. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +ABYSSINIA, INDIA, AND CHINA + + +Colonel Gordon's work of putting a stop to slave-hunting and other +evils in the Soudan was about to terminate. At Fogia on the 1st July +1879 he received a telegram announcing that Ismail had abdicated, and +that his son Tewfik reigned at Cairo in his place. Gordon at once +decided to go to Cairo. He writes:-- + + "I am a wreck, like the portion of the _Victory_ towed into + Gibraltar after Trafalgar; but God has enabled me, or rather has + used me, to do what I wished to do--that is, break down the + slave-trade.... To-day I had a telegram from Darfour, saying, + 'Haroun [another great slave-dealer, second only in importance to + Zebehr] had been killed and his forces dispersed.' God has truly + been good to me. 'Those that honour Me I will honour.' May I be + ground to dust, if He will glorify Himself in me; but give me a + _humble heart_, for then He dwells there in comfort." + +"The new Khedive is most civil," he writes from Cairo, "but I no longer +distress myself with such things. God is the sole ruler, and I try to +walk sincerely before Him." In spite of his treatment by the deposed +Khedive, he always had a real affection for him, and he says: "It pains +me what sufferings my poor Khedive Ismail has had to go through;" but +later on he writes: "Do not fret about Ismail Pasha; he is a +philosopher, and has plenty of money. He played high stakes and lost. +He is the cleverest man in Europe. I am one of those he fooled, but I +bear him no grudge. It is a blessing for Egypt that he has gone." + +Colonel Gordon had quite determined not to remain under the new +Khedive, so he terminated, as he then thought for ever, his connection +with the Soudan, little thinking how inseparably his name was yet to be +associated with that country. It may give us some idea of the energy of +the man when it is mentioned that during the last three years he had +ridden 8500 miles on camels or mules. Such violent exertion in a hot +country was greatly to the detriment of his health. In one of his +letters he says:-- + + "From not having worn a bandage across the chest, I have shaken my + heart or my lungs out of their places; and I have the same feeling + in my chest as you have when you have a crick in the neck. In + camel-riding you ought to wear a sash round the waist, and another + close up under the armpits; otherwise, all the internal machinery + gets disturbed." + +Before finally quitting the service of the Khedive, Gordon felt that he +would like to put affairs between Egypt and Abyssinia on a more +satisfactory footing, though it was through no fault of his that they +were in such a bad condition. In spite, therefore, of his state of +health, he left Cairo on August 30, 1879, on a mission to the +Abyssinian king, Johannis. Writing home he playfully alludes to a +ridiculous report that was being circulated, that he intended to throw +off allegiance to Egypt, and set up as an independent Sultan, similar +to what the American adventurer, Burgevine, proposed to do in China. +"The Khedive said, after some circumlocution, 'Was I not too friendly +with Johannis?' In fact, the general report in Cairo was that I was +going in for being Sultan; but it would not suit our family. I hope to +finish off Johannis soon, and then to come home." There seem to have +been some other evil reports circulated at this time about Colonel +Gordon, for he says again in his humorous manner: "I wrote to the +secretary of the Foreign Office man, who is a friend of mine, asking +him to tell his chief, who is of the council, 'That if, on my return, I +hear any of the Council of Ministers have said anything against me, I +will beg the Khedive to make the evil speaker Governor-General of the +Soudan,' which is equivalent to a sentence of death to these Cairo +Pashas." + +Though he was sick in body his brave spirit showed no signs of yielding +as long as there was duty to be done, and off he went to Abyssinia. On +September 2nd, 1879, he writes:-- + + "The heat is terrible, but I am quiet and that is a great thing. I + fear, through this Abyssinian affair, I shall have to wend my weary + way to Senheit; however, God knows what is best for me. I would + sooner have come home straight, but I had it not in my heart to + forsake Tewfik till this affair is finished. I have begun to be + very tired of the continual wear and tear of my last six years. + However, I cannot think of leaving Egypt exposed to her enemies." + +On September 12th he writes, when _en route_ to meet Aloula, the +Abyssinian commander-in-chief:-- + + "We have met a caravan coming from Aloula's. They confirm the news + that Walad el Michael and all his officers are prisoners, by orders + sent to Aloula by King Johannis, and Metfin [Walad el Michael's + son, whom Gordon disliked very much] is dead--killed by some one. I + heard just as I left Massowah that Abdulgassin--the last of the + leaders of Zebehr's slave-dealers--had been taken, and I ordered + him to be shot.[9] Thus gaps, one by one, are made in my prayers + for my enemies." + + [9] This man had started his career by a cold-blooded murder. + When he first set up his standard of revolt, the wind blew it + down, so in order to turn away the anger of heaven four oxen were + slaughtered, and then a negro boy. In the poor wretch's blood a + flag was dipped, and the standard was raised a second time, a + second time to fall. + +This last remark is made in reference to his custom of always praying +for his enemies by name. + +He went on this Abyssinian embassy with a heavy heart, for the Khedive +had telegraphed to him, "Give up nothing, but do not fight." It really +mattered little what happened, considering that soon Egypt was to give +up even the lands over which she had a legal right, but in November +1879 this could not be foreseen. Khedive Ismail had undoubtedly behaved +very badly to Abyssinia, and had treated the Abyssinian envoy with a +great want of courtesy. Tewfik, however, was not to blame for this, and +he wanted to express his regret at the past and his desire to renew the +old friendship between Egypt and Abyssinia. Johannis was a tyrannical +king, hated by his own people, who thought him partly mad, and he took +to heart Ismail's conduct to his representative and refused to +distinguish between one Khedive and another. Gordon's description of +the Abyssinian king is as follows:-- + + "Johannis, oddly enough, is like myself--a religious fanatic. He + has a mission, and will fulfil it, and that mission is _to + Christianise!! all Mussulmans_. He has forbidden the smoking of + tobacco in his country, and cuts off the right hand and left foot + of any man he catches doing so! When Christ comes again, how truly + He may say to us all 'I know ye not.'" + +Gordon had foreseen that the Abyssinians would probably revenge +themselves upon him for the treatment which their envoy had received at +Cairo, and this probability was rendered a certainty by the fact that +he had nothing to offer by way of compensation. From the day he entered +Abyssinia to the day he left it, he was constantly insulted, and he +gained very little by the journey, in which he risked his life. He saw +King Johannis, and got him to make certain definite demands, but the +king would not put them into writing. When Gordon referred him to the +Khedive's letter it was not forthcoming, and could not even be found +for some time. When it was found the chief clerk received forty blows +for not having before translated it! Amid a pile of letters which were +disregarded, Gordon saw one from the British Government and one from +the French Government. + +At first the king tried to distinguish between Gordon and the Khedive, +but the former was too loyal to allow this, and informed the king that +he must look on him as a Mahommedan and an Egyptian, and not as a +Christian and an Englishman. On this point Gordon held very +conscientious views. In the event of a foreigner entering the service +of an Oriental Power, he contended, "He shall for the time entirely +abandon his relations with his native land; he shall resist his own +government, and those of other powers, and keep intact the sovereignty +of the Oriental State whose bread he eats." + +When Johannis saw that Gordon had nothing to offer, and nothing was to +be got out of him, he dismissed him. It is unnecessary to retail all +the unpleasant incidents of his journey to Massowah. The only thing of +importance is, that Gordon, anticipating that there might be +disturbances at Massowah, telegraphed to the Khedive to send a +battalion of infantry there, a request to which no attention was paid. +This neglect on the part of the Khedive ultimately led to an open +rupture between him and Gordon. Fortunately the British Government had +sent a gunboat across from Aden at Gordon's request. "The whole town +was in a ferment," Gordon writes, "and had it not been for H.M.S. +_Seagull_, Massowah would no doubt have been attacked and sacked." The +Khedive asked Gordon to come at once to Cairo, but this he refused to +do till the battalion arrived, as he felt that his presence was +necessary there, "in order to give confidence to the people, until the +troops came." + +Ultimately, however, Gordon went to Cairo, and gave the Khedive a piece +of his mind, with regard to the publication of confidential telegrams, +as well as other things. It was on this occasion that he received the +reply from the ruler of Egypt, "I am a young man; it is not my fault," +which caused some little amusement in England, when it was made known. +The rupture was made, Gordon had decided to serve the Khedive no +longer, and at the beginning of the year 1880 he returned home for the +rest that he required, mentally and physically, after six years' +incessant hard work in the thankless task of governing the Soudan. + +When Gordon was leaving Alexandria he was medically examined by Dr. +Mackie, the surgeon to the British Consulate, who stated that he was +"suffering from symptoms of nervous exhaustion, and alteration of the +blood, giving rise to hæmorrhagic spots on the skin, &c." "I have," +said the same authority, "recommended him to retire for several months +for complete rest and quiet, and that he may be able to enjoy fresh and +wholesome food, as I consider that much of what he is suffering from is +the effect of continued bodily fatigue, anxiety, and indigestible food. +I have insisted on his abstaining from all exciting work--especially +such as implies business or political excitement." Gordon possessed an +exceptionally strong constitution, but there is a limit to the burden +which the most powerful can bear, and that limit had been exceeded. +There was nothing for it, therefore, but to put into dock for +constitutional repairs. + + * * * + +After spending three months in England, he went to Switzerland on the +9th April 1880. During this period of inactivity he was offered by the +Government of the Cape of Good Hope the command of their colonial +forces on £1500 per annum, but his reply was, "Thanks for telegram just +received; I do not feel inclined to accept an appointment." In the +beginning of May, however, he accepted the post of private secretary to +Lord Ripon, who was going out to India as Viceroy. Considering that +Colonel Gordon had been ruling a territory as large as France, Germany, +and Spain put together, it was thought strange at the time that he +should accept such a very subordinate post as that of secretary to the +Viceroy, himself only a subordinate to the Secretary of State for +India, who practically governs that vast empire from Downing Street by +means of the telegraph. The appointment was indeed a peculiarly +unfortunate one. The P. & O. steamer that conveyed the Viceregal party +had on board two kings, the greater man being, so to speak, the +uncrowned one. The Viceroy, who has since shown himself to be a man of +ability, had not at that time gained the confidence of the public. +Consequently, his principal qualification for the post was that he +possessed the aristocracy of birth. It is impossible to secure +everything in any given man, and as social distinctions weigh heavily +in such a post as that of Viceroy of India, only average abilities are +as a rule looked for. Consequently India has been termed the "land of +mediocrity," from the fact that the average statesmen who direct her +affairs, are neither very brilliant nor very dull. + +The Viceroy must have been more than human not to have felt somewhat +keenly the awkward position in which he was placed on that voyage. To +make matters worse, the ship was compelled to pass through the very +territory where Gordon's name was best known, and he was most beloved, +and thus the Suez Canal voyage was a kind of royal progress. +Unfortunately the homage paid was to the subordinate, the uncrowned +king, and not to him who held the higher position. It was Gordon's +opinion that was sought for, it was to him that every one looked, and +it is said by the well informed, that at least once on the voyage this +led to difficulties. Be that as it may, the experience of that voyage +showed Colonel Gordon that he was utterly out of place, and that it was +neither fair to himself, nor to his chief, that he should continue in +it, so he decided to resign at Bombay, which place he reached on June +1st. All sorts of reasons for this resignation were suggested at the +time, but none of them went very near the mark. Of course some said +that the difference of opinion on religious matters was the cause, +while others alleged a political reason, saying that Colonel Gordon was +opposed to the treatment of Yakoob Khan, the late Ameer of Afghanistan. +Colonel Gordon's brother, the late Sir H. Gordon, has given publicity +to this latter as the reason, but as a matter of fact it is not the +correct one, and there is no use handing down false reports to +posterity. More than this I am not at liberty to say. + +The only published statement on the subject from Gordon himself was as +follows:-- + + "In a moment of weakness I took the appointment of private + secretary to Lord Ripon, and repented that I had done so at once, + but I did not like to say so. I went out, and saw at Bombay that in + my irresponsible position I could not possibly hope to do anything + really to the purpose, in the face of vested interests out there; + so seeing this was the case, and also observing that my views were + diametrically opposed to those of the official classes, I gave it + up. It certainly was a great consideration with me--Lord Ripon's + position--for it was assumed by some, that my views of the state of + affairs were those of the Viceroy, and then I felt I would do him + harm by staying with him. Lord Ripon and I left perfect friends. + The brusqueness of my leaving was unavoidable, inasmuch as my stay + would have put me in the possession of State things that I ought + not to know. Certainly, I might have stayed a month or two, and had + a pain in the head and gone quickly; but the whole duties were so + distasteful that I felt--being perfectly callous as to what the + world says--it was better to go at once, and did so." + +Subordinate posts of that kind may do very well for men of ability, who +have a name to make; but it is not in accordance with human nature, +that a man of brilliant genius, who had already made a great reputation +as a soldier and an administrator, could serve with satisfaction to +himself, or justice to his chief, in such a position, and Gordon was +not the man to serve unless he could be thoroughly loyal. + + * * * + +Having resigned his post on the 3rd June, he received a telegram from +London inviting him to go again to China. Mr. Robert Hart, then in +China as Inspector-General of Customs, telegraphed to Mr. Campbell, his +agent in London, to invite Gordon to go out on six months' leave. Mr. +Campbell, seeing Gordon's resignation announced, at once passed on the +invitation to Bombay. Gordon's reply was, "Inform Hart Gordon will +leave for Shanghai first opportunity; as for conditions, Gordon +indifferent." He then telegraphed to the War Office for leave till the +end of the year. It was thought that China would shortly be involved in +war with Russia, and as our own relationships with the Czar were not +too friendly at that time, the War Office authorities felt bound to act +cautiously, lest it should appear as if we shrank from fighting Russia +ourselves, but were encouraging another nation to do so, by allowing +one of our most brilliant officers to lead their forces. Consequently +Gordon received the following telegram, "Must state more specifically +purpose and position for and in which you go to China." Gordon's reply +was, "Am ignorant; will write from China before the expiration of my +leave." On the 11th he received a further message, "Reasons +insufficient: your going to China is not approved." To this Gordon +replied, "Arrange retirement, commutation or resignation of service; +ask Campbell reasons. My counsel, if asked, would be for peace, not +war. I return by America." The War Office were not, however, going to +lose an officer of such ability so easily, so when Gordon arrived at +Point de Galle on the 16th June, he found the following telegram +awaiting him, "Leave granted on your engaging to take no military +service in China;" to which he replied, "I will take no military +service in China; I would never embarrass the British Government." + +He arrived at Hong-Kong on July 2nd and went immediately to Shanghai, +but hearing that his old friend, Li Hung Chang, was at Tientsin, he +proceeded there at once, and found things in a very unsatisfactory +condition. Prince Chun and the Empress Regent were anxious for war with +Russia, being supported in this folly by all the Court, while Prince +Kung and Li Hung Chang practically stood alone in their desire for +peace. Li was so delighted to see Gordon that he fell on his neck and +kissed him. Gordon at once threw his influence into the scale of peace. +He had previously, before leaving India, expressed his views on the +subject in the press:-- + + "My fixed desire is to persuade the Chinese not to go to war with + Russia, both in their own interests, and for the sake of those of + the world, especially those of England. To me it appears that the + question in dispute cannot be of such vital importance that an + arrangement could not be come to, by concessions upon both sides. + Whether I succeed in being heard or not is not in my hands. I + protest, however, at being regarded as one who wishes for war in + any country, still less in China. Inclined as I am, with only a + small degree of admiration for military exploits, I esteem it a far + greater honour to promote peace than to gain any paltry honours in + a wretched war." + +As a matter of fact Gordon did succeed in convincing the Government at +Pekin of the advisability of coming to terms with its opponent, and +thus once more he rendered China an invaluable service. In his earnest +advocacy he appears to have used such emphatic language that the +interpreter dared not repeat it, so Gordon seized a dictionary, looked +up the word "idiotcy," and pointed it out to them. Far better was it, +in Gordon's opinion, to ruffle the self-esteem of a few bigwigs, than +to allow two great nations to drift into a war which, after an enormous +sacrifice of life and much suffering, must have ended fatally for the +Chinese, who were quite unable to meet the trained hordes of Russia. