Charles George Gordon

British army officer and administrator, 1833-1885

"Charles George Gordon known as Chinese Gordon and Gordon of Khartoum, saw his first action in the Crimean War as an officer in the British Army. He made his military reputation in China, where he was placed in command of the ""Ever Victorious Army"" in 1862. This force was instrumental in putting down the Taiping Rebellion. In 1873 he entered the service of the Khedive of Egypt and later became the Governor-General of the Sudan, where he did much to suppress revolts and the local slave trade. In early 1884 Gordon returned from retirement to Khartoum to evacuate the city threatened by the Mahdist revolt. Gordon was killed during the fall of Khartoum after a siege of 313 days. "