Charles George Gordon gained universal respect and affection in the slums of urban Victorian Britain fighting on spiritual battlegrounds.
Later, he obtained the same reputation as he commanded in battle Chinese, Egyptian, and African (but never British) troops, to become a British military hero. General Gordon died while trying to save Khartoum from fire and sword in 1885, the mourning from a grateful nation was only surpassed by the death's of Henry Havelock at Lucknow and Nelson at Trafalgar.
Gladstone, Britain's Prime Minister at the time feared it would bring down his government. He is now known as one of Britain's greatest military heroes in the line of Wellington, Nelson, Havelock, Harris and Montgomery.
There are 4 parts to this well researched and exciting biography:
Part One: 'Yellow Jacket', 1833-1864.
Part Two: 'The Liberator' 1865-1879.
Part Three: 'The Pillar of Cloud' 1880-1883.
Part Four: 'Too Late' 1884-1885.
John Pollock, author of other highly praised biographies (including Havelock's), draws on extensive, but little used, manuscript sources to vividly retell a fascinating and colourful true story of an extraordinary figure.