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +MAURITIUS, CAPE, AND PALESTINE + + +Gordon left China immediately he had saved that country from war, +arriving in England on October 21, 1880. From then till about the end +of the following April he spent on leave. During this month the post of +officer commanding Royal Engineers at the Mauritius fell vacant, and +two officers to whom the command was offered retired rather than go to +Mauritius. Sir Howard Elphinstone was then offered the command, and +would also probably have retired, but Colonel Gordon offered to go for +him, and refused any money on account of the exchange, though usually +£700 or £800 was paid for an exchange of this kind. Yet Gordon was so +poor that he had actually to borrow the money to pay for his passage +when he went from India to China a few months before this! He left +England for the Mauritius on the 2nd May, travelling _via_ the Suez +Canal and Aden. + +The voyage opened up to his ever-active fertile brain the whole +question of the advantage to England of the Suez Canal, and of our +proper route to India. This, he maintained most strongly, should, in +the event of war, be _viâ_ the Cape, and not through the Canal, his +opinion concurring with that of Lord Palmerston, Mr. W. E. Forster, and +many men of ability. The Suez route may save a few days, but the risk +is terrible. In some parts of the Canal only one ship can pass at a +time, and a sunken barge, a little dynamite, or even a severe sandstorm +may block the Canal for days. An enemy could easily bribe the owners of +a few petty craft to sink their vessels, and thus completely to block +up troopships in the Canal. Even without such designs our troopships +are frequently delayed in passing through owing to accidents of all +sorts. + +The heads of many Englishmen have been completely turned by the opening +of the Suez Canal, and Gordon was one of the few who stood out against +the idea of considering it as _the_ proper route to India. It has been +said that our trade has increased very largely since the Canal was +opened, and that is true; but then the period in question has been one +of special activity, and probably our trade would have increased no +less had the Canal never been constructed. Moreover, the trade of other +countries has increased even more rapidly. Italy, France, Russia, +Germany, and Austria have gained more in proportion than we have. In +the olden days, when all the trade with the East came to Europe _viâ_ +the Cape, England was the great centre of the world. Everything was +shipped to England, and then despatched to different parts of Europe. +We were the great carriers of the ocean. But the Suez Canal has +disturbed this arrangement, and the European nations can more easily +obtain their supplies direct through the Canal, to the detriment of our +labour market. Gordon recognised that it was too late for the mistake +to be remedied, but he was most anxious that we should attach more +importance to our hold on the Cape, as the natural route to India in +the event of war, and not be deceived by the fictitious advantages of +the Suez Canal, which only offers the saving of a few days at enormous +risk. + +He took the opportunity of stopping at Suez to pay a visit to the grave +of his friend and lieutenant, Gessi, who had lost his life and died at +Suez from the hardships through which he passed on the Nile, partly +owing to the blocking of that river by the "sudd," which had re-formed +after Gordon left the Soudan, all precautionary measures having been +neglected, and partly owing to the cruel neglect of the authorities, +who might have taken more prompt measures for his relief. As his master +was to do a few years later, Gessi practically sacrificed his life in +the crusade against slavery. He had been an interpreter in the Crimean +war, and in the Soudan he exhibited such great military skill that he +was given a high independent command, with the result that he was, it +will be remembered, the means of capturing and breaking up Suleiman's +band of slave-dealers. + +Colonel Gordon arrived at the Mauritius at the end of May 1881, and he +left in March 1882, so he was only for about ten months on the island. +He went out to command the Royal Engineers, but as the officer +commanding the island was promoted and sent home, he succeeded by +seniority to the chief command. During this period there is not much to +mention beyond the fact that here, as elsewhere, he used every +opportunity to do acts of kindness to others. Two men of the Royal +Artillery had, when the worse for liquor, gone out in a boat, without +oars. For eight days they were drifting about in the currents that +surround the Mauritius. At last they reached the Island of Bourbon, and +in attempting to land, one of them got drowned. The other was sent back +to his battery, and the owner of the lost boat at once demanded +compensation. Thinking that the poor fellow had already suffered enough +for his misdeeds, Colonel Gordon paid for the boat, and took the +receipt to the man's commanding officer, stipulating that he should not +tell the man who had got him out of trouble. He always took the +greatest interest in the men, and also in the agent of the Army +Scripture Readers' Society, who worked among them. He told the officer +who collected funds for that Society to put him down for a subscription +of Rs.40 per annum, and said that if more was wanted he would be +delighted to give it. + + * * * + +In March 1882 he received a telegram from the Premier of the Cape +Government, asking for his aid in bringing about a termination of the +Basuto war. He had previously in April 1881 offered his services on +£700 per annum for this purpose, but the Government then in office at +the Cape had not even replied to his telegram, either by mail or by +wire, and so Gordon had thought no more about the matter. Troubles had +thickened, and a new Government had come into office. Hence the offer, +accompanied by the statement that they did not expect him to be bound +to the salary formerly proposed. Gordon at once accepted the offer, but +he could not get a ship going to the Cape direct. Fortunately there was +a small coasting vessel called the _Scotia_ bound for the Cape, so +Gordon at once took his passage, and stated that he would arrive on +board at a certain hour. The hour came, but no passenger arrived. The +afternoon wore away, evening came and passed, night arrived, and still +the Colonel did not put in an appearance. At last, about midnight, a +gentleman quietly came on deck, saying that he was Colonel Gordon, and +hastened to explain his reasons for being so late. Some of the officers +and people on the island, hearing that he was going to sail, had +intended to give him an ovation. In order to escape this, he had walked +twelve miles into the interior, returning after dark so that no one +should know where he was. Next day, however, crowds came on board to +wish him "good-bye," among them many children in whom he had as usual +taken an interest. One of these, whom he introduced as his "pet lamb" +to the wife of the captain of the ship, brought him a couple of bottles +of sherry, and other friends gave him a case of champagne. As he was +almost a total abstainer and frequently did not touch stimulants for +days together, he had no use for the wine, but he accepted the gifts in +order to please the givers. + +He made himself perfectly at home on board the little ship, and soon +became very friendly with the captain and his wife. He spoke a great +deal about the Seychelles Islands, situated to the north-east of +Madagascar, which he believed to be the site of the Garden of Eden, and +he showed them wood from the coco-de-mer, or nut of the sea, which he +believed to be the veritable tree that produced the forbidden fruit +which our ancestors tasted. The voyage, though not more than three +thousand miles in length, lasted a whole month, and there was some +rough weather, which he felt terribly, for he was not a particularly +good sailor, and the ship was very small. Writing to his sister he +said:-- + + "You will not care overmuch for my secular history, but will say, + 'What did you learn on the passage?' Well, the passage was truly a + fearful trial; dirt prevailed in everything; the bilge-water + literally, when pumped out from decayed sugar, tore up the very + inmost parts of the stomach, and showed me that, if that was wrong, + life was unendurable. I am not generally sick at sea, but I was + nearly dead with it; perhaps it was Mauritius fever coming out. + Salt water had got into the tank and we had to drink it. I was + very, very ill, but through it all I would not have changed one + iota of the voyage.... + + "I am a _rag_; that voyage in the _Scotia_ has killed me. I went to + Dr. Abercromby, and he told me I was on the verge of an attack of + jaundice. I am certainly better, but feel far from well. Listless, + worried in _body_, not a bit in spirits, and as if I had eaten + copper. I want to get into the position of delighting to accept and + do His will, yet I feel so very much inclined to wish His will + might be my release.... + + "Earth's joys grow very dim, its glories have faded. My Mauritius + sojourn has quenched to a great degree my desire for anything but + to be with Jesus. Everybody is very kind here and complimentary, + but all compliments are to me but sounds of the wind. If it was + Jesus' will, how delighted I should be to be called away, to be a + nail in His footstool, and how willingly I would have every one to + be higher than me in heaven!" + +There was, however, some mitigation to the horrors of this voyage, for, +during it, he heard of his promotion to the rank of major-general, +which gave him very great satisfaction, as he was beginning to fear +that, as the War Office authorities had failed to offer him an +appointment worthy of his merits, they might also see fit to pass him +over in the matter of promotion. Before he had heard the news he had +written:-- + + "Why am I not in the _Gazette_? I will not move, but it seems odd. + Anyway, if they do not promote me, I shall hope for strength to + bear it. _He_ is ruler, and I love Jesus irrespective of His mighty + rank and power. At Communion this morning I asked Christ to let me + rest, and then He should take the post of COMMANDANT-GENERAL, and + that I should be passive in the matter. Good-bye, my dear Augusta, + _fifteen years more_." + +He arrived at the Cape on May 3rd, 1882, and at once made the +acquaintance of the Governor, Sir Hercules Robinson, and the Premier, +Mr. Merriman. He found things in a very unsatisfactory condition, and +nearly decided to have nothing to do with them. The Cape Government +were in an awkward position, the affairs of the Basuto war being in the +hands of Mr. Orpen, in whom the Government had no confidence, but whom, +for party reasons, they did not like to remove. Consequently they could +not entrust matters entirely to General Gordon. He good-naturedly +yielded to pressure, accepted the post of Commandant-General, on £1200 +per annum, and undertook to report to the Cape Government his +suggestions for the improvement of the army generally, as well as the +best means for bringing the Basuto trouble to a speedy termination. The +arrangement was a very unsatisfactory one, but, with that public +spiritedness which so characterised him, Gordon threw himself +thoroughly into the business, and, before the end of the month, he drew +up a most able, statesman-like paper on the whole subject. With most it +would have been a piece of presumption for a man during a single month, +much of which was spent in travelling, to attempt such a task, more +especially as some of the questions were extremely difficult. But such +was Gordon's capacity for work, and for grasping complex questions, +that not only was the paper he drew up most exhaustive, but, read in +the light of subsequent events, it shows how well-informed he was, and +what an impartial mind he brought to bear on the subjects before him. +He read very quickly, he could at a glance grasp the salient points of +any question, and, having a wonderfully retentive memory, no important +detail was lost sight of. He wrote both quickly and clearly, and had +the faculty of presenting his points in a lucid manner. Like many +military men, who are, when young, taken from their studies, he did not +always write in the best of English, but he made up for this in the +remarkable manner in which he could marshal facts and arguments, and +the ease with which he carried his reader along. In his letters and +journals he does not do himself justice as a writer, but in his +official despatches and memoranda he shows that, not least among his +accomplishments, was the gift of being able to write well, and to the +point. His memorandum on the reform of the Cape army was very able, +though too long to reproduce here. Briefly stated it showed how an army +of 8000 men could be maintained instead of the 1600 men then under +arms, and at a reduced cost of £7000 per annum! He also pointed out how +unjustly the Basutos had been treated, and suggested as a remedy that +they should be invited to assemble a general council in which to +ventilate their grievances, and that steps should be taken to remove +these grievances. He advocated giving them a semi-independent position, +with power to manage their own affairs, and to administer justice +without the intervention of foreign magistrates, some of whom, in +Gordon's opinion, were very corrupt. + +Those who have studied the affairs of South Africa, and the history of +Christian missions there, will not need to be told what an interesting +people the Basutos are. But for others, it may be as well to say that +this branch of the Kaffir race are not only among the most civilised of +all the African races, but a large proportion of them are Christian in +something more than name. The old chieftain Moshesh, who reigned some +fifty years ago, was a man of marked ability, and, though a great +soldier, he hated war. Having heard of the work of the celebrated Dr. +Moffat among the Korannas, he sent to invite this "man of prayer, and +teacher of the Christian religion," to visit him. To cut a long story +short, some French Protestant missionaries responded to the invitation, +and were wonderfully blessed in their work. Hundreds of converts were +received into the Christian Church, and instead of war and bloodshed +prevailing, men were instructed how to cultivate fields and build +houses. + +In the Kaffir war of 1852 Sir George Cathcart was informed that Moshesh +was the centre of intrigue, and, ill-advised, he attacked that +chieftain and was defeated. When the attack was about to be renewed, he +received from Moshesh the following message: "O my master, I am still +your servant; I am still the child of the Queen. Sometimes a man beats +his dog, and the dog puts his teeth into his hands, and gives him a +bite: nevertheless the dog loves the master, and the master loves the +dog, and will not kill it. I am vexed at what happened yesterday; let +it be forgotten." Fortunately Sir George Cathcart had sufficient +nobility of character to appreciate this message. Peace was made, and +Sir George afterwards said of Moshesh, "I found him not only to be the +most enlightened, but the most upright chief in South Africa, and one +in whose good faith I put the most perfect confidence, and for whom, +therefore, I have a sincere respect and regard." Moshesh died in 1870, +and the policy he had initiated was carried on by his successor +Masupha. + +Unfortunately the Cape Government wanted to deprive the Basutos of +their right to carry arms, and this they resented. Gordon's sympathies +were entirely with them. There were other abuses, such as bad +magistrates, which were even admitted by the Secretary for Native +Affairs, and Gordon came to the conclusion that the Basutos had been +very badly treated. They were loyal to the Queen, but objected to being +put under the Cape Government, disliking the Dutch element which has +such influence at the Cape. + + * * * + +On the 18th July, 1882, the Cape Government proposed that General +Gordon should visit Basutoland, but he was of opinion that unless the +Government saw their way to grant what he suggested, there was little +use in his going. In August, Mr. Sauer, the Secretary for Native +Affairs, came to King William's Town, and asked Gordon to accompany him +into the Basuto country. Much against his own opinion Gordon yielded, +and went as far as Leribe; but finding that the idea in the mind of Mr. +Sauer was that he might employ one portion of the Basutos to fight +against the other, he remonstrated very strongly. Mr. Sauer then asked +him privately to visit Masupha, but gave him no instructions +officially. Gordon consented to do this much, but he let Mr. Sauer +clearly understand that nothing would induce him to fight the Basutos, +with the object of forcing bad magistrates on them, or treating them +unjustly. Hoping to avert the horrors of war, Gordon, unarmed and +without a flag of truce or any commission, went into the middle of a +hostile people, who had never even heard his name. The charm of manner +which he ever manifested in his dealings with native races gained the +day, and he secured the confidence of these people. In his speech to +them he said:-- + + "I have come here as a friend of the Basutos. I showed myself a + friend, for when asked to come and fight, I would not. Now, when I + come, I want first to do good for Basutos. The Basutos are of a + good disposition. I say to the chief and people, How can Basutoland + belong to Basutos? I tell all that the Government want to do good + to the people. The Queen does not want the Colony to take land of + Basutos, and what the Colony and the Queen are afraid of is that if + abandoned the Basutos would be eaten up. I like the Boers; they are + brave, and like their own government; and when they fought, they + fought for their own government. England could have beaten the + Boers if they liked, but thought it unjust. Which do Basutos think + Dutch like best--Basutos or land? I think they like land best. + Supposing Colony abandoned this country, by-and-by they have + trouble with Free State; after that begins fighting; then I look + forward ten years, and I see Dutch farms close here. I do not want + that, the Colony does not, and the Queen does not, and no Basuto + either. Then I say, Basutos, make friends with the Government.... + + "Suppose Boers drive you away, for me it would be all the same, and + not much difference when you are put in the ground. I wish the + Basutos would do what I say. What I want is for all to speak with + one tongue. I cannot make myself black. I cannot make Masupha and + his people do what I want, so I leave it to Jesus, who works + everything. This is all I have to say--Do what you like; think + well; pray to Jesus for advice." + +No sooner had General Gordon gone on his peaceful mission than he +discovered that Mr. Sauer had actually induced Lerethodi, a rival +chief, to attack Masupha. This action not only endangered Gordon's +life, but outraged his sense of honour to such an extent, that he +decided forthwith to sever all connection with the Cape Government. It +was, to say the least, extraordinary conduct, to send a messenger of +peace to a rebel chief, and then, without waiting for any reply, to +induce some of his own countrymen to attack and coerce him. It would +perhaps not be fair to hold the whole of the Cape Government +responsible for the action of a single man, but this curious proceeding +confirmed General Gordon in an opinion he held, that white men often +fail to practise towards the despised coloured men that honourable, +upright dealing that might be expected from the leaders of civilised +nations. + +Mr. Arthur Pattison, writing to the _Times_ on the 20th August 1885, +after Gordon's death, said of Masupha, "If you trust him +straightforwardly, he is as nice a man as possible, and even kind and +thoughtful; but if you treat him the other way, he is a fiend +incarnate. The late General Gordon divined his character marvellously, +and was the only man Masupha had the slightest regard for." If our +Government had more men of the type of General Gordon, we may rest +assured that we should have fewer of these petty little "nigger wars," +which, more often than not, are brought on by incapacity and want of +sympathy on the part of our representatives abroad. One great charm +about Gordon's character was his sympathy for the weak and helpless. It +mattered not whether the helpless one were a king or a slave, so long +as he was weak he was sure of having Gordon's sympathies and assistance +in his troubles. Before leaving the Cape, Gordon made a most noble +offer, which was that he should go on £300 per annum and live as a +magistrate among the Basutos, so as to protect them from their enemies, +but the offer was not accepted. + +The way in which Gordon regarded his position is shown in the following +passages from two of his letters:-- + + "KING WILLIAM'S TOWN, _October_ 6, 1882.--The telegrams will show + you that the Cape Colony chapter of my life is over. I am so glad + to be free of all this turmoil. There will be a fearful row, but + these things have not moved me at all. I have thought more of a + scuttler who shed tears when I spoke to him of God's living in him, + than I have of all this affair." + + "SS. KINFAUNS CASTLE, _October_ 20, 1882.--I shall, D.V., be in + England when you get this. I shall go by sea to Gravesend, and on + to Southampton at once. Whether men praise you, it does not make + you better, or whether they blame you, it does not make you worse. + God judges by motives, men by actions (Thomas à Kempis). When I + went to the Cape I prayed for glory to God and the welfare of the + people, so I am glad _I_ got no glory out of it." + +It may be well to introduce here a few words he wrote of the celebrated +Zulu king whom we deposed and imprisoned at the Cape. + + "_May_ 20, 1882.--I went to see Cetewayo, and felt for him, and + tried to cheer him. I gave him a stick with an ivory head--a + beauty--which had been given me by the Sultan of Perak, who was a + prisoner at the Seychelles. When I told Cetewayo that I had always + been interested in him and that he must have hope, with a deep + '_Ah!