General Gordon | Page 4

and musketry. How any ever lived to pass that 200 yards seemed a miracle; for our poor fellows fell one on the top of another; but nothing could stop us but death. On we went shouting until we reached the redoubt. The fighting inside these works was of the most desperate character, butt and bayonet, foot and fist; the enemy's guns were quickly spiked: this struggle lasted about an hour and a half. It was an awful time, about 3,000 of our brave soldiers were slain in this short period." Our hero Gordon, tells us that on the evening of this 8th of September--
"I heard most terrific explosions, the earth seemed to be shaken to its very centre;--It was afterwards discovered the enemy's position was no longer tenable, so they had fired some 300 tons of gunpowder, which had blown up all their vast forts and magazines. O! what a night: many of our poor fellows had been nearly buried in the debris, and burning mass: the whole of Sebastopol was in flames. The Russians were leaving it helter-skelter--a complete rout, and a heavy but gloriously-won victory."
For his acknowledged ability, his fine heroism, and his true loyalty to his superiors during this most trying campaign, he received the well-earned decoration of the Legion of Honour from the French Government, a mark of distinction very rarely conferred upon so young an officer.
"God gives us men, a time like that demands. Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands; Men whom the lusts of office cannot kill, Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy, Men who possess opinions and a will, Men who have honour, men who never lie."
We must not leave this part of our story without a brief notice of one whose name will live in song and story, when this generation shall have passed away. Many noble English ladies bravely went out to nurse the suffering soldiers; but in this noble band was one whose name remains a synonym for kindly sympathy, tenderness and peace--Miss Florence Nightingale.
The following lines were written in her praise--
"Britain has welcomed home with open hand Her gallant soldiers to their native land; But one alone the Nation's thanks did shun, Though Europe rings with all that she hath done; For when will shadow on the wall e'er fail, To picture forth fair Florence Nightingale: Her deeds are blazoned on the scroll of fame, And England well may prize her deathless name."
CHAPTER II.
"The greatness of a nation depends upon the men it can breed and rear.--Froude.
The war over and peace duly established, Lieutenant Gordon (for so he was then) accompanied General Sir Lintorn Simmons to Galatz, where, as assistant commissioner, he was engaged in fixing the new frontiers of Russia, Turkey and Roumania. In 1857, when his duties here were finished, he went with the same officer to Armenia; there, in the same capacity, he was engaged in laying down the Asiatic frontiers of Russia and Turkey. When this work was completed he returned home and was quartered at Chatham, and employed for a time as Field Work Instructor and Adjutant. In 1860, now holding the rank of Captain, he joined the Army in China, and was present at the surrender of Pekin; and for his services he was promoted to the rank of Major.

THE BURNING OF THE SUMMER PALACE.
"On the eleventh of October," Gordon relates, "we were sent down in a hurry to throw up earth works against the City; as the Chinese refused to give up the gate we demanded their surrender before we could treat with them. They were also required to give up the prisoners. You will be sorry to hear the treatment they have suffered has been very bad. Poor De Norman, who was with me in Asia, is one of the victims. It appears they were tied so tight by the wrists that the flesh mortified, and they died in the greatest torture. Up to the time that elapsed before they arrived at the Summer Palace, they were well treated, but then the ill- treatment began. The Emperor is supposed to have been there at the time.
But to go back to the work, the Chinese were given until twelve on the 13th, to give up the gate. We made a lot of batteries, and everything was ready for assault of the wall, which is a battlement, forty feet high, but of inferior masonry; at 11.30 p.m., however, the gate was opened, and we took possession; so our work was of no avail. The Chinese had then, until the 23rd, to think over our terms of treaty, and to pay up ten thousand pounds (10,000 pounds) for each Englishman, and five hundred pounds (500 pounds) for each native soldier who had died during their captivity. This they did,