s force could fight very well, and that his officers, if somewhat
lacking in polish, were not to be surpassed in dash and devilry. For
the Taepings, especially behind walls, and when it was impossible to
out-manoeuvre them, he had also the highest opinion, and his first
object on every occasion was to discover a weak point in their
position, and his patience and perspicuity were generally rewarded.
The very first step he took on approaching any place that he had to
attack was to reconnoitre it himself, either on foot or in one of his
steamers, and he wrote a powerful despatch pointing out the general
neglect of this precaution in the conduct of our Eastern campaigns,
with its inevitable heavy attendant loss of precious lives. As he
truly said, a careful reconnaissance generally revealed points of
weakness in the enemy's position, and the Taepings, like all Asiatics,
were easily demoralised when their line of retreat was threatened, or
when attacked at some point where their preparations had not been
perfected. Among his own personal qualifications, his untiring energy
and his exceptional promptitude in coming to a decision were the most
remarkable. No exertion relaxed his effort or diminished his ardour,
and in face of fresh perils and disappointments he was always ready
with a new plan, or prepared with some scheme for converting defeat
into victory. One of his chief characteristics was his quickness in
seeing an alternative course of action when his original plan had
either failed or been thwarted by others. Of his personal courage and
daring sufficient instances have been given to justify the assertion
that in those qualities he was unsurpassable; and if he had never done
anything else than lead the Ever Victorious Army, it would be
sufficient to secure him a place among the most remarkable of English
soldiers. In China he will be remembered for his rare self-abnegation,
for his noble disdain of money, and for the spirit of tolerance with
which he reconciled the incompatible parts of "a British officer and a
Chinese mandarin."

CHAPTER VI.

GRAVESEND AND GALATZ.

After the exciting and eventful ten years which began in the Crimea
and ended in China, the most tranquil period in Gordon's career
follows, until he was once again launched on the stormy sea of public
affairs in Africa. He used to speak of the six years following his
return from the Far East as the happiest of his life, and by a
fortunate althou