_' he pointed upwards. He is a fine savage." + +General Gordon arrived in England on the 8th November 1882, after the +close of the Egyptian war, little thinking how closely that war would +affect him. After a short stay at Southampton he left on December 28th +for Palestine, and nearly the whole of the year 1883 was spent in +Palestine. Writing from Jerusalem he says:-- + + "Everything looks small and insignificant, but quite meets the idea + I had of the _worldly_ position of the Jews and of our Lord. In + fact, the Scriptures tell the story without any pretence that + either the country, people, or our Lord were of any great + importance _in the world_. They are expositors of how very low + the position to which He, the Lord of lords, descended. You can + realise the fact as well in England as here, by substituting a + Scripture-reader of dubious birth and humble parents, exposing the + fallacy of a ceremonial church-going religion, and pointing out how + impossible it is to please God by such religious formalities.... + + "The Temple of Solomon was fine for those days, but, setting aside + its Divine significance, it was only about six times as long as the + room you are in, and not much wider--60 cubits = 90 feet = 30 yards + long, by 20 cubits = 30 feet = 10 yards wide. You could walk round + the city in less than an hour; it is not quite three miles + round.... + + "The ravines round Jerusalem are full of the dust of men, for over + a million bodies must have been slain there. What a terrific sight + the resurrection there will be! I suppose there is no place in the + world where so many bodies are concentrated.... + + "It is nice sauntering about, conjuring up scenes of days gone + by--real scenes, actions on the stage of life; all gone! It quiets + ambition! + + "I came back from Gaza yesterday, after a ten days' sojourn there, + returning through Askelon, where there are very fine ruins, + enormous columns, marbles, &c, lying in all directions: it is a + wonderful place. Like all the coast, it is most dreary, yet one + sees that all the country was once thickly populated. Sand from the + shore is creeping in steadily, and makes it mournful. Napoleon I., + Alexander the Great, Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar, and a host of + great men passed by this route. Titus came up by Gaza to Jerusalem. + Richard Coeur de Lion was years at Askelon. All gone, 'those old + familiar faces'!" + +The supposed sites of the holy places seem to have had peculiar +fascination for his active brain, and he came to the conclusion that +most, if not all, of them were wrong. It would, however, occupy too +much space to give the reasons which led him to this conclusion. Though +we cannot gather it from his own letters, a good deal of his time was +more profitably spent than in hunting up old sites. Dr. Cunningham +Geikie, who was in Jerusalem when Gordon was killed at Khartoum, tells +us:-- + + "A poor dragoman told me that General Gordon used to come often to + his house in Jerusalem when he and his wife lay ill, and that he + would take a mat, and put it on the floor as a seat, there being no + chairs or furniture, and sit down with his Testament to read and + speak to them about Christ. Ascertaining that a doctor's account + had been incurred, he went off secretly and paid it. He gave away + all he had to the poor in Jerusalem and the villages round, and the + people mourn for him as for their father." + +He made friends with some of the missionaries of the Church Missionary +Society, with whom he found himself much in sympathy. Speaking of the +Rev. J. R. L. Hall, he says, "I have found a nice man now here (Jaffa), +but his mission is at Gaza. He is a Jew[10] by birth, but a man after my +own heart. I may drop down there ere long and help him. He belongs to +the C.M.S." + + [10] General Gordon was under a misconception as to the parentage + of Mr. Hall. As a matter of fact this missionary is descended + from a very old family in the county of Hampshire, and was no + more related to that ancient race than the General himself. + +This Mr. Hall, in a speech afterwards made at Exeter Hall, told some +interesting things about General Gordon at this period of his life, +which for want of space, cannot be reproduced at length here. He +thoroughly identified himself with mission work, showing how much he +valued Christianity over all other religious systems. When he met Mr. +Hall he said, "I am very restless; I came here for rest and quiet, to +study the Word of God, and at the same time to discover different +sacred sites. I am not satisfied; I am restless; I want Christian work. +Do you think that if I were to come to Jaffa, you could give me any +work to do?" He went to live at Jaffa for eight months. While he was +there instructions came from the central society for a mission-house to +be built at Nablous. There was no architect nearer than at Jerusalem, +and his fee and expenses would have been very high. The missionaries +agreed to consult General Gordon about drawing up the plans for the +house, but were afraid of presuming too much on his kindness. When the +deputation from them arrived, he cut them short in their apology. "I +know what you want; you want a contribution," said he. When told that +they wanted something much more valuable, he was delighted, and seizing +a pencil and paper wrote down exactly all they needed in the way of +accommodation. He set to work, and before the day was over he had drawn +up admirable plans and calculations. The mission-house was built on +those plans, and his estimate proved to be almost exactly the cost of +the building. He said to Mr. Hall:-- + + "You thought that I should be annoyed at being asked to draw out + plans for a mission-house. If there is anything that I can do for + the cause of missions I am delighted to do it. What did I come to + Jaffa for? Did I not tell you at Haifa that if you could give me + some work to do for the Lord, that would set my mind at rest? I was + restless because I had been shutting myself up in Palestine, and + had not been putting out my powers for service in the Lord's work." + +There are among Christian people some who take a deep interest in the +spread of the Gospel at home, but do not exhibit the same interest in +the spread of Christianity abroad, and _vice versâ_. During Gordon's +stay at Gravesend he showed what a real interest he took in home +mission work, and in his letters he frequently used to say that he +should like to end his days working in the east end of London. The time +he spent among the missionaries in Palestine shows that he took an +equally deep interest in foreign missions, and before leaving that +country he wrote, in reference to a conference of missionaries that was +about to be held at Gaza, "I should like to go down there and meet the +brethren who assemble; it may be the last time that I can have any +intercourse with a number of missionaries." + +On the 15th October 1883 General Gordon received a telegram from the +King of the Belgians, asking him to go to Central Africa to govern the +territory that had been acquired by the International Association. The +King had once before pressed him to join this movement, which had for +its object the opening up of Africa to trade and civilisation, and the +consequent abolition of slavery and cruelty. Mr. H. M. Stanley was at +the head of the movement, and Gordon offered to serve under him, and +had promised the Belgian king that when his services were required they +would be given. Stanley had resigned his post, and the time had come +for Gordon to redeem his promise. He at once telegraphed home for +leave, and the reply came back, "The Secretary of State has decided to +sanction your going to the Congo." A telegraph clerk had made a +mistake, and the correct message was, "The Secretary of State has +_declined_ to sanction your going to the Congo." As Gordon had, +however, already promised the King of the Belgians to go, there was no +alternative but for him to sever his connection with the British army. +With the full intention of placing his resignation in the hands of the +Secretary of State for War, as well as to interview King Leopold, he +left Palestine at the end of the year 1883. He was travelling on the +last night of the old year, and he tells us that he spent that night in +prayer in the railway carriage, of which he was the solitary occupant. +As the new year was ushered in, the lonely traveller between Genoa and +Brussels little thought that it was to be almost his last,[11] and that +soon he would be permitted to throw off the earthly tabernacle, and put +on the crown of glory. His active brain was busily employed at this +time in considering how best he could wage war with human cruelty. He +was to have started on January 26, 1885, for the Congo, but a telegram +reached him at his sister's house at Southampton, from Lord Wolseley, +requesting his presence in London, as an outcry was being made by +certain well-informed persons that the only man who was capable of +solving the Soudan difficulties was being permitted to leave the +British army, and to go into the service of a foreign power, to busy +himself in the wilds of Africa. + + [11] General Gordon is supposed to have been killed on 26th + January 1885. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +KHARTOUM + + +In order to understand aright the events that suddenly intervened and +prevented General Gordon from fulfilling his engagement to the King of +the Belgians, it will be necessary to go back to the year 1882, and +briefly survey what occurred after that time. It will be remembered +that Gordon left the Soudan at the end of 1879, when the young Khedive +Tewfik was reigning in place of his father Ismail, who had been +compelled to resign. Tewfik unfortunately was not fit to rule, and +Egypt above all things wanted a man who was not a mere puppet. His +father, with all his faults, had great force of character, and made +himself respected in the kingdom. The son was as weak as the father was +strong, with the result that his rule soon became nominal. When weak +men get into such positions, there is great temptation for stronger +ones to rise up and seize the reins of government. It is unnecessary to +sketch the history of Arabi Pasha, or to recount in detail the +circumstances that brought him to the front. Enough for our purpose to +mention that his name, little known before, was suddenly associated +with a great military revolt, and that the powers of Europe took alarm +lest the Suez Canal should be blocked. But for that Canal, events in +Egypt might have taken a very different turn, and that country might +now have had, what it sorely needs, a strong man at the head of +affairs. England, having far more ships passing through the Canal than +all the rest of the world together, intervened. Our fleet attacked +Alexandria, and our troops under Lord Wolseley broke up the Egyptian +army at Tel-el-Kebir. From that time we have virtually been the rulers +of the ancient kingdom of Egypt, the Khedive being little more than a +puppet in our hands. He has all the social position and dignity of a +Khedive, without the trouble or responsibility of having to govern. + +Unfortunately, soon after General Gordon relinquished the +Governor-Generalship of the Soudan, the Khedive, in spite of Gordon's +protest, appointed to the post about as bad a man as he could possibly +have selected. This was no other than Raouf Pasha, whom Gordon had +twice turned out of different appointments for playing the tyrant. No +sooner was he appointed than there was a revival of all the horrors of +cruel government, which Gordon had done so much to abolish. The +following are his own words in explanation of the origin of the +rebellion:-- + + "The movement is not religious, but an outbreak of despair. Three + times over I warned the late Khedive that it would be impossible to + govern the Soudan on the old system, after my appointment to the + Governor-Generalship. During the three years that I wielded full + powers in the Soudan, I taught the natives that they had a right to + exist. I waged war against the Turks and Circassians, who had + harried the population. I had taught them something of the meaning + of liberty and justice, and accustomed them to a higher ideal of + government than that with which they had previously been + acquainted. As soon as I had gone, the Turks and Circassians + returned in full force; the old Bashi-Bazouk system was + re-established; my old _employés_ were persecuted; and a population + which had begun to appreciate something like decent government was + flung back to suffer the vast excesses of Turkish rule. The + inevitable result followed; and thus it may be said that the egg of + the present rebellion was laid in the three years during which I + was allowed to govern the Soudan on other than Turkish principles." + +There was a belief among the Mohammedans that the year 1882 would be an +eventful one for them. It closed the twelfth century of Mohammedanism, +and the popular expectation was that a Mahdi, or another prophet, would +arise to reform Islam, and to abolish the tyranny of the rich and +powerful. Predictions of this kind frequently bring about their own +accomplishment. Before the time stated, a man named Mohammed Achmet had +arisen, declaring that he was the long-looked-for Mahdi, and crowds +were flocking to his standard.[12] With a powerful governor, such as +Gordon, the movement would have been quickly stamped out; indeed, so +few abuses existed under his rule, that there was then no demand for +such a reformer. But with Raouf Pasha the case was reversed; not only +were there many abuses to be reformed, but there was a corresponding +want of ability to subdue such a movement. The Mahdi's forces grew +apace, for there existed plenty of material in the way of recruits. +Passing over smaller engagements in which the Egyptian troops met the +forces of the Mahdi, we come to one crowning disaster on the 5th +November 1883, when an Egyptian army, numbering something like 12,000 +men, under the command of Colonel Hicks, a retired Indian officer, was +massacred on the road between Khartoum and El Obeid. No blame can be +attached to the commander on this occasion. Mr. Frank Power, the +_Times_ correspondent at Khartoum, writes of him as follows: "I pity +Hicks; he is an able, good, and energetic man, but he has to do with +wretched Egyptians, who take a pleasure in being incompetent, thwarting +one, delaying and lying." The unfortunate men who composed his army had +been dragged from their homes in chains, and many of them had never +learnt to fire a shot, or to ride a horse. Mr. Power predicted, before +the army left Khartoum, that fifty good men would rout the whole lot. +The Mahdi not only had upwards of 69,000 men on his side, but a large +proportion of them were fine plucky fellows, worthy of a better foe. + + [12] One writer thus describes the Mahdi:--"Mohammed Achmet was a + native of Dongola, the son of a shipwright, formerly well known + there. From his early youth he was fond of meditation and + studying the Koran, rather than of working like his brothers; and + his tastes were encouraged. He became the disciple of a fakir, or + dervish, near Khartoum. In 1870 he took up his residence on an + island, where he gained reputation as a learned and devout man. + For a time he used this reputation only for selfish and sensual + ends. He took wives from among the Arabs, and thus made many + alliances, which he afterwards turned to account. After some + years he began to assume more ambitious claims, and declared + himself to be the true Mahdi." + +Mr. Power says: "The last that was seen of poor old Hicks was his +taking his revolver in one hand, and his sword in the other; calling on +his soldiers to fix bayonets, and his staff to follow him, he spurred +at the head of his troops into the dense mass of naked Arabs, and +perished with all his men." They had fought for three days and nights +without a drop of water, the whole day under a scorching sun on a sandy +plain. Gordon writing to a friend says: "What a defeat Hicks's was! It +is terrible to think of over 12,000 men killed; the Arabs just prodded +them to death, where they lay dying of thirst, four days without water! +It is appalling. What a hecatomb to death!" + + * * * + +That victory changed everything. Nothing succeeds like success; the +Mahdi became the hero of the hour in the Soudan, and his forces, it was +supposed, at one time numbered something like 300,000 men. Here then +were all the elements ready for a new Mohammedan crusade, and +considering how much trouble the first Mohammedan crusade had given in +Europe, it was not to be wondered at that there was fear and trembling +in Egypt, the first country on the line of march of this huge fanatical +army, flushed with victory, believing their leader to be none other +than the long-expected reformer of Islam and conqueror of the world. A +hurriedly-scraped-together force, consisting mainly of gendarmerie, was +at once dispatched under Baker Pasha, _viâ_ Suakim, to relieve +Khartoum, and attack the Mahdi. This force was so completely smashed up +by Osman Digna within a few miles of Suakim that it had little effect +upon the campaign, except to show that Egyptian troops were absolutely +unfit to meet the forces of the Mahdi. If the tide of conquest was to +be rolled back it must be done by British troops. But England might +well ask what claim was there resting on her that she should give +valuable lives to be sacrificed, to say nothing of incurring the cost +of a fresh campaign, simply because the corrupt Egyptian Government was +too weak to rule its own territory? + +When once it became clear that Egyptian troops could not hold the +Soudan, our Government rightly decided that the province must be given +up. Unfortunately, there were scattered about in different parts of +that immense territory various Egyptian officials and bodies of troops. +It was calculated that including the women and children their number +must have been about 30,000. We had practically broken up the Egyptian +army, and virtually become the rulers of the country, so we as a nation +had a certain amount of responsibility in the matter. The problem was +how to withdraw that enormous number of human beings from the Soudan +into Egypt. What appeared to be needed far more than troops was a man +with a head on his shoulders, acquainted with the country, familiar +with the people and their habits of thought, and possessing force of +character to stand against the turbulent elements that had to be dealt +with. No sooner were the difficulties of the position recognised in +England than an outcry arose that Gordon ought to be sent to undertake +the herculean task. Mr. Gladstone, in the House of Commons, has given +credit to Sir Charles Wilson as the first to suggest sending Gordon, as +the only man competent to deal with all the difficulties of the +situation. Both Mr. Gladstone and Sir Charles Dilke asserted in public +that the English Cabinet advised the Egyptian Government that Gordon +was the best man to send, but that the Khedive's ministers did not +approve of this step. Sir Henry Gordon, in his biography states that +Sir Evelyn Baring, our representative in Egypt, does not even seem to +have consulted the Egyptian Government, but of his own accord declined +to accept Gordon. It is quite clear that Sir Evelyn Baring and General +Gordon were not the best of friends, for Gordon later on complains: "I +hear very little from Cairo. Baring only telegraphs officially." It +does not, however, much matter now who is to blame for the want of +wisdom in not recognising in time that Gordon was the man for the +occasion. That blunder, whosever fault it was, not only lost the Soudan +to Egypt, but caused the death of many of our brave soldiers, to say +nothing of Gordon himself. The Egyptian Government blundered on a +little longer, till it was too late, and then the request that Gordon +might be sent was telegraphed home. + +Nubar Pasha, who was the first to invite Gordon to Egypt many years +before, was now the first to see that he ought to be sent for. This +astute minister had only just come into office, and within eight days +he got Sir Evelyn Baring to telegraph to England for Gordon. There can +be little question now that the fatal delay of a single month sealed +the fate of the Soudan. Hicks Pasha's force was annihilated in November +1883, but it was not till January 11, 1884, that General Gordon +received a telegram from his old friend and comrade, Lord Wolseley, +urging him to come to town at once for consultation, and though he did +not lose a single day he did not reach Cairo till January 24th. By that +time he ought to have been at Khartoum. + +Before proceeding further, it may be well to say that so little was +General Gordon known at this time by his countrymen, that a country +gentleman, who was a magistrate and a deputy-lieutenant in +Pembrokeshire, a county in which Gordon had formerly been stationed, +remarked, on seeing the fact mentioned in the paper that "Chinese +Gordon" was going out. "I see the Government have just sent a Chinaman +to the Soudan. What can they mean by sending a native of that country +to such a place?" This story, which is mentioned by Sir William Butler, +is quite characteristic of the ignorance that prevailed about the +Khartoum hero, previous to his being selected as the one man who could +save Egypt from its troubles, and our Government from an awkward +position. + +In a letter to his brother, dated 17th January, Gordon says, "I saw +King Leopold to-day; he is furious." It must have been a great trial to +that kind-hearted monarch to have all his philanthropic plans thus +upset, and he made Gordon promise that