British general. In 1860 he went to China, where he crushed the Taiping Rebellion, for which he became known as Chinese Gordon. In 1877 he was appointed Governor of the Sudan. He returned in 1884 to relieve Egyptian garrisons and was besieged at Khartoum for 10 months by the Mahdi's troops, and was killed there two days before a relief force arrived. ALS signed “C.S. Gordon,” one page both sides, 4.25 x 7, Gravesend, June 6, 1870. In part: “I am again going to ask you a favor. You remember a man by name [Erlington?]. If you can manage to do him a good turn with respect to the harbor…you would much oblige me. I do not know if you have so many applications as I get.” He has signed again on the reverse, “6/6/70 Gordon.” The recipient’s ink notation, “Wants to get Erlington [?] employed at Galle Harbor.” In very good condition, with a long vertical ink stroke to front, light edge toning, a vertical fold at center and a collector’s pencil notations in upper right corner. R&R COA.
