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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。。。
Dearest Augusta； pray for me； I beg of you。'
He was twenty…one； the Crimean War broke out； and before the year
was over； he had managed to get himself transferred to Balaclava。
During the siege of Sebastopol he behaved with conspicuous
gallantry。 Upon the declaration of peace； he was sent to
Bessarabia to assist in determining the frontier between Russia
and Turkey； in accordance with the Treaty of Paris； and upon this
duty he was occupied for nearly two years。 Not long after his
return home； in 1860； war was declared upon China。 Captain Gordon
was dispatched to the scene of operations； but the fighting was
over before he arrived。 Nevertheless； he was to remain for the
next four years in China； where he was to lay the foundations of
extraordinary renown。
Though he was too late to take part in the capture of the Taku
Forts； he was in time to witness the destruction of the Summer
Palace at Pekingthe act by which Lord Elgin； in the name of
European civilisation； took vengeance upon the barbarism of the
East。
The war was over； but the British Army remained in the country；
until the payment of an indemnity by the Chinese Government was
completed。 A camp was formed at Tientsin； and Gordon was occupied
in setting up huts for the troops。 While he was thus engaged； he
had a slight attack of smallpox。 'I am glad to say；' he told his
sister； '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。'
Curiously enough a similar circumstance had； more than twenty
years earlier； brought about a singular succession of events
which were now upon the point of opening the way to Gordon's
first great adventure。 In 1837； a village schoolmaster near
Canton had been attacked by illness； and； as in the case of
Gordon； illness had been followed by a religious revulsion。 Hong…
Siu…Tsuen for such was his name saw visions； went into
ecstasies； and entered into relations with the Deity。 Shortly
afterwards； he fell in with a Methodist missionary from America；
who instructed him in the Christian religion。 The new doctrine；
working upon the mystical ferment already in Hong's mind；
produced a remarkable result。 He was； he declared； the prophet of
God； he was more he was the Son of God； he was Tien Wang； the
Celestial King； he was the younger brother of Jesus。
The times were propitious； and proselytes soon gathered around
him。
Having conceived a grudge against the Government； owing to his
failure
in an examination； Hong gave a political turn to his teaching；
which soon developed into a propaganda of rebellion against the
rule of the Manchus and the Mandarins。 The authorities took
fright； attempted to suppress Hong by force； and failed。 The
movement spread。 By 1850 the rebels were overrunning the populous
and flourishing delta of the Yangtse Kiang； and had become a
formidable force。 In 1853 they captured Nankin； which was
henceforth their capital。 The Tien Wang； established himself in a
splendid palace； and proclaimed his new evangel。 His theogony
included the wife of God； or the celestial Mother； the wife of
Jesus； or the celestial daughter…in…law； and a sister of Jesus；
whom he married to one of his lieutenants； who thus became the
celestial son…in…law； the Holy Ghost； however； was eliminated。
His mission was to root out Demons and Manchus from the face of
the earth； and to establish Taiping； the reign of eternal peace。
In the meantime； retiring into the depths of his palace； he left
the further conduct of earthly operations to his lieutenants；
upon whom he bestowed the title of 'Wangs' （kings）； while he
himself； surrounded by thirty wives and one hundred concubines；
devoted his energies to the spiritual side of his mission。 The
Taiping Rebellion； as it came to be called； had now reached its
furthest extent。 The rebels were even able to occupy； for more
than a year； the semi…European city of Shanghai。
But then the tide turned。 The latent forces of theEmpire
gradually
asserted themselves。 The rebels lost ground； their armies were
defeated；
and in 1859 Nankin itself was besieged； and the Celestial King
trembled
in his palace。 The end seemed to be at hand； when there was a
sudden
twist of Fortune's wheel。 The war of 860； the invasion of China
by
European armies； their march into the interior； and their
occupation of
Peking； not only saved the rebels from destruction； but allowed
them to
recover the greater part of what they had lost。 Once more they
seized upon the provinces of the delta； once more they menaced
Shanghai。 It was clear that the Imperial army was incompetent；
and the Shanghai merchants determined to provide for their own
safety as best they could。 They accordingly got together a body
of troops； partly Chinese and partly European； and under European
officers； to which they entrusted the defence of the town。 This
small force； which； after a few preliminary successes； received
from the Chinese Government the title of the 'Ever Victorious
Army'； was able to hold the rebels at bay； but it could do no
more。
For two years Shanghai was in constant danger。 The Taipings；
steadily
growing in power； were spreading destruction far and wide。 The
Ever
Victorious Army was the only force capable of opposing them； and
the
Ever Victorious Army was defeated more often than not。 Its first
European
leader had been killed； his successor quarrelled with the Chinese
Governor； Li Hung Chang； and was dismissed。 At last it was
determined to
ask the General at the head of the British Army of Occupation for
the loan
of an officer to command the force。 The English； who had been at
first
inclined to favour the Taipings； on religious grounds； were now
convinced； on practical grounds； of the necessity of suppressing
them。 It was in these circumstances that； early in 1863； the
command of the Ever Victorious Army was offered to Gordon。 He
accepted it； received the title of General from the Chinese
authorities； and entered forthwith upon his new task。 He was just
thirty。
In eighteen months； he told Li Hung Chang； the business would be
finished； and he was as good as his word。 The difficulties before
him were very great。 A vast tract of country was in the
possession of the rebels an area； at the lowest estimate； of
14；000 square miles with a population of 20；000；000。 For
centuries this low…lying plain of the Yangtse delta； rich in silk
and tea； fertilised by elaborate irrigation； and covered with
great walled cities； had been one of the most flourishing
districts in China。 Though it was now being rapidly ruined by the
depredations of the Taipings； its strategic strength was
obviously enormous。 Gordon； however； with the eye of a born
general； perceived that he could convert the very feature of the
country which； on the face of it； most favoured an army on the
defence its complicated geographical system of interlacing
roads
and waterways； canals； lakes and rivers into a means of
offensive warfare。 The force at his disposal was small； but it
was mobile。 He had a passion for map…making； and had already； in
his leisure hours； made a careful survey of the country round
Shanghai； he was thus able to execute a series of manoeuvres
which proved fatal to the enemy。 By swift marches and counter…
marches； by sudden attacks and surprises； above all by the
dispatch of armed steamboats up the circuitous waterways into
positions from which they could fall upon the enemy in reverse；
he was able gradually to force back the rebels； to cut them off
piecemeal in the field； and to seize upon their cities。
But； brilliant as these operations were； Gordon's military genius
showed itself no less unmistakably in other directions。 The Ever
Victorious Army； recruited from the riff…raff of Shanghai； was an
ill…disciplined； ill…organised body of about three thousand men；
constantly on the verge of mutiny； supporting itself on plunder；
and； at the slightest provocation； melting into thin air。 Gordon；
by sheer force of character； established over this incoherent
mass of ruffians an extraordinary ascendancy。 He drilled them
with rigid severity； he put them into a uniform； armed them
systematically； substituted pay for loot； and was even able； at
last； to introduce regulations of a sanitary kind。 There were
some terrible scenes； in which the General； alone； faced the
whole furious army； and quelled scenes of rage； desperation；
towering courage； and summary execution。 Eventually he attained
an