he would, if spared, go to the +Congo when the Soudan was settled. So hard up for money was Gordon at +this time that he had to borrow from the king enough to pay for his +journey to London. Fortunately it occurred to Lord Wolseley to ask +Gordon, a few hours before he was to start by the evening mail, if he +had sufficient money. Gordon had none, and as the banks had closed his +lordship had some amusing adventures going about to raise £200, which +he did by borrowing small sums. As far as Gordon was concerned, his +lordship might have saved himself the trouble, as £100 of the amount +was generously bestowed by him on Mahomet, his old blind secretary at +Cairo. + +The _Pall Mall Gazette_, which was the first journal to advocate +sending Gordon to the Soudan, and which first published his views on +that country, was represented at Charing Cross when the gallant General +was starting, and described the scene as a very unusual and interesting +one. Lord Wolseley carried the General's portmanteau; Lord Granville, +the Foreign Secretary, took his ticket; and the Duke of Cambridge held +open the door. Considering how little Gordon cared about grandees, it +is amusing to note that he was waited on in a way that many +tuft-hunters would envy. + +Writing before he had actually started, he said: "I am averse to the +loss of a single life, and will endeavour to prevent any happening _if +I go_. I have a Bank, and on that I can draw; He is richer than the +Khedive, and knows more of the country than any one; I will trust Him +to help me out of money or any other difficulties." Again he writes, +when at sea, 21st January: "If people ask after me, tell them they can +greatly help me with their prayers, not for my earthly success, but +that my mission may be for God's glory, the welfare of the poor and +wretched, and, for me, what He wills, above all for a humble heart." +And to his friend Prebendary Barnes, he says: "You and I are equally +exposed to the attacks of the enemy--me not a bit more than you are." + + * * * + +On January 24th he reached Cairo, where a good deal of excitement +prevailed. Gordon apparently took it all very calmly. He had to remain +a couple of days, and during that time had a stormy interview with +Zebehr, who accused him of the murder of his son. Gordon's reply was +practically that had full justice been done, Zebehr too would have paid +the death penalty. Though he had such a short time at Cairo, he found +opportunity to interest himself in the affairs of a poor lad, the son +of a native pastor of the Church Missionary Society at Jaffa. The boy +had been in a telegraph office at Jaffa, but had been unjustly +dismissed. He went to Cairo for employment, and got into the telegraph +office. General Gordon had not forgotten him, and went to call on the +young fellow, who was of course in quite a subordinate position, and +must have been not a little astonished at the visit of a man upon whom, +at that time, the eyes of the whole civilised world were turned. "How +is your mother?" was the first question Gordon put, the woman having +been unwell when he was in Palestine. He then spoke to the head of the +department, with the result that the boy's position was improved +considerably. Writing from Khartoum, Gordon said: "I saw two pleasant +things at Cairo--Baring's and Wood's chicks;[13] and I heard one +pleasant thing--Mrs. Amos wanted me to see her lambs." + + [13] Sir Evelyn Baring, the British representative, and Sir + Evelyn Wood, the commander-in-chief. + +General Gordon had brought with him from England a very able staff +officer, Colonel Stewart, of the 11th Hussars, who knew Egypt well. +Having done all that was necessary in the way of interviewing officials +at Cairo, the two proceeded together on January 26th, reaching Korosko +on February 1st, at which point they took to their camels, and dashed +into the Nubian Desert. All sorts of alarming rumours reached England +as to Gordon's fate during this hazardous ride, but on February 13th he +reached Berber in safety, and we heard that he had reached Khartoum on +the 18th. Mr. Power, the _Times_ correspondent, writing from Khartoum +on January 24th, said: "I hear that Chinese Gordon is coming up. They +could not have a better man. He, though severe, was greatly loved +during the five years he spent up here." Again Mr. Power writes: "Just +got a telegram from Mr. Bell, the _Times_ agent for Egypt, to say, +'Gordon leaves Cairo to-night, and will be in Khartoum in eighteen +days.' The shortest time on record is twenty-four days; but Gordon +(sword and Bible) travels like a whirlwind. No Arab of the desert +could, when he was up here, vie with him in endurance on camel back;" +and yet again, on February 9th, "I don't believe the fellows in Lucknow +looked more anxiously for Colin Campbell than we look for Gordon." The +same pen described the scene he created on arrival, and the speech he +made. Thousands of the people crowded to kiss his hands and feet, +calling him the "Sultan of the Soudan." + + "His speech to the people was received with enthusiasm. He said, 'I + come without soldiers, but with God on my side, to redress the + evils of the Soudan. I will not fight with any weapons but justice. + There shall be no more Bashi-Bazouks.' It is now believed that he + will relieve the Bahr-Gazelle garrisons without firing a shot. + Since they heard that he was coming the aspect of the people has so + changed that there are no longer any fears of disturbance in the + town. They say that he is giving them more than even the Mahdi + could give. He is sending out proclamations in all directions. Such + is the influence of one man, that there are no longer any fears for + the garrison or people of Khartoum." + +General Gordon immediately reduced the taxation of the people by one +half, and directed Colonel Stewart to examine into the case of each +person in prison. It was found that some prisoners had been awaiting +trial for months and some even for years, one poor woman having been +detained for fifteen years for a paltry offence committed when a child. +As many as possible were released, only the worst cases being detained. +One poor old Sheikh had to be carried into Gordon's presence, the +ex-governor of Khartoum having bastinadoed him so severely on the feet +that the flesh had all gone, and only the sinews and bones were +showing. Gordon was so indignant at this that he telegraphed to Cairo +to have £50 stopped out of the pay of Hussein Pasha Cheri, and handed +to his victim by way of compensation for such brutal treatment. He had +a collection made of kourbashes and other instruments of torture, and +had them all destroyed in a bonfire. + +Writing on February 22nd, Gordon says:-- + + "I have all my old servants back, and it is like old times again. I + have not minced matters with the Pashas; it was useless to do so. + We have thousands of petitions daily. I have ordered an Arabic + text, 'God rules the hearts of all men,' to be put up over my + throne, to which I can refer when people come to me in fear.... + There is, of course, a very mixed sort of feeling here about the + evacuation of the Soudan; the civil employés do not desire it, for + the half taxes will cause their pay to be diminished by half, and + the _personnel_ reduced." + +From Mr. Power's interesting correspondence we get pleasant little +peeps at the private life of the great hero:-- + + "Gordon is a most lovable character--quiet, mild, gentle and + strong; he is so humble too. The way he pats you on the shoulder + when he says, 'Look here, dear fellow, now what would you advise?' + would make you love him. When he goes out of doors there are always + crowds of Arab men and women at the gate to kiss his feet, and + twice to-day the furious women, wishing to lift his feet to kiss + them, threw him over. He likes my going so much amongst the + natives, for not to do so is a mortal sin in his eyes.... It is + wonderful that one man could have such an influence on 200,000 + people. Numbers of women flock here every day to ask him to touch + their children to cure them; they call him the 'Father and the + Saviour of the Soudan.' He has found me badly up in Thomas à + Kempis, which he reads every day, and has given me an 'Imitation of + Christ.' He is indeed, I believe, the greatest and best man of this + century.... + + "I like Gordon more and more every day; he has a most lovable + manner and disposition, and is so kind to me. He is glad if you + show the smallest desire to help him in his great trouble. How one + man could have dared to attempt his task, I wonder. One day of his + work and bother would kill another man, yet he is so cheerful at + breakfast, lunch, and dinner; but I know he suffers fearfully from + low spirits. I hear him walking up and down his room all night (it + is next to mine). It is only his great piety carries him through. + He and I agree in a great many religious views." + +Mr. Power being an Irishman and a Roman Catholic, while General Gordon +was a Scotchman and a member of the Church of England, such testimony +speaks volumes for the General as well as for the writer. There can be +little doubt that General Gordon had not known the brave young Irishman +long, before he had cast over him that fascinating spell which +invariably attracted and charmed young men. Cowper tells us that-- + + "Truth embodied in a tale, + Shall entrance find at lowliest doors." + +Might not the poet have added that truth embodied in a life shall be +even more efficacious in obtaining an entrance? Power's life was cut +short before he had an opportunity of doing much in the world, but the +little that he was permitted to do shows us that he too was made of +that stuff which produces heroes; and as long as our country has such +men in reserve to fall back upon in times of emergency, there need be +no fear of her not being able to maintain her supremacy among nations. + +How unwavering was Gordon's faith in the providence of God, even in the +midst of difficulties that would have appalled most men, is shown by +the following letter:-- + + "_February 27, 1884._--I have sent Stewart off to scour the river + White Nile, and another expedition to push back the rebels on the + Blue Nile. With Stewart has also gone Power, the British Consul and + _Times_ correspondent, so I am left alone in the vast palace of + which you have a photograph, but not alone, for I feel great + confidence in my Saviour's presence. + + "The peculiar pain, which comes from the excessive anxiety one + cannot help being in for these people, comes back to me at times. I + think that our Lord, sitting over Jerusalem, is ruling all things + to the glory of His kingdom, and cannot wish things were different + than they are, for, if I did so, then I wish _my will_ not _His_ to + be done. The Soudan is a ruin, and, humanly speaking, there is no + hope. Either I must believe He does all things in mercy and love, + or else I disbelieve His existence; there is no half-way in the + matter. What holes do I not put myself into! And for what? So mixed + are my ideas. I believe ambition put me here in this ruin; however, + I trust and stay myself on the fact that not one sparrow falls to + the ground without our Lord's permission; also that enough for the + day is the evil. 'God provideth by the way, strength sufficient for + the day.' + + "_March 1, 1884._--We are all right at present, and I have hope, + but certainly things are not in a good way; humanly speaking, + Baker's defeat at Suakim has been a great disaster, and now it has + its effects up here. 'It is nothing to our God to help with many or + with few,' and I now take my worries more quietly than before, for + all things are ruled by Him for His glory, and it is rebellion to + murmur against His will. Excuse a long letter."[14] + + [14] This letter of 27th February and 1st March has been + presented to the Trustees of the British Museum, and is now + exhibited in the Manuscript Department. + +It may be well at this point to consider the position of General Gordon +in his official relationship to the Egyptian and English Governments, +for it is impossible to understand subsequent events accurately, +without a proper apprehension of the exact state of affairs. When +Gordon was first sent out, his instructions were merely "to report to +Her Majesty's Government on the military situation in the Soudan, and +on the measures which it might be deemed advisable to take for the +security of the Egyptian garrisons still holding positions in that +country, and for the safety of the European population in Khartoum, +&c., &c." Added, however, to these instructions was an insignificant +clause to which no one at the time attached much importance, and which +ran as follows, "You will consider yourself authorised and instructed +to perform such other duties as the Egyptian Government may desire to +intrust to you, and as may be communicated to you by Sir E. Baring." +The Egyptian Government decided to make Gordon Governor-General of the +Soudan, and the Khedive gave into his hands all the absolute power that +he himself possessed; this appointment was sanctioned by the British +Government, and officially communicated to Gordon by Sir E. Baring. In +view of this appointment, most readers will concur in the opinion of +Mr. Egmont Hake, the editor of Gordon's Journals, that "it is as unfair +as it is illogical to talk about General Gordon having exceeded the +instructions conveyed to him by Her Majesty's Government." The real +truth is that it was impossible for Gordon to exceed his instructions. +He himself again and again contended that while it was open to the +Khedive to cancel the appointment, until that was done he was +absolutely master of the situation, to do as he thought best for the +good of the country. + +It must not, however, be supposed that General Gordon availed himself +of a flaw in his instructions to carry out a policy of his own. On the +contrary, he clearly understood from the British Government that +evacuation was what was required, and that all the Egyptian employés +must be given a chance of leaving the Soudan if possible. From +beginning to end this was the one thing he held out as the object at +which he aimed. All the suggestions he put forward were made with this +end in view, and he never swerved from it. He was in reality more true +to the instructions he received than were those who issued them. No +sooner had he got into the country, and grasped the actual state of +affairs, than he saw that things were looking very serious. The +interval between Hicks's defeat and his own arrival had been too +prolonged. People who might have been loyal had lost heart and gone +over to the Mahdi. Added to this, Gordon had himself made public the +fact that the country was to be evacuated, so all who intended to +remain behind saw that their best policy was to throw in their lot with +the Mahdi. Gordon blamed himself sometimes for having made known the +intentions of the Government, but it is questionable if such an +important fact could have been long kept secret. At all events, when he +openly promulgated it as Governor-General, he thought, and many thought +with him, that he was taking the line most likely to lead to a peaceful +solution. + + * * * + +General Gordon did not take long to make up his mind, and soon after +his arrival in Khartoum he astonished the English people by two steps +he took. The first was the issue of a proclamation announcing that the +institution of slavery was not to be interfered with in any way; the +second was an application that his old enemy, Zebehr Rahama, the great +slave-dealer, should be sent up to govern the Soudan. At first sight +Gordon's action was amazing; but when it is more carefully examined in +the light of facts, it cannot be blamed. To take the proclamation +first, it must be apparent to any one that when it was decided that the +Soudan was to be given up, and that thenceforth neither Egypt nor +England should interfere in its internal affairs, it would have been +ridiculous to go on talking about the abolition of slavery. Gordon had +to face a fanatical body of Mohammedans who, rightly or wrongly, looked +upon slavery as a religious institution. The feeling of the country was +strongly in favour of slavery, and if the country was to be left to +itself slavery would continue to exist. Gordon did but make a virtue of +a necessity, and announce that henceforth outsiders would not interfere +in the matter. Thus he took the wind out of the sails of the Mahdi and +his party, who could not say that they were fighting on behalf of one +of their religious institutions. + +The proposal to the English Government that Zebehr should be made ruler +of the Soudan, was, as Mr. Hake truly says, "one of those daring +strokes of policy which made his tactics unlike those of other men." +The telegram reached England on February 18, and must at first have +caused some of the Cabinet Ministers to think that Gordon had lost his +head. The last that they had heard on the subject of Gordon's +relationship with Zebehr, was the suggestion of the former that the +latter should be sent as a prisoner to Cyprus, to get him out of Egypt, +where he thought he might give trouble. No wonder, then, if the +ministers were astonished to hear that their representative had changed +his mind so completely as to propose that instead of being imprisoned +in Cyprus, his enemy should be sent to govern the Soudan! + +Those who have followed Gordon's tactics closely will not wonder so +much at the proposal. Indeed it seems to have been a part of his creed +to utilise his enemies, and thus if possible to turn them into friends. +In China he frequently enlisted hundreds of prisoners of war, converted +them into staunchest allies, and led them to victory against their old +comrades. He now wanted to apply in the case of Zebehr the principles +he had found so effective elsewhere. So long as he did not see his way +to utilising this king of slave-hunters, he desired to have him kept +out of the way, but when his brilliant genius saw a way of turning his +old foe into a friend, he asked for his services. Unfortunately, Gordon +was not in the position of a Napoleon: he was hampered in the carrying +out of his brilliant designs by those at home, who had neither his +knowledge nor his capacity. + +With regard to the proposed appointment of the great slave-hunter to be +King of the Soudan, opinions even now differ greatly. Lord Wolseley, +Sir Evelyn Baring, and most well-informed people are agreed that the +recommendation ought to have been acted upon, and that its adoption +would have been the means of saving many valuable lives, including +Gordon's, and of placing the Soudan under an authoritative government, +which it has not yet obtained. But the English Cabinet felt that public +opinion would be strongly opposed to such a step, and therefore they +would not sanction it. + +When Gordon left Cairo for Khartoum he thought that the best plan for +the Soudan, when the Egyptian Government withdrew, would be to replace +it by the heirs of the petty Sultans, who had been deprived of their +power when the Soudan was annexed by Mehemet Ali. But when he saw the +real state of affairs, he felt that these disunited kinglets would not +be strong enough to resist the power of the Mahdi. As for the Mahdi, he +was too much of a religious fanatic to have the government of the +Soudan put into his hands. He was ambitious as well as fanatical; his +object was to overrun the whole world. Directly he ceased to be a +conqueror, his people would cease to believe in his Divine mission, and +he would lose his power. At that time he possessed great power, and +Gordon felt that there must be a still more powerful man set up. There +was only one such man alive, and he was a prisoner at Cairo. The +argument against Zebehr was that he had been an inveterate slave-hunter, +and that to put him into supreme power would be to give him unlimited +means of gratifying his vices. Against this it must be urged that under +the Mahdi's rule the kidnapping of slaves would be just as cruelly +carried on as under that of Zebehr. Also that with Zebehr, being a +prisoner, it would be possible to make certain stipulations on the +subject of slave-hunting. Moreover, it was Gordon's intention +eventually to annex, for the Congo State, the great slave-hunting +district, and to rule that himself, so that Zebehr could not interfere. +Apart from these arguments, Gordon did not believe that Zebehr loved +slave-hunting for its own sake, but rather for the wealth and position +it gave him. He believed that if Zebehr were made Sultan of the Soudan, +his ambitious nature would be satisfied, and he would cease to hunt +slaves, the _raison d'être_ for such an occupation being gone. + +There can be no question that Zebehr was a most able man, a born ruler +and leader of men. He was an inveterate enemy of Gordon's, and at the +meeting which took place between Gordon and Zebehr at Cairo, when the +former was _en route_ to Khartoum, lookers-on considered that on no +account ought these two men ever to be in the Soudan together. + +It was, however, one of Gordon's characteristics, and a great charm in +his nature, that he was not only forgiving, but that he never allowed +personal feeling to affect his judgment. He thought only of what was +good for the Soudan, and he was convinced that the only way to restore +law and order there was to place Zebehr in power. One of the faults of +our system of party government is that the Cabinet does not consider so +much what is right in the abstract, as what will most affect the public +mind. The national hatred of slavery is, in England, rightly very +strong; but circumstances alter cases. The Cabinet could not face +public opinion, although the public were at that time ill-informed, and +ignorant of many important elements in the case, and they consequently +refused to let Zebehr go. + +Public opinion in England is generally in the right when the public +have been properly informed, and have had time to form an opinion. But +it is not to be expected that the first impressions, formed by a large +mass of people who have not been supplied with full information, are +very reliable. We ought therefore always to have a government in office +strong enough to resist, if need be, the first impression of public +opinion, but willing to yield when the public have thoroughly made up +their minds. The government in office at that time were not united +among themselves, and consequently were weak, and afraid to face the +public. As a result, Gordon's policy was not carried out, and he fell a +victim. The Soudan is still without a settled government, and the +problem how it should be governed is as far as ever from being solved. +As for slavery, that institution alone has gained by the weak policy of +those who were afraid to send up the old slave-hunter to govern the +unfortunate Soudan. