Gordon had made a firm friend of Li Hung Chang, who aided him in every
possible way. He introduced much-needed discipline into his troops,
who had been at first mere adventurers, and also established regular
grades of pay. The Chinese Government was glad to assume these
payments; while the English authorities were well content with the
unique arrangement. Whether or not, Gordon would have called it
"anomalous"--it was working, and that was the main thing.
Gordon saw to it that his men were well armed, well paid, well dressed,
and well fed. Always he had the horrible example of the Crimean
campaign before his eyes, and he was resolved that never again, if he
could help it, should such conditions recur. He was thus one of the
first of our generals to meet the need of a modern army in a modern
way. As he wrote, at the destruction of Sebastopol, "The old army is
dead."
After Gordon had got his new army in readiness--and not until then--he
launched his systematic campaign against the rebels. First he moved
against Quinsan, an important stronghold. It was a large city, some
four or five miles in circumference, and clustered about a commanding
hill. This city and its approaches were held by a force of about
twelve thousand. Against them Gordon brought a force of two thousand
infantry and six hundred artillery.
Pages:
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137