Charles George Gordon

author

Charles George Gordon

1833–1885

Remembered as "Chinese Gordon" and "Gordon of Khartoum," he became one of the most famous and controversial British military figures of the 19th century. His life combined battlefield fame, intense religious conviction, and a dramatic final stand in Sudan that fixed his name in popular memory.

1 Audiobook

The Journals of Major-Gen. C. G. Gordon, C.B., at Kartoum.

The Journals of Major-Gen. C. G. Gordon, C.B., at Kartoum.

by Charles George Gordon

About the author

Born in Woolwich, England, in 1833, Charles George Gordon trained as a Royal Engineer and first saw major action in the Crimean War. He later won wide attention in China, where he commanded the so-called Ever Victorious Army during the Taiping Rebellion and gained the nickname "Chinese Gordon."

Gordon went on to serve in northeastern Africa, including as governor-general of the Sudan under Egyptian rule. He built a reputation for personal bravery, strict discipline, and strong moral purpose, while also showing an independent streak that often put him at odds with political leaders.

He is best known for the siege of Khartoum. Sent to the Sudan in 1884 during the Mahdist uprising, he remained in the city as it was surrounded and was killed there in January 1885, shortly before a British relief force arrived. His death turned him into a national hero in Britain and made him a lasting figure in imperial history.