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE SIEGE + + +One of the most remarkable characteristics of General Gordon was the +marvellous fertility of his resources. Knowing that there would be a +great deal of prejudice against employing Zebehr, he almost +simultaneously suggested an alternative scheme, which was that, as the +Egyptians could not govern the Soudan, and the English would not, +rather than let it fall into a state of anarchy it should be offered to +the Turks. There was much to be said for this suggestion. Turkey had +once ruled Egypt, and still exercised a suzerainty over it and all its +belongings, and if Egypt was not strong enough to rule itself and its +annexations, it only seemed fair that the suzerain power should +intervene to prevent its being grasped by an upstart like the Mahdi. +Besides, the Sultan of Turkey is the head of the Mohammedan religion, +and had therefore a special interest in suppressing the claims of a +False Prophet. + +That the scheme was no hastily-formed one, which he would see fit to +change later on for something else, may be gathered from the fact that +Gordon adhered to it to the very last. Nor was it a scheme suggested by +the immediate difficulties of his position, for in the month of +October, when Lord Wolseley was on the way to relieve him, he writes:-- + + "Give the country to the Turks, when once you have come to + Khartoum, with one or two millions sterling (which you will have to + spend in three months' occupation up here if you delay), make + arrangements at once with the Porte for its Soudan cession, let + 6000 Turks land at Suakim and march up to Berber, thence to + Khartoum; you can then retire at once before the hot weather comes + on.... + + "I do not advocate the keeping of the Soudan by us, it is a useless + possession, and we could not govern it, neither can Egypt (after + the late events). I am only discussing how to get out of it in + honour and in the cheapest way (we must remember we caused its + troubles), and that way is, either by some sort of provincial + government under Zubair, or by giving it to the Turks; it is simply + a question of getting out of it with decency. The Turks are the + best solution, though most expensive. _They would keep the Soudan_: + give them £2,000,000. The next best is Zubair, with £500,000 and + £100,000 a year for two years: he will keep the Soudan for a time + (in both cases slave trade will flourish), thus you will be quiet + in Egypt, and will be able to retreat in January 1885. If you do + not do this, then be prepared for a deal of worry and danger, and + your campaign will be entirely unprofitable and devoid of prestige, + for the day after you leave Khartoum the Mahdi will walk in and say + that he drove you out." + +But the Government that had refused the assistance of Zebehr for fear +of public opinion at home, were equally decided not to allow the +assistance that might be obtained from the Turks, and this time, it +must be admitted, they had more reason on their side. There were +already too many complications connected with the government of Egypt +to make it prudent to admit another possible element of discord. Earl +Granville, the Foreign Secretary, therefore telegraphed as follows:-- + + "Gordon should be at once informed by several messengers ... that + we do not propose to supply him with Turkish or other force for the + purpose of undertaking military expeditions, such being beyond the + scope of the commission he holds, and at variance with the pacific + policy which was the purpose of his mission to the Soudan; that, if + with this knowledge, he continues at Khartoum, he should at once + state to us the cause and intention with which he so continues." + +This dispatch shows how little the powers in England actually +understood the questions at issue, or the practical working of their +own instructions. Gordon had been asked to undertake the withdrawal of +the Egyptian garrisons, and civil employés. Having accepted this duty, +he goes out, and finding the Mahdi's forces stronger than was supposed +in this country, he sends home word that the task is a far more +complicated one than the authorities in England knew of, and he +suggests other methods. His suggestions are not accepted, and he is +asked why he continues at Khartoum, as if he could have left his duty +unperformed with honour to himself, or credit to his country. + +Gordon was anxious to evacuate the country as quickly as possible; in +this he was quite at one with his employers; but, on the spot, and +knowing all the difficulties of the situation, he saw what they in the +distance could not see, that the evacuation was a practical +impossibility. The most distant garrison held by Egyptians was at +Senaar, and if Gordon could have got to that place, a feat which it is +more than doubtful if even he could have performed, it is perfectly +certain that with the wretched troops he would have had to command he +could not have safely escorted the host of the Egyptian employés thence +to Khartoum, while the whole intermediate country was in the hands of +the fanatical hordes owning allegiance to the Mahdi. + +The commencement of his march from Senaar to Khartoum would have been +the signal for a repetition of the horrors of the march of our +retreating army from Cabul to Jellalabad in 1842, the sole survivor of +which has been immortalised in Miss Elizabeth Thompson's (Lady Butler) +celebrated picture, the only difference being that the heat and sand of +the Soudan would have been substituted for the cold and snow of +Afghanistan. The Mahdi's forces would have at once occupied Senaar, and +spread reports to the effect that they had driven out the Egyptians, +while Gordon's party with very limited provisions would have been +exposed to incessant attacks during the whole of their journey. A +retreating army has always plenty of enemies; and it is doubtful if a +single survivor would have reached Khartoum. + +On the other hand, if either of Gordon's suggestions had been accepted +and the country handed over to the Turks or to Zebehr, the towns at +both ends would have been held in force, and a suitable escort could +have been provided for the Egyptian employés. Gordon states his +position very fairly in the following brief telegram to Sir Evelyn +Baring:-- + + "You ask me to state cause and intentions in staying at Khartoum, + knowing Government means to abandon Soudan, and in answer I say, I + stay at Khartoum because Arabs have shut us up, and will not let us + out. I also add that if the road was opened the people would not + let me go, unless I gave them some government or took them with me, + which I could not do. No one would leave more willingly than I + would if it was possible." + +There were some in authority who advocated leaving such a distant +garrison as Senaar to its fate, and wanted Gordon to retreat with the +Khartoum force only, picking up the Berber force on the way home. +Against this Gordon's generous heart revolted, and he was determined +that so long as he was Governor-General it should never be said that he +left his subordinates to perish. He thus telegraphs to Sir Evelyn +Baring:-- + + "Put yourself in my position, if you say 'rapid retreat, and leave + Senaar to its fate.' I will say, 'No, I would sooner die first,' + and will resign my commission, for I could not do it. If you say, + 'Then you are no longer Governor-General,' then I am all right, and + all the responsibility is on you (for I could not be supposed, if + you turn me out of being Governor-General, to be obliged to aid + such a movement, which I think is disgraceful)." + +Writing as late as October 24th, and assuming that Lord Wolseley had +conquered the country, he says:-- + + "I declare I do not see how we will get out of it (the Soudan) even + now; allow that you come to Khartoum, that you drive off the Arabs, + open the road to Senaar. What are you going to do? You will say, + 'Take out those who wish to leave.' Well, you begin with Senaar, + and of course will have to fight all the way down. It will take + three months. During these three months, how are you to feed + Khartoum? for the moment you leave Senaar you leave your granary. + You get to Khartoum, you are face to face with 30,000 people who + will not leave, and who are hedging with the Mahdi; and with 3000 + Shaggyeh all armed. You fight your way to Berber; another three + months, you have no food at Berber; then it will need another two + months to get to Dongola, which (seeing your policy) will be + hostile. + + "It is indeed a terrible problem, and I wish I could see my way out + of it. Then you come into the hot months, and low Nile. This time + next year will not see you out of the Soudan with decency. Of + course you can go back now, but what was the use of your coming? I + will not allow that you came for me. You came for the garrisons of + the Soudan. Now, by the Turkish arrangement, if you act promptly, + you can get away quietly in January 1885." + +Not only, however, did the British Government refuse to adopt either of +Gordon's alternative proposals, but they neglected until August 12th to +take any other measures for relieving the garrisons. Yet all the time +the gallant General felt that he had not a free hand, and could not +take independent action, for he writes in his journal:-- + + "Truly the indecision of our Government has been, from a military + point of view, a very great bore, for we never could act as if + independent; there was always the chance of their taking action, + which hampered us.... It is truly deplorable, the waste of men and + money on account of our indecision." + +The mistake our Government made was the old one of endeavouring to +control details in distant countries from Downing Street, instead of +sending out the best man to the spot, and giving him more or less of a +free hand. + +At last, on April 16th, Gordon telegraphed to Sir Evelyn Baring at +Cairo:-- + + "As far as I can understand, the situation is this: You state your + intention of not sending any relief up here or to Berber, and you + refuse me Zebehr. I consider myself free to act according to + circumstances. I shall hold on here as long as I can, and if I can + suppress the rebellion I shall do so. If I cannot, I shall retire + to the Equator, and leave you the indelible disgrace of abandoning + the garrisons of Senaar, Kassala, and Dongola, with the certainty + that you will eventually be forced to smash up the Mahdi under + great difficulties, if you would retain peace in Egypt!" + +But though Gordon saw that it was impossible to attempt an immediate +evacuation with something like 50,000 men, women, and children, he did +everything that lay within his power to get rid of as many refugees as +possible during the few weeks that he was in Khartoum before the means +of communication were cut off. The measures he took were described by +Colonel Duncan, M.P., at that time in command of a station on the Nile, +through which the refugees had to pass _en route_ to Egypt, in a +speech made some time afterwards, as follows:-- + + "Last year, after the arrival of General Gordon at Khartoum, I was + sent to the northern end of the Korosko desert to facilitate the + passage of the refugees from Khartoum to Egypt. It was then that I + realised the true nature of Gordon, who was not a mere sentimental + philanthropist, but a man of business as well as a man of courage. + At that time the telegraph wire between Khartoum and where I was + stationed was still uncut; and with marvellous monotony, I might + say, batch after batch of the sick and the injured, of women and + children, used to be sent by Gordon to me. They used to arrive in + an almost perfect state of comfort, with all the necessary papers + enabling me to disperse them among their different villages in + Egypt. One of the first messages the General sent to me was this, + 'Do try and find a motherly European woman to receive these poor + women and children, for they have never been in Egypt yet before.' + With the regularity of clockwork over 2000 refugees arrived, all + the arrangements for their transport from Khartoum to Berber having + been made by Gordon.... Two thousand five hundred men, women, and + children were saved by the direct action and the direct humanity of + Gordon himself, long before the expedition set out for Khartoum." + +It is evident that the impression among the three Englishmen at +Khartoum was, that the English Government had deserted Gordon, and +intended to leave him there to die. Both Colonel Stewart and Mr. Power +nobly decided that they would not forsake him in his hour of need, and +that, happen what might, they would remain with him. + +Though plenty of skirmishes took place, there was no real fight that +might be dignified by the name of a battle till the middle of March. +Some 4000 of the Mahdi's force had cut off about 800 of Gordon's men at +a village called Halfaya, on the north of Khartoum, and, as the +detachment could not retreat, Gordon decided to attempt to relieve +them. By means of steamers he succeeded in extricating them from +danger, but he could not drive away the rebels who held Halfaya in +strong force. + +On the 16th, therefore, he sent Colonel Stewart to attempt to dislodge +the enemy, and the following is his own description of what actually +occurred:-- + + "At 8 A.M. on the 16th, two steamers started for Halfaya. + Bashi-Bazouks and some regulars advanced across plain towards + rebels. At 10 A.M. the regulars were in square opposite centre + of rebels' position, and Bashi-Bazouks were extended in their line + to their right. The gun with regulars then opened fire. Very soon + after this a body of about sixty rebel horsemen charged down a + little to the right of centre of Bashi-Bazouks line. The latter + fired a volley, then turned and fled. The horsemen galloped towards + the square, which they immediately broke. The whole force then + retreated slowly towards the fort with their rifles shouldered. The + horsemen continued to ride along flanks, cutting off stragglers. + The men made no effort to stand, and the gun was abandoned with + sixty-three rounds and fifteen cases of reserve ammunition. The + rebels advanced, and retreat of our men was so rapid that the Arabs + on foot had no chance of attacking. Pursuit ceased about a mile + from stockade and the men rallied. We brought in the wounded. + Nothing could be more dismal than seeing these horsemen, and some + men even on camels, pursuing close to troops who, with arms + shouldered, plodded their way back." + +The result of this, the first real battle, showed Gordon the +hopelessness of his position. Colonel Stewart was wounded, though not +very seriously, and Gordon saw that not only were his men cowards, but +they were treacherous as well. At one time the rebels were actually +retreating when two of Gordon's generals, Hassan and Seyid, by name, +actually rode after them and summoned them back. Need it be added that +an army, seeing itself thus betrayed by its own leaders, lost all heart +and bolted, leaving two valuable guns in the hands of their opponents. +It is satisfactory, however, to be able to record that both these +traitors were tried by court-martial and shot. + +General Gordon made every effort to avoid further bloodshed by opening +negotiations with the Mahdi, and even going so far as to offer to make +him Sultan of Kordofan. The False Prophet briefly replied, "I am the +Mahdi," which was a polite way of saying that it would be beneath his +dignity to accept such a subordinate post. He, however, sent Gordon a +courteous letter, urging him to become a Mohammedan. As Gordon declined +this offer all negotiations between the two were closed. + + * * * + +Towards the end of April Gordon wrote that the Nile was beginning to +rise. It continues to rise during May, June, and July, and is so high +during the last-mentioned month that boats can pass the numerous +cataracts with comparative safety. This is the season of which an +expedition should have taken advantage for the Nile campaign. +Unfortunately the greatest empire of the world was at this time ruled +by a disunited Cabinet, and party conflicts were going on at home. +There may be much to be said in favour of party government, but there +can be no question that to it is due the disgrace of England in the +eyes of the whole civilised world, for having sent one of her bravest +heroes into the heart of a hostile country in Africa, and then left him +to perish. The blame in the matter is often cast solely upon the +Liberals. Those who are not political partisans must see that this is +not a fair way of stating the truth. The government in office was a +Liberal one, but it cannot be said that it is a part of their programme +to leave English heroes to perish. Lord Palmerston, the old Whig +leader, would have been the first to denounce such a policy. The fact +is, the fault was not due to either party as such, but to the party +form of government that unfortunately prevails in this country. The +opposite party might have fallen into the same mistake, had they been +in the same position. The Government was afraid to split up its +supporters by engaging in another war so soon after the Egyptian and +Suakim campaigns. But, be the cause what it may, the fact remains that +much valuable time was lost, in spite of Lord Wolseley's remonstrances, +who said with truth-- + + "Remember, we can command many things, but all the gold of England + will not affect the rise and fall of the Nile, or the duration of + the hot and cold seasons in Egypt. Time is a most important element + in this question, and it will be indeed an indelible disgrace if we + allow the most generous, patriotic, and gallant of our public + servants to die of want, or fall into the hands of a cruel enemy, + because we would not hold out our hands to save him." + +Public opinion at last grew too strong for the Government, and orders +were given on August 12th to commence making the boats that were to +convey the troops up the river Nile. The official report of the +campaign states that there were only 104 vessels on the Nile that were +able to pass the cataracts on the upper part of the river, so that +boats of some sort had to be taken out. From August 12th till the final +disaster took place no reasonable time was lost, but it takes time to +transport a large army over such obstacles as had to be surmounted. It +has been truly said that the campaign of the Nile was far more a +conflict with Nature than with man. We might, however, have overcome +Nature had we only taken the field earlier in the day. + + * * * + +When Gordon realised how thoroughly the enemy had invested Khartoum, +and that all supplies from outside were cut off, he wisely decided to +reduce the number of persons inside the beleaguered city. There were, +it was estimated, something like 10,000 who were in sympathy with the +enemy, and who not only ate food, which was most valuable, but were a +source of weakness to the defenders. Consequently the General gave them +permission to go over to the enemy, which they did with alacrity. He +was after all only acting on the sensible advice he gave the leader of +the Taipings in China, who was retaining a large force of white men +against their wills in the city of Soo-chow, of whom Gordon's rival, +Burgevine, was one (see page 60). The Khartoum general gained +considerably more than the enemy by this bold yet humane stroke of +policy, as he got rid of 10,000 traitors, who