IN THE CRIMEA AND IN CHINA. 5
He comes of a family of soldiers, one of his immediate ancestors being
a godson of the Duke of Cumberland (of Culloden notoriety), and a distinguished actor in the North American War, having served under Wolfe on the Plains of Abraham. Charles Gordon’s early life pre-
sents little that is noteworthy ; but we are told of one instance when the fire of the future hero flashed suddenly forth. Being rebuked during his cadetship for incompetence, and told that he would never make an officer, he suddenly tore the epaulets from his shoulders and flung them at his superior’s feet,
i
GORDON IN THE CRIMEA, BESSARABIA, ETC. °
Gordon worked steadily in the trenches before Sebastopol, where he distinguished himself by his skill in detecting the movements of the enemy. ‘The present Lord Wolseley was his companion-in-arms, and
is mentioned in Gordon’s. journal as having been slightly wounded. His capacity as an officer of Engineers procured his appointment on the Commission for settling the boundaries of Russia and Turkey, which employed him until the end of 1858.
Gorpon 1n Cuina: (The Tai-Ping Rebellion ).
In 1860, Gordon was ordered to China, and was present during the attack on Pekin and the sack of the Summer Palace. It will be necessary here to say a few words respecting the great Tai-Ping
rebellion, which at that time threatened not only to overturn the Imperial throne, but also to devastate the whole country. Some of the southern provinces had already been laid waste with fire and sword by the rebels, and the safety of Shanghai itself was threatened. This extraordinary rebellion was commenced by a fanatical school- master called Hung, who had attracted to his standard an army con-
sisting of several hundred thousand wild and ferocious followers. In some respects the commencement of the outbreak bears a similarity to the present insurrection in the Soudan under the Mahdi. Gordon’ quelled the insurrection in China, and overthrew the armies of Hung and his companions: let us hope that he may be equally successful in putting an end to the formidable disturbances in the Soudan.
Hung said that his mission was to exterminate the Manchoo race, and he found hundreds of thousands to believe in him. Gradually the “prophet” gathered a great army, and gained one victory after