General Charles Gordon (1833-85) remains one of the most enigmatic figures in British military history. His brilliant feats of leadership, first in the Crimea, then in China, where he saved the emperor's throne from the Taiping rebels, made him a hero in the eyes of the British who came to know him as 'Chinese Gordon'.

This book, taken in facsimile from a work published in 1896, covers the life of Gordon from his earliest days up to his tragic end at Khartoum. The author portrays Gordon as an example of all that is excellent in British manhood, though later historians have thrown some doubt on his character. Nonetheless, this work presents a faithful picture of the man within the context of his own generation.