would have very soon +demoralised his whole force. + +The greater the difficulties became the nobler Gordon's character +appears. No sooner was he absolutely cut off from the outer world than +he fell back on his boundless fertility of resources, and showed +himself to be at the same time a skilful general, a brave soldier, a +far-seeing statesman, and a clever financier. The defences of the town +were attended to, and the whole place so well covered with obstacles +and mines, that it might have been defended for years, had the food +supply only held out. Cartridges were manufactured on an enormous +scale; the General calculated that over half a million were fired away +during four months of the siege. Eight steamers, which were nothing +more than ordinary vessels, similar to the "Penny Steamers" on the +Thames, were armour-plated, and made to act as miniature men-of-war, +new ones were built, old ones were fitted up and adapted, and landsmen +were trained to take them into action. "Our steamers," Gordon said, +"are blinded and bullet proof, and do splendid work, for you see they +cannot run away, and must go into action." The food supply, such as it +was, was regulated so that nothing should be wasted, and paper money +was issued, redeemable in six months. So great was the faith of the +inhabitants in Gordon's ultimate success that £2500 worth of this paper +money was in circulation by the end of April, and £26,000 worth was +issued before the end of July. In addition, the merchants advanced to +him upwards of £50,000. + +For six long weary months General Gordon held out at Khartoum. Till the +9th of September he had at all events the companionship of his two +brave countrymen, Colonel Stewart and Mr. Power. But for the remaining +months of the siege he was deprived of even this comfort, and had to +stand at the post of duty single-handed, as far as his own countrymen +were concerned. On the 26th August the authorities at Cairo received a +telegram from Gordon to the effect that now that the Nile had risen, +and the way from Khartoum to Dongola was opened for a steamer, he +intended to attack Berber and capture it, and thence to despatch +Colonel Stewart and Mr. Power to Dongola. His object was to publish to +the outside world the real facts of the terrible position at Khartoum, +and to enable Colonel Stewart to urge on the authorities the necessity +of at once despatching troops to the rescue; for he had not received +any notification that a few days before this time--namely, on August +12th--the Government had decided to send an expedition for his relief. +Colonel Stewart brought Gordon's Diary of Events up to the date of his +starting, and was accompanied by Mr. Power, M. Herbin, the French +Consul, and about fifty soldiers. They went in the _Abbas_, a small +paddle-boat drawing only two feet of water. The following remark is +made in Gordon's Journals in reference to the departure of Colonel +Stewart in this vessel:-- + + "Stewart said he would go if I would exonerate him from deserting + me. I said, 'You do not desert me. I--I cannot go, but if you go + you do me a great service.' I then wrote him an _official_. He + wanted me to write him an order. I said, 'No, for though I fear not + responsibility, I will not put you in any danger which I am not in + myself.' I wrote then a letter couched thus: '_Abbas_ is going + down. You say you are willing to go in her if I think you can do so + with honour. You can go in honour, for you can do nothing here, and + if you go you do me service in telegraphing my views.'" + +The _Abbas_ started together with two other steamers on the night of +September 9th, and having shelled Berber proceeded on her way to +Dongola, the two other vessels returning. On the 18th the _Abbas_ +struck on a rock. When Colonel Stewart saw that further progress was +hopeless, he spiked the guns and threw them, with the ammunition, into +the river. He then went on shore to arrange for the purchase of some +camels to take his party on to Dongola. He was accompanied to the house +of a blind man, named Fakri Etman, by Power and the French Consul. The +Sheikh Suleiman Wad Gamr was present and invited them on shore, only +insisting that the soldiers must not come armed for fear of frightening +the people. To this Colonel Stewart agreed, and was the only one who +was armed, he carrying a small revolver. Suleiman accepted from Colonel +Stewart a sword and a dress as gifts. When Stewart and his party were +in the house, Suleiman came outside and made some signs to his people, +who were hanging about in large numbers. Immediately they divided into +two parties, one proceeding to the house, the other to the steamer's +crew landed on the bank, and the whole were massacred. News has +recently reached Cairo to the effect that the perpetrator of this +cold-blooded and treacherous murder has at last paid the penalty of his +crime, being slain in a conflict with Saleh Bey. All the official +documents that Gordon had sent for the British authorities fell into +the hands of the Mahdi, giving him the most exact information as to the +supply of ammunition and food within the walls of Khartoum. These +documents were at once sent to the Mahdi, and it is generally supposed +that at this present moment they are lying in the Fort at Omdurman, +outside Khartoum. + +The loss of the _Abbas_ was a cause of great grief to General Gordon, +and again and again he refers to it. Writing on November 5th he says:-- + + "I cannot get out of my head the _Abbas_ catastrophe; that the + _Abbas_ (with her 970 bullet marks on her, her gun, and her + parapets, which were bullet proof) could be captured by force seems + impossible; that she ran upon a rock seems unlikely, for she had + her sides defended by buffers, sunk one foot in water. I also + warned them against ever anchoring by the bank, also to take wood + from isolated spots; in fact as far as human foresight goes, I did + all my possible.... You will notice the number of Greeks (on + board). They were a bodyguard I ordered and paid highly, to prevent + any treachery on the part of the crew. Thus the question of + treachery was duly weighed by me, and guarded against, as far as I + could--both on the part of the crew, and on the part of the + inhabitants--and I told them to anchor mid-stream, and not to take + wood except in isolated spots." + +One can only echo the words of Mr. Egmont Hake: "It is impossible to +read this without a feeling of admiration for the thorough way in which +General Gordon examined into the minutest details of everything +himself. Every precaution human foresight could conceive he took to +ensure the safety of the _Abbas_ and her crew; having done this, her +fate was in higher hands than his." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE FALL OF KHARTOUM + + +Fortunately for the public, as soon as Colonel Stewart left, Gordon +commenced, in addition to all his other duties, writing journals of +events at Khartoum, in which doubtless he recapitulated much of what +had been given in the Diary of Events he had sent with Stewart. On +September 21st, the General received authentic news that an expedition +was actually on its way to Khartoum. On September 30th he sent five +steamers to Metemmah to meet the advancing army, so that there should +be no delay on his part in rendering help. By the steamers he sent his +Journals made up to date, and it is from these that authentic +information is obtained. The despatch of these steamers to Metemmah was +a most unselfish act on his part; indeed, it is by no means certain +that their presence at Khartoum might not have prevented the crowning +disaster later on. He calculated that each steamer was worth to him at +least 2000 men, so that he practically reduced his force by something +like 10,000 men in order to assist the Relief Expedition. Since the +Nile had risen these vessels had considerably increased in utility, and +they had been most valuable in the defence of Khartoum. Each was well +provisioned, so that they would not have required to draw on the +slender resources of the garrison. + +On November 5th Gordon says:-- + + "A curious thing has happened; my friend Kitchener sent up the + post; he wrapped the letters in some old newspapers (he gave me no + news in his letter), the old newspapers were thrown out into the + garden: there a clerk who knew some English found them blowing + about, and gave them to the apothecary of the hospital, who knows + English. The doctor found him reading them, saw date 15th + September, and secured them for me; they are like gold, as you may + imagine, since we have had no news since 24th February 1884! These + papers gave us far more information than any of your letters. Did + K. send them by accident or on purpose?" + +In the newspaper appeared the following statement in the form of a +heading: "Lord Wolseley seen off at Victoria Station for the Gordon +Relief Expedition." To this Gordon appended, "_No! for the relief of +the Soudan garrisons_;" and he extracted another statement to the +following effect, "An official telegram received here from Wady Halfa +states that, owing to the unprecedented lowness of the Nile, no +confidence is felt in the practicability of hauling boats over the +cataracts till the end of September." General Gordon pasted this into +the Journal, and wrote opposite to it, "It was not a low Nile, it was +an average Nile, only you were _too late_"--a verdict which events +only too completely justified. It will be of interest to give here a +few brief extracts selected from Gordon's remarks regarding the Relief +Expedition:-- + + "If it is right to send up an expedition now, why was it not right + to send it up before?" + + "We are a wonderful people; it was never our Government which made + us a great nation; our Government has been ever the drag on our + wheels." + + "I am afraid to say what numbers have been killed through this + present policy, certainly some 80,000; and it is not over yet." + + "I altogether decline the imputation that the projected expedition + has come to relieve me. It has come to save our national honour in + extricating the garrisons, &c., from a position in which our action + in Egypt had placed these garrisons. I was relief expedition No. I. + They are relief expedition No. II. As for myself I could make good + my retreat at any moment if I wished. Now realise what would happen + if this first relief expedition was to bolt and the steamers fall + into the hands of the Mahdi; this _second_ relief expedition (for + the honour of England engaged in extricating garrisons) would be + somewhat hampered. We, the _first_ and _second_, are equally + engaged for the honour of England. This is fair logic. Earle[15] + comes up to extricate garrisons and (I hope) succeeds. Earle does + not come to extricate me.... I am not the _rescued lamb_, and I + will not be." + + [15] Gordon thought that General Earle was to be in command of + the whole force. As a matter of fact he was in command of the + brigade that was going by water the whole way to Khartoum. He was + killed on the way. + +In spite of his great anxiety, and the worries through which he was +called to pass, Gordon never seemed to lose his sense of humour. There +are many amusing entries in his Journals, of which the following may be +taken as fair specimens:-- + + "A horse escaped from the Arabs, formerly belonging to Government. + It gave _no_ information; but from its action, may be supposed _not + to believe in the Mahdi_." + + "It is really amusing to find (when one can scarcely call one's + life one's own) one's servant, _already_ with one wife (which most + men find is enough), coming and asking for three days' leave, in + order to take another wife. Yet such was the case, a few days ago, + with one of my servants." + +His comments on the Mahdi are also amusing:-- + + "The Greek (refugee) who came in told the Greek Consul that the + Mahdi puts pepper under his nails, and when he receives visitors + then he touches his eyes and weeps copiously; that he eats a few + grains of dhoora openly, but in the interior of the house he has + fine feeding and drinks alcoholic drinks.... After this pepper + business! I think I shall drop any more trouble in writing him + letters, trying to convince or persuade him to reasonable measures. + I must confess that the pepper business has sickened me; I had + hitherto hoped I had to do with a regular fanatic, who believed in + his mission, but when one comes to pepper in the finger nails, it + is rather humiliating to have to succumb to him, and somehow I have + the belief that I shall not have to do so.... + + "One cannot help being amused at this pepper business. Those who + come in for pardon, come in on their knees, with a halter round + their neck. The Mahdi rises, having scratched his eyes and obtained + a copious flow of tears, and takes off the halter. As the + production of tears is generally considered the proof of sincerity, + I would recommend the Mahdi's receipt to Cabinet Ministers, + justifying some job." + +It is not necessary to enumerate the number of encounters that took +place between Gordon's men and the Mahdists; he took little personal +part in these engagements. The fiery spirit of the young soldier, who +led his own troops in China, had not expended itself, but was kept in +subjection by a higher spirit. He knew that much was staked on his +life, and that the risk was too great. There was no one to succeed him; +his death meant defeat to his cause, and ruin to the country for which +he had done so much. Speaking generally, therefore, he did not expose +himself more than he could help. But though he avoided rashness in any +form, he was a good deal exposed to danger, and the palace in which he +lived was an object on which the enemy expended much of their +ammunition. + +The Mahdi had kept himself as far from Gordon's reach as possible, by +remaining at Obeid, while his troops conducted the investment of +Khartoum. But when the new year of the Mohammedan Calendar commenced, +on October 21st, and the Mahdi had heard, through the capture of +Colonel Stewart's papers, of the difficulties that Gordon was in, he +appears to have mustered his courage and to have brought up 30,000 men +to intimidate Gordon. When called upon to surrender the following was +the reply that Gordon returned: "If you are the real Mahdi, dry up the +Nile and come over, and I will surrender." It is said that the Mahdi +took him literally, and lost 3000 men in an attempt to walk across the +Nile! Be that as it may, the Mahdi ordered an attack, which was +conducted with some vigour. It was resisted successfully by Gordon, +aided by his twelve steamers and 800 men, but the fighting must have +been severe, for it lasted for eight hours. The bursting of mines and +torpedoes carried more havoc into the ranks of the enemy than Gordon's +men did. Material things of this kind at least responded to the will of +him who organised them, and did not prove cowardly or treacherous. + +The Mahdi then retreated to a more respectful distance, and, it is +said, hid himself in a cave, prophesying that there should be sixty +days of rest, and that then blood would flow like water. The real truth +of the matter is that the Mahdi's military advisers saw that there was +little use in attempting to capture Khartoum by direct assault. Having +full information from Stewart's papers that the food supply could not +last long, they prudently decided to starve out the garrison. + + * * * + +English officers have before now gone through trying sieges, as, for +instance, Lawrence and Havelock at Lucknow, and Sale at Jellalabad, but +it would be difficult in the whole of the military history of England +to find a case in which an officer was left single-handed to contend +with such frightful odds for so long a time. The siege lasted 317 days, +very nearly as long as the siege of Sebastopol. English officers have +usually had a few of their own countrymen, on whom they could rely and +with whom they could take counsel, to share their hardships. But Gordon +stood alone, and the troops he had were not only foreigners, but, with +a few exceptions, they were cowards, and he knew that very few of them +were really loyal to him. Nothing but his extraordinary personality +kept the force together. His opinion of these miserable troops is +frequently expressed in his Journals. The following passages are +examples:-- + + "_October 31st._--I have ever felt the greatest insecurity + respecting the lines, for I believe 100 determined men would carry + them with ease, if they made their attack on the Shaggyeh or + Bashi-Bazouk part.... The Cairo Turkish Bashi-Bazouks, the + Shaggyeh, and the Fellaheen soldiers, I will back against any + troops in the world for cowardice." + + "_November 17th._--I certainly lay claim to having commanded, more + often than any other man, cowardly troops, but this experience of + 1884 beats all past experiences; the worst of the matter is that + you cannot believe one word the officers say." + +On November 2nd he writes: "Six weeks' consumption! and then the sponge +must be thrown up." Fortunately, he discovered on November 11th that a +robbery by some corrupt Egyptian officials had been going on, and that +2-1/2 million lbs. of biscuit--worth £9000 at any time, but at least +£26,000 during the siege--had been stolen. The recovery of this helped +him to hold out a little longer. On December 13th he writes:-- + + "We have in hand 1,796,000 rounds Remington ammunition; 540 rounds + Krupp; 6000 rounds mountain gun ammunition; £140 in specie; £18,000 + in paper in treasury! £60,000 in town in paper; 110,000 okes of + biscuits; 700 ard ebs of dhoora.... + + "We are going to send down the _Bordeen_ the day after to-morrow, + and with her I shall send this Journal. _If some effort is not made + before ten days' time the town will fall._" + +The following day, December 14th, was the last as far as his ability to +communicate with the outer world was concerned. Though he held on for +nearly six weeks longer, nothing is known accurately after the +_Bordeen_ left Khartoum. Writing to the commander of the approaching +Expeditionary Force, he says:-- + + "I send down the steamer _Bordeen_ to-morrow, with vol. vi. of my + private journal, containing account of the events in Khartoum from + November 5 to December 14. The state of affairs is such that one + cannot foresee further than five to seven days, after which the + town may at any time fall. I have done all in my power to hold out, + but I own I consider the position is extremely critical, almost + desperate; and I say this without any feeling of bitterness with + respect to Her Majesty's Government, but merely as a matter of + fact. Should the town fall, it will be questionable whether it will + be worth the while of Her Majesty's Government to continue its + expedition; for it is certain that the fall of Khartoum will ensure + that of Kassala and Senaar." + +Another letter of the same date was received by Sir Gerald Graham in +Cairo, saying: "Farewell. You will never hear from me again. I fear +there will be treachery in the garrison, and all will be over by +Christmas." The following message, addressed to a friend in Cairo, and +also dated December 14, was received only on February 24: "All is up. I +expect a catastrophe in ten days' time. It would not have been so if +our people had kept me better informed as to their intentions. My +adieux to all." He also wrote to his sister:-- + + "This may be the last letter you will receive from me, for we are + on our last legs, owing to the delay of the expedition. However, + God rules all, and, as He will rule to His glory and our welfare, + His will be done. I fear, owing to circumstances, that my affairs + pecuniarily are not over-bright....--Your affectionate brother, + + "C. G. GORDON. + + "_P.S._--I am quite happy, thank God, and like Lawrence, I have + '_tried_ to do my duty.'" + +It has already been mentioned that August 12th was the day when the +English Government yielded to the pressure of public opinion and gave +orders to commence the building of the boats which were to convey the +troops to relieve Khartoum. It is unnecessary to follow in detail the +history of that force. Suffice it to say that the commander, Lord +Wolseley, received at Korti a message from General Gordon, dated 14th +December 1884, "Come quickly, come together; do not leave Berber behind +you." But the verbal message which the messenger delivered was far +worse, "Famine was in Khartoum; the Arabs knew it: there was not a +moment to be lost." + +At once, Sir Herbert Stewart, with a small force, was sent to dash +through the desert from Korti to Metemmah. He, Colonel Burnaby, and +several other brave men, fell on that famous march, for the enemy at +two points warmly disputed their passage. The loss in these conflicts, +at Abu Klea on the 17th, and at Metemmah on the 19th, was appalling for +the Arabs, but such victories often repeated would soon have done for +the conquerors. The entire force reached Gubat on the Nile on January +20th, and there they found the four steamers which Gordon had sent +down. Originally there were five steamers, but one had been sunk. The +six journals were handed over to Sir Charles Wilson, who, by right of +seniority, had taken command on the death of Sir Herbert Stewart. A +note was also given to Sir Charles, which had been brought by a +messenger from Khartoum, to the following effect: "Khartoum all right, +could hold out for years.--C. G. Gordon, 29th December 1884." + +It was at first generally believed that this document was but one of +many sent out in order to deceive the enemy, but it is now thought that +his real object was not to deceive the enemy, who knew only too well +the actual state of affairs, so much as to get them to let his +messengers pass, if caught by them, and that then the messengers could +deliver a _vivá voce_ message, and tell the appalling truth. + +Sir Charles Wilson, with two officers and a small detachment of +Englishmen belonging to the Sussex regiment (late 35th), started on the +morning of the 24th for Khartoum in two of Gordon's steamers. The delay +that occurred between the arrival of the English force at Gubat, and +the start up the river for Khartoum, has been freely criticised by the +press. The journey from Gubat to Khartoum being entirely by water, Lord +Charles Beresford, a well-known naval officer, had been attached to +Stewart's force, with orders "at once to take over and man any steamer +or steamers that were either there or in the vicinity," and to "use +every means in his power to get one or more of the steamers into an +efficient state." Unfortunately, the British force that reached the +Nile was in a very different condition from that which left Korti in +such high spirits. Rapid marching and hard fighting had demanded a +heavy penalty, and the death-roll and sick-list were very high; among +others, Lord Charles Beresford himself was on the latter. + +The whole force under Sir Charles Wilson did not equal a battalion of +infantry on its war strength, and it included a large percentage of +sick and wounded to be looked after. In addition to this, reports came +into camp that large bodies of Arabs were advancing from the north as +well as from the south, with the object of annihilating the force. The +commander, therefore, had an anxious time of it, and was compelled to +undertake a reconnaissance to ascertain the truth of the rumours, and +to make all sorts of preparations for defending his little camp with +its sick and wounded against any sudden onslaught. He was unconscious +of the fact that time was so pressing, and that instead of his camp +being attacked, it would be Khartoum, where Gordon had for so long held +out against overwhelming odds. Thus the valuable hours of the 21st, +22nd, and 23rd glided away, all too rapidly. + +Even when Wilson's force was ready to start, Lord Charles Beresford was +not able to accompany it, and Sir Charles had to go without him. The +distance to Khartoum was about 100 miles, but it was not until January +28th that the steamers got clear of the Sixth Cataract, which was about +half-way between Gubat and Khartoum. For about a dozen miles large +boulders and rocks caused delay and danger. No sooner had the steamers +got clear of these obstacles than all eyes were strained to catch sight +of the Egyptian flag floating over Khartoum. The steamers made rapid +progress in the open water, and as the distance was reduced, the square +roof of the palace where Gordon had resided came into view. But there +was no Egyptian flag flying from it, and the reception accorded to the +relieving force, although a warm one, was not such as Gordon would have +given. His eyes had often been strained looking to the quarter whence +he thought his grateful countrymen would surely send aid, but he had +looked in vain. Now, when the tardy help was at hand, it received no +welcome from him, for just two days before, on January 26th, he had +yielded up his heroic spirit. From every side the Mahdists poured shot +and shell upon Sir Charles Wilson and his little band; and it was +matter for grateful surprise that they escaped the fate of him whom, +too late, they had come to rescue. They approached within eight hundred +yards of the city, and then, convinced that it had fallen, retreated to +a safer position, from which they could institute inquiries as to the +fate of the gallant hero, hoping, yet hardly daring to hope, that his +life might have been spared. + +It is not necessary to follow further in detail the history of Sir +Charles Wilson's party, the narrow escape they had from being +treacherously run on to a rock, and the way in which they were +gallantly rescued by Lord Charles Beresford, who by February 1st was +sufficiently recovered to enable him to take command of another of +Gordon's steamers, and relieve the would-be relievers. There followed +at least six days of suspense, as the accounts brought in by natives +were very conflicting, but by the 11th of February it was known in +England that a consensus of evidence pointed to the fact that the noble +hero of Khartoum had been killed at his post. + + * * * + +Probably it will never be accurately known either how Khartoum fell +into the hands of the Mahdi, or how the gallant defender actually met +his fate. There have been many wild rumours regarding both events, but +it is probable that the most authentic account is that obtained by +Colonel Kitchener, who of all men was most likely to be well informed, +for not only was his experience of the Arabs great, but he had personal +opportunities of examining witnesses. He thinks that the ordinary food +supply at Khartoum was quite exhausted by the 1st January 1885, and +that on the 6th the General issued a proclamation, offering to any of +the inhabitants who liked free permission to leave the town and go to +the Mahdi. Great numbers availed themselves of this permission, and +Gordon wrote letters to the Mahdi, requesting him to protect and feed +these poor Moslem people, as he had for the last nine months. In this +way the population of the city was reduced to about 14,000 out of the +34,000 inhabitants who were there in September. About the 18th of +January, a sortie was made which resulted in desperate fighting, and a +large number of the Mahdi's troops and about 200 of Gordon's men were +killed. Colonel Kitchener says:-- + + "The state of the garrison was then desperate for want of food; all + the donkeys, dogs, cats, rats, &c., had been eaten; a small ration + of grain was issued daily to the troops, and a sort of bread was + made from pounded palm-tree fibre. + + "On the 23rd General Gordon had a stormy interview with Farag Pasha + [the commander of his black troops]. An eye-witness states that it + was owing to Gordon having passed a fort on the White Nile which + was under Farag Pasha's charge, and found to be inadequately + protected. Gordon is said to have struck Farag Pasha on this + occasion. It seems probable to me that at this interview Farag + Pasha proposed to Gordon to surrender the town, and stated the + terms the Mahdi had offered, declaring in his opinion that they + should be accepted. Farag Pasha left the palace in a great rage, + refusing the repeated attempts of other officers to effect a + reconciliation between him and Gordon. On the following day (24th) + General Gordon held a council of the notables at the palace. The + question of the surrender of the town was then discussed, and + General Gordon declared, whatever the council decided, he would + never surrender the town. I think it very probable that on this + occasion General Gordon brought Farag Pasha's action and proposals + before the council, and it appears that some in the council were of + Farag Pasha's opinion, that the town could resist no longer, and + should be surrendered on the terms offered by the Mahdi. General + Gordon would not, however, listen to this proposal. + + "On the 25th Gordon was slightly ill, and as it was Sunday, he did + not appear in public. He had, however, several interviews with + leading men of the town, and evidently knew that the end was + near.... On the night of the 25th many of the famished troops left + their posts on the fortifications in search of food in the town. + Some of the troops were also too weak, from want of nourishment, to + go to their posts." + +Meanwhile news had reached the Mahdists of their terrible defeat at Abu +Klea, and also rumours that the English had taken Metemmah. Reports +which have quite recently arrived from Egypt say that the Mahdi, +alarmed at the approach of English troops, had already packed up his +goods and chattels and was about to beat a retreat. There was a meeting +of all the Emirs in the camp of the Mahdi, and, with one exception, all +were in favour of abandoning the siege. A single Emir, however, said, +"Let us make one more attempt. Let us fire 101 guns and proclaim a +great victory over the advancing English army, and then make one more +attempt on Khartoum. If we fail we shall be no worse off than we are +now, for we can only retreat, but if we succeed we shall be able to +defy the approaching British." Unfortunately for us the advice of the +Emir was taken, and the British expedition, which was so near +succeeding, failed by forty-eight hours to gain its object. The Mahdist +attack took place at 3.30 A.M. on Monday, January 26th, and was only +too successful. With regard to the report that the fall of Khartoum was +due to foul play on the part of Farag Pasha, Colonel Kitchener says: +"The accusations of treachery have all been vague, and are, to my mind, +the outcome of mere supposition. In my opinion Khartoum fell from +sudden assault, when the garrison was too exhausted by privation to +make proper resistance!" Whether Farag Pasha was guilty or not is not +definitely known, but it is certain that he was taken prisoner, and +three days after the fall of the town was brought up to show where the +wealth was hidden. As there was none he could not reveal it, so he was +killed in the market-place at Omdurman. The Mahdi's troops massacred +4000 persons, and after they had been engaged for six hours in thus +wreaking their vengeance, the Mahdi sent over to stop them, and a +systematic method was adopted of searching for loot. As the Mahdi had +bribed his men by promises of untold wealth, and they were +disappointed, a large number deserted his cause, and afterwards +actually fought against him. + +The most contradictory reports have been circulated as to the manner in +which General Gordon met his fate, and although it would be impossible +to allude to all, it may not be out of place to refer to one which has +been very widely accepted. It is to the effect that the General, +hearing that the city had been betrayed, put on his uniform and rushed +out, sword in hand, to die as a soldier. Narratives which have a +dramatic element are always easily accepted. Dramatic effect was, +however, the last thing our gallant hero thought of at any time, and +still less on such an occasion as this. As a matter of fact he had not +a stitch of uniform in Khartoum, and, considering his Chinese +experience, it is very unlikely that he would have drawn his sword, +even if he had possessed one, which he certainly did not. One person +who recognised Gordon after his death says that he was dressed in light +clothes. Colonel Kitchener quotes the only person who claimed to be an +eye-witness of his death, who says:-- + + "On hearing the noise, I got my master's donkey, and went with him + to the palace. Muhamed Bey Mustapha, with my master, Ibrahim Bey + Rushdi, and about twenty cavasses, then went with Gordon towards + the house of the Austrian Consul Hansall, near the church, when we + met some rebels in an open place near the outer gate of the palace. + Gordon Pasha was walking in front leading the party. The rebels + fired a volley, and Gordon was killed at once; nine of the + cavasses, Ibrahim Bey Rushdi, and Muhamed Bey Mustapha were killed; + the rest ran away." + +Whether Gordon's death was intended by the Mahdi or was entirely an +accident is not known. Colonel Kitchener says that the Mahdi professed +to be very angry when he heard that Gordon was killed, but the Colonel +thinks that had he expressed himself strongly on the subject +beforehand, this calamity would never have taken place. This, however, +is very doubtful; a rushing host of victorious soldiers, firing wildly +in every direction, are never very discriminating; of course many of +them did not know Gordon personally, and the brave General was not the +man to make himself conspicuous by any distinguishing garb. Though +Colonel Kitchener is perhaps rather hard on the Mahdi in this respect, +he is probably correct in thinking that "the want of discipline in the +Mahdi's camp made it dangerous for him to keep as a prisoner a man whom +all the black troops liked better than himself, and in favour of whom, +on a revulsion of feeling, a successful revolt might take place in his +own camp. Moreover, if Gordon was dead, he calculated (and rightly) the +English would retire and leave him in peace." How Gordon was actually +killed, and whether it was the intention of the Mahdi that he should be +"accidentally" disposed of, is open to dispute. There can, however, be +no question that he was slain, for his dead body was recognised. Well +might Colonel Kitchener say, "Never was a garrison so nearly rescued, +never was a commander so sincerely lamented." As far back as October +13th General Gordon had written:-- + + "It is, of course, on the cards that Khartoum is taken under the + nose of the Expeditionary Force, which will be _just too late_. + + "The Expeditionary Force will perhaps think it necessary to retake + it; but that will be of no use, and will cause loss of life + uselessly on both sides. It had far better return, with its tail + between its legs.... England was made by adventurers, not by its + Government, and I believe it will only hold its place by + adventurers." + +The Government decided to take Gordon's advice, and, to save further +bloodshed, withdrew the Relief Expedition. Wady Halfa, Korosko, and +Assouan, were held with some force, in case the Mahdi's adherents +should seek to follow up their victory. The death of the Mahdi, +however, and the defeat of his followers at the end of 1885, have +together helped to crush the Mahdist movement, and Egypt has been left +unmolested. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +CONCLUSION + + +The news of Gordon's death startled not England only, but the whole of +the civilised world. Every eye had been watching the relief column +slowly wending its way up the Nile, and over the desert route. One war +correspondent had actually used the words in his telegram, "To-morrow +the lonely and weary hero will joyfully grasp the hand of an +Englishman." People would not at first believe the sad reality, and for +a time every one hoped against hope. The news reached the War Office on +February 4th, and was communicated to the public during the following +day. No better proof exists of the tenacity with which many clung to +the hope that Gordon might possibly have survived, than the fact that +the Queen, whose womanly heart always prompted her to be one of the +first to send expressions of sympathy to the relatives of those who +fall at the post of duty, did not date her letter to Miss Gordon till +February 17th, and even then used the sentence, "I fear there cannot be +much doubt of it," in alluding to the hero's death. The Queen's letter, +which did but give expression to the feelings of the country on the +subject, was as follows:-- + + "OSBORNE, _17th February 1885._ + + "DEAR MISS GORDON,--_How_ shall I write to you, or how shall I + attempt to express _what I feel_! To _think_ of your dear, noble, + heroic Brother, who served his Country and his Queen so truly, so + heroically, with a self-sacrifice so edifying to the World, not + having been rescued. That the promises of support were not + fulfilled--which I so frequently and constantly pressed on those + who asked him to go--is to me _grief inexpressible_! indeed, it has + made me ill! My heart bleeds for you, his Sister, who have gone + through so many anxieties on his account, and who loved the dear + Brother as he deserved to be. You are all so good and trustful, and + have such strong faith, that you will be sustained even now, when + _real_ absolute evidence of your dear Brother's death does not + exist--but I fear there cannot be much doubt of it. Some day I hope + to see you again, to tell you all I cannot express. My daughter + Beatrice, who has felt quite as I do, wishes me to express her + deepest sympathy with you. I hear so many expressions of sorrow and + sympathy from _abroad_: from my eldest daughter, the Crown + Princess, and from my Cousin, the King of the Belgians,--the very + warmest. Would you express to your other Sisters and your elder + Brother my true sympathy, and what I do so keenly feel, the _stain_ + left upon England for your dear Brother's cruel, though heroic + fate?--Ever, dear Miss Gordon, yours sincerely and sympathisingly, + + "V. R. I." + +Parliament at once voted £20,000, the sum usually given to a successful +general on the completion of a campaign, to be set apart for the +sisters, nephew, and nieces of General Gordon, and an _In Memoriam_ +service was conducted in every cathedral, and in nearly all the large +churches of England. A statue was in course of time erected in +Trafalgar Square,[16] and another has recently been unveiled at +Chatham. A monument was erected in St. Paul's Cathedral, and it was +decided to place another in Westminster Abbey, the national mausoleum +of England. But better still, we know that his memory is enshrined in +the hearts of many left behind, and that the record of his noble +saintly life is still teaching many of our countrymen valuable lessons. + + [16] It is from this monument that the picture on the cover is + taken. It represents Gordon in the undress uniform of the Royal + Engineers, with a Bible under one arm, and the "magic wand of + victory" under the other. + +Few men have done more than General Gordon to elevate the tone of the +soldier. The old-fashioned notion still survives that soldiers love war +for its own sake, and for the honours it brings to those who take part +in it; but Gordon showed us a higher ideal, that the true soldier +should study his profession with the idea of mastering it, so as the +better to enable him to maintain peace. If good men were all to abstain +from studying the science of war, evildoers would very soon have a +monopoly of it, and would become aggressors. There are plenty of +bullies, who, like Napoleon, would soon upset the peace of Europe were +it not that they fear to do so. Such men can only be kept in order by +brute force, and brute force is absolutely of no avail, unless it is +organised and directed by a brain that has studied the art and science +of directing and controlling physical force. It need hardly be said +that a knowledge of this kind is not acquired in a day, and although +there have been some splendid soldiers of the type of Cromwell, Warren +Hastings, and Washington, who have never had a military training, it is +unquestionable that a knowledge of the science of war gives a general a +very great advantage over one who has not had such training. Exceptions +there are to every rule, and the names mentioned must be placed amongst +them. It is doubtful if some of the generals named would have ever +attained celebrity had their opponents been well trained. Gordon loved +his profession, but he took a high view of it. Soldiering with him was +not a mere profession for slaughtering his fellow-creatures, but for +the prevention of that bullying and bloodshed which would be ever going +on in this world, were it not for those who train themselves in order +to be able to stop it. The Taiping rebellion, which caused the death of +millions of innocent creatures, is but a specimen of what might go on +throughout the world did not skilful, well-trained soldiers throw in +their lot with the side of law and order. Had the Chinese Government +only possessed an able general, and a proper army, that rebellion would +never have made such headway as it did. And had they not received the +services of such an able soldier as Gordon proved to be, the rebellion +might have been indefinitely prolonged, and might have broken up the +Empire of China. + +In less civilised days the percentage of persons who loved fighting for +its own sake was undoubtedly larger than it is now. The more civilised +we become, the more we learn to value peace and to dislike war. But +even in a civilised nation like the English, there is a certain +percentage who really love fighting for its own sake; and besides +these, there are many who do not actually love it, but think they ought +to do so, as they are in the army, and so they cultivate a style of +talking as if they really liked it, and thus they mislead others. In +the case of Gordon there was an entire absence of either the one or the +other spirit. He did not love fighting for its own sake, and he would +probably have looked upon a person who did as a survival of a former +age. As for the latter class he had an utter abhorrence of all shams, +and he took every opportunity of speaking out of the honesty of his +heart. "People have little idea how far from 'glorious' war is. It is +organised murder, pillage, and cruelty, and it is seldom that the +weight falls on the fighting men--it is on the women, children, and old +people. Consider it how we may, war is a brutal, cruel affair." +Speaking of some of his men killed and wounded in a skirmish, he says, +"I wish people could see what the suffering of human creatures is--I +mean those who wish for war. I am a fool, I daresay, but I cannot see +the sufferings of any of these people without tears in my eyes." + +It is worthy of note that some of the ablest generals who have lived +and died in the latter half of this century have held similar views. +The great Duke of Wellington remarked, as he crossed the field of +Waterloo, the evening after the battle, that "nothing exceeds the +horror of victory except a defeat;" and such men as Sir Henry Havelock, +Sir Hope Grant, Sir Henry Lawrence, and the heroic General Lee of +America, used expressions of similar purport. Gordon was a living +illustration of the saying that "the gentlest men are ever the bravest +when enlightened consciousness tells them that they have a just cause +to support." + +Gordon's courage was unquestioned, but, though he possessed more +natural courage than most men, he never made a wanton display of it +merely with a view of impressing others. In China he exposed himself +almost recklessly, in order to encourage his officers and men; but in +the Soudan, where he felt so much depended on his life, he carefully +refrained from exposing himself, though it must at times have been a +great trial to him to see his men so badly handled by their leaders. + +It is not unnatural that, in the case of the death of a man like +General Gordon, people should like to know his views on that event +which must in due course happen to all of us, unless our Lord Himself +shall come to terminate this dispensation. Apparently he sometimes +wished for this, though he did not appear to think the Second Advent +near at hand. In one of his letters he says:-- + + "I wish, I wish the King would come again and put things right on + earth; but His coming is far off, for the whole world must long for + Him ere He comes, and I really believe that there are but very, + very few who would wish Him to appear, for to do so is to desire + death, and how few do this! Not that we really ever die: we only + change our sheaths." + +But though he longed for the return of the Heavenly Bridegroom during +his life, he also looked upon death as a welcome release from the +trials and troubles of life. He frequently alluded to this subject, and +dozens of extracts might be made from his letters, all more or less +similar to the two following, which were written at different dates:-- + + "I would that all could look on death as a cheerful friend, who + takes us from a world of trial to our true home. All our sorrows + come from a forgetfulness of this great truth. I desire to look on + the departure of my friends as a promotion to another and a higher + sphere, as I do believe that to be the case with _all_. + + "Any one, to whom God gives to be much with Him, cannot even suffer + a pang at death. For what is death to a believer? It is a closer + approach to Him, whom, even through the veil, he is ever with." + +There is one point on which we ought specially to dwell in considering +the lessons to be learnt from the life of General Gordon, and that is +the _moral_ courage he always exhibited. His physical courage has +already been touched on, but great as it was, his moral courage was far +greater. There are plenty of men possessing physical courage who fail +to exhibit moral courage when put to the test. Man being a gregarious +animal, and accustomed to go in flocks, is led by his fellows to evil +as well as to good. No man can be a true leader of men who is not +prepared to stand alone, if need be, against overwhelming majorities. +Gordon had the courage of his convictions, and no amount of pressure, +no weight of public opinion, could deter him when once the path of duty +was clear. The time-server does not ask, What is right? What is my +duty? but, What will pay? What will public opinion think? For such an +one Gordon had a supreme contempt. It has been well said by Dr. Ryle, +the Bishop of Liverpool, "It is not overwhelming majorities that shake +and influence the world. Small minorities have ever had more influence +than large majorities. All great men have had their seasons of +loneliness. See Napoleon, Mahomet, Luther, John Wesley, and Christ +Himself." To this list we may add the name of General Gordon; few men +so often found themselves so much in opposition in fashionable circles +and in the official world. + + * * * + +Among the false reports that have been circulated about General Gordon +is one that he was very unsociable and morose, shunning society in +general, and ladies' society in particular. It is true that he shunned +a certain class of society; there was also a certain set of women that +he fought shy of; but it is quite untrue to say that he was unsociable. +He greatly enjoyed the society of ordinary cultivated women, who were +in sympathy with his efforts to do good, and with them he was neither +shy nor reserved. He could talk pleasantly for hours together, and as +his own mind was a very cultivated one, he was a great element of +attraction to society of a certain kind. What he did dislike intensely +was the society of that class of ladies who think of little beyond the +fashions of the day, the latest style of dress, and the newest forms of +amusement. Such persons he used to find had no minds to think, and no +hearts to feel for suffering humanity. Many of them attempted to +lionise him, while others paid him the most fulsome compliments, both +being things that he particularly disliked. The ordinary conventional +dinner-party, where a man is condemned to take in a lady with whom he +has nothing in common, and next to whom he must sit for a couple of +hours or so eating and drinking things which do not agree with him, was +to Gordon a special object of antipathy. Writing from Cairo on March +15, 1878, he says:-- + + "I am much bothered, but I get to bed at 8 P.M., which is a + comfort, for I do not dine out, and consequently do not drink wine. + Every one laughs at me; but I do not care." + +Again, when in South Africa, he writes:-- + + "How I hate society; how society hates me! I never tell you the + sort of life I lead, it is not worth it; for it is simply the life + I led at home, being asked out, and refusing when it is + possible;--when I go, getting humiliated, or being foolish. This + latter is better than not being exposed--keeping one's self in + cotton wool, for that brings out no knowledge of self, such as is + brought out by being with others. At the same time, I think it is + not right to be much in society, indeed I fight against it truly, + and have only dined out about seven times since I have been here." + +On October 24th, 1884, when he had made up his mind not to return to +England, even if he should get away from Khartoum, he says:-- + + "I dwell on the joy of never seeing Great Britain again, with its + horrid, wearisome dinner-parties and miseries. How we can put up + with those things passes my imagination! It is a perfect bondage. + At those dinner-parties we are all in masks, saying what we do not + believe, eating and drinking things we do not want, and then + abusing one another. I would sooner live like a Dervish with the + Mahdi, than go out to dinner every night in London. I hope, if any + English general comes to Khartoum, he will not ask me to dinner. + Why men cannot be friends without bringing the wretched stomachs + in, is astounding." + +But though Gordon did not like the artificial conventional society one +meets at ordinary dinner-parties, it must not be supposed that he was +in any way gloomy. His friend, Prebendary Barnes, says about him: "The +seriousness of Gordon's temper did not prevent him from being a bright +and agreeable companion, especially when those with whom he talked +could join him in smoking a cigarette. He had a keen sense of humour, +and on every matter about which he cared to form an opinion he spoke +clearly and decisively." And his old brother officer, Sir Gerald +Graham, thus speaks of him:-- + + "Pictures have been drawn of Gordon as a gloomy ascetic, wrapped up + in mystic thoughts, retiring from all communion with the world, and + inspiring fear rather than affection. I can only describe him as he + appeared to me. Far from being a gloomy ascetic, he always seemed + to me to retain a boyish frankness, and to long to share his ideas + with others. Our intimacy began when we were thrown together in + mining the docks of Sebastopol during the winter of 1855-56--a + period Gordon always delighted in referring to whenever we met, by + calling up old scenes, and even our old jokes of that time. Like + all men of action, more especially soldiers, Gordon disliked + argument with subordinates when once he had resolved on his course + of action; otherwise he invited discussion, and I always found him + most tolerant in listening to arguments against his own views, even + on subjects in which he, of course, possessed a knowledge far + exceeding any I could pretend to. To show the impression he made + upon me at the time of my last seeing him, in 1884, I will quote + from a letter which I wrote shortly after: 'Charlie Gordon's + character is a very fascinating one; he has so much of the natural + man about him. To his friends--and he treats all as friends whom he + knows and trusts--his charm of manner is irresistible. It is + utterly unlike the charm of a polished man of the world; it is the + charm of a perfectly open mind, giving and demanding confidence, + sometimes playfully, sometimes earnestly, and sometimes with + touching humility." + +There were various reasons which made him avoid worldly society; one +was the incessant grumbling in which many indulge, who have little +cause to complain. Writing from the Soudan, he says:-- + + "I have not patience with the groans of half the world, and declare + there is more happiness among these miserable blacks, who have not + a meal from day to day, than among our own middle classes. The + blacks are glad of a little handful of maize, and live in the + greatest discomfort. They have not a strip to cover them; but you + do not see them grunting and groaning all day long, as you see + scores and scores in England, with their wretched dinner-parties, + and attempts at gaiety, where all is hollow and miserable." + +Then there was a higher reason. He found that such society interfered +with his spiritual life. He says, in three distinct letters:-- + + "Getting quiet does one good; it is impossible to hear God's voice + in a whirl of visits. You must be more or less in the desert, to + use the scales of the Sanctuary, to see and weigh the true value of + things and sayings." + + "We have no conception or idea of what God will show us, if we + persevere in seeking Him; and it is He who puts this wish into our + hearts. All I can say to you is: Persevere; avoid the world and its + poor wretched little talk about others; never mind being thought + stupid; look on everything with regard to the great day, and trust + Him implicitly." + + "Christ must _actually die_, not come _very near_ death; and so + must we, if we would rise. I once thought it possible to bargain + with Christ; to say, I will give up half of my desire of the world, + and gain, in the gap, a corresponding measure of Christ. It was no + good: I lost the half, but did not get the measure filled. Then I + tried to give up a little more, but with the same result; now I + think God has shown me that it is not the least use trying these + subtle bargains; that the giving up little by little is more + wearisome and trying than _one_ surrender, and _that_ I trust He + will give me power to make." + +Another reason, doubtless, why he shunned fashionable society was his +extreme sensitiveness to praise. His honest, straightforward nature +could not tolerate the praise that so often is showered upon great men. +He used to say:-- + + "If a man speaks well of me, divide it by millions and then it will + be millions of times too favourable. If a man speaks evil of me, + multiply it by millions and it will be millions of times too + favourable. Man is disguised, as far as his neighbour is concerned; + this disguise is his outward goodness. Some have it in a slight + measure torn off in this life, and are judged accordingly by those + whose disguise of goodness is more intact; the revelation of the + evil by this partial tearing off is but the manifestation of what + exists. Whether the disguise is torn or intact, the interior and + true state (known to God quite clearly) is the same corrupt thing; + the eye of the Spirit discerns through the disguise. + + "Who could bear to have this disguise quite rent off, and the evil + exposed to the eyes of the world? How would the world receive me, + if they knew what I really was, and what God knows that I am at + this minute? Yet, how hardly I judge another whose disguise, + slightly rent, shows a little of the corruption I know exists in + me. Nothing evil was ever said of any man which was not true, his + worst enemies could not say a thousandth part of the evil that is + in him. + + "Praise now humbles me, it does not elate me; did the world praise + Jesus? and what right have we to take this praise of men, when it + is due to Him? + + "When one knows the little one does of oneself, and any one praises + you, I, at any rate, have a rising, which is a suppressed 'You + lie.' There are several nice bits in our Lord's life, when He + replied with some unpalatable truth to those men who would follow + Him, and would make much of Him, but afterwards they entirely + changed their demeanour." + +At one time he used, for the same reason, to avoid reading all +newspapers, as they contained so much praise of him. Writing in 1882, +when he was Governor-General of the Soudan, he says:-- + + "I have come to a conclusion; may God give me strength to keep it! + _Stop all the newspapers._ It is no use mincing the matter; as the + disease is dire, so also must be the remedy.... Newspapers feed a + passion _I_ have for giving my opinion; therefore, as we have no + right to judge and have nothing to do with this world (of which we + are not), this feeding must be cut short. + + "The giving up the papers may cause the starvation of my passion + for politics, and that scab may drop off. God has shown me what + the scabs are:--Evil-speaking, lying, slandering, back-biting, + scoffing, self-conceit, boasting, silly talking, and some few more. + + "I wish friends would not send me papers, &c. I pass them on to + ----, who is my waste-paper basket!" + +Not only did he combat that part of his nature which loved the praise +of men, he also sternly resisted the temptation of ambition. For +instance, he writes:-- + + "I wonder if I look ambitious in your eyes. Do you think I sought + this place? You should know better than most people, for you have + all my thoughts in my letters. Judging myself, I fear it was so + when I took the work in hand; not that I cared for the money or the + honours to come from it. I think, however, my main idea was the + Quixotic one--to help the Khedive, mixed with the feeling that I + could, with God's direction, accomplish this work. + + "... There is death in the seeking of high posts on this earth + for the purpose of what the world calls doing great things; + the mightiest of men are flies on a wheel; a kind word to a + crossing-sweeper delights Christ _in him_, as much as it would + delight Christ _in_ a queen." + +He was conscious, too, of a natural tendency to judge his neighbours. +Like many reformers, he had a critical nature, and often found himself +led into temptation through it. He never screened this failing, and did +his utmost to fight against it. There are several extracts from his +letters on this besetting sin. Witness these two:-- + + "What troubles me immensely is the way in which circumstances force + me into society, for in it is the great evil of judging others, + picking them to pieces behind their backs, so entirely mean and + contrary to our Lord's will. All this tends to make a cloud between + Him and us; and yet I declare I cannot see how I can avoid it." + + "This is one great reason why I never desire to enter social life, + for there is very great difficulty in knowing people and not + discussing others." + +Considering how thorough Gordon himself was, and how intensely he hated +shams of every kind, it is not surprising to find that, with his +naturally critical temperament, he used most relentlessly to expose the +unreality of many who, acknowledging the truth of Christianity, +practically denied its power. + + "As a rule, Christians are really more inconsistent than + 'worldlings.' They talk truths, and do not act on them. They allow + that 'God is the God of the widows and orphans,' yet they look in + trouble to the gods of silver and gold: either He can help + altogether, or not at all. He will not be served in conjunction + with idols of any sort.... + + "How unlike in acts are most of so-called Christians to their + Founder! You see in them no resemblance to Him. Hard, proud, + 'holier than thou,' is their uniform. _They have the truth_, + no one else, it is _their_ monopoly." + +But though he avoided Christians of this type, he had a great yearning +for the society of those who were real, and had more sympathy with the +weaknesses of those who were true, in spite of their failings, than +most men. He was fully conscious of the natural depravity of his own +heart, and so was ever tender to those who fell. Nobody was more +willing than he to act to a fellow Christian on the principle laid down +in the lines-- + + "Help a poor and weary brother + Pulling hard against the stream." + +He loved Christian society of the right sort, and, under its influence, +his whole nature would expand, and he would converse for hours +together. Writing from Galatz, where he went after the pleasant time +spent at Gravesend, he says, "I feel much also the want of some +religious talk," thereby adding another illustration to the truth of +that text, "They that love the Lord spake often one to another." + +General Gordon's temperament was not that of the monk who shuns his +fellow-creatures, and it must therefore have been all the greater trial +for him to cut himself off from his friends for so many years at a time +as he used to do. Indeed he used to speak of it as "a living death." +But the great lesson of his life was that of self-sacrifice for the +good of others. Speaking to the editor of a journal, to which reference +has already been made, he once said, "When I was in the Soudan, I used +to pray every day, 'O Lord, let me be crushed. Lay the punishment of +their sins upon me.'" Then, as if he was afraid of being misunderstood, +he said, "It was a strange prayer, was it not? As if I had not enough +of my own sins to bear!" Few men have learned better than he the great +lesson taught from the Cross of Calvary, and few have practised that +lesson more completely. + +As we so often see greatness associated with success in life, it is +well that now and then we witness greatness, which has not been +associated with what the world calls success, for the two are far from +being inseparably connected. General Gordon frequently emphasised the +distinctions between honours and honour. The former he cared very +little about, but the latter he ever valued highly, and he used to say +that often men attain the former at the expense of the latter. No +titles precede his name, nor do any decorations of importance follow +it, but his simple and yet heroic self-sacrificing life have fascinated +his countrymen, and helped to make the world better by setting before +it a higher ideal. On the monument in St. Paul's Cathedral his life is +briefly summed up in the few following words: "To Major-General Charles +George Gordon, C.B., who at all times and everywhere gave his strength +to the weak, his substance to the poor, his sympathy to the suffering, +his heart to God. He saved an empire by his warlike genius, he ruled +vast provinces with justice, wisdom, and power, and lastly, obedient to +his Sovereign's command, he died in the heroic attempt to save men, +women, and children, from imminent and deadly peril." The nation felt +that their Poet Laureate, Lord Tennyson, did but speak the simple truth +when he penned the following lines:-- + + "Warrior of God, man's friend, not laid below, + But somewhere dead far in the waste Soudan, + Thou livest in all hearts, for all men know + This earth has borne no simpler, nobler man." + + +THE END + + +Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO. +Edinburgh & London + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GENERAL GORDON*** + + +******* This file should be named 28773-8.txt or 28773-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/8/7/7/28773 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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