[181], The advance of the rebels against Khartoum was combined with a revolt in the eastern Sudan. In March 1896, a French force under the command of Jean-Baptiste Marchand left Dakar with the intention of marching across the Sahara with the aim of destroying the Mahdiyah state. I got to know George thru his sons, Greg and Tom, long before I actually met him. A group of European financial commissioners led by Evelyn Baring took charge of the Egyptian finances in an attempt to pay off the European banks who had lent so much money to Egypt. OBITUARY George M. Gordon June 19, 1947 - September 11, 2022 - September 11, 2022 [178], Gordon commenced the task of sending the women, the children, the sick, and the wounded to Egypt. I have a splendid camel-none like it; it flies along and quite astonishes the Arabs". He was born in Fortuna, CA 75 years ago to Winton and Evelyn Chase Gordon. May God be your strength and comfort. George Gordon Obituary (1968 - 2020) | Raymore, Saskatchewan [51] A Scotsman who knew Gordon in China wrote: "he shows the Chinese that if even an able and reliable man, such as he is, is unmanageable". Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. [214] Rudolf Slatin, the Austrian governor of Darfur who had been taken prisoner by the Ansar, wrote that three soldiers showed him Gordon's head at his tent before delivering it to the Mahdi. In his biography of Gordon, Anthony Nutting wrote that Gordon was obsessed with "the ever-present, constantly repeated desire for martyrdom and for that glorious immortality in union with God and away from the wretchedness of life on this earth". [47] Gordon felt very uncomfortable commanding this force and at one point had to order the summary execution of one of his officers when the latter tried to take the Ever-Victorious Army over to the Taipings, who had offered a generous bribe for switching sides. Lord Byron - Wikipedia [45] The next day, Quinsan fell to the 4th Regiment, which led a proud Gordon to write: "The rebels did not know its importance until they lost it". In New York, Paris, and Berlin, pictures of Gordon appeared in shop windows with black lining as all over the West, the fallen general was seen as a Christ-like man who sacrificed himself resisting the advance of Islam. George Gordon Ross Obituary (1933 - 2023) | Columbia, South Carolina The most popular account of Gordon's death was that he put on his ceremonial gold-braided blue uniform of the Governor-General together with the Pasha's red fez and that he went out unarmed, except with his rattan cane, to be cut down by the Ansar. As late as 1933, the French historian Pierre Crabits wrote in his book Gordon, le Soudan et l'esclavage (Gordon, the Sudan and Slavery) that as a Frenchman, the Gordon legend had meant nothing to him when he began researching his book, but after examining all of the historical evidence, he could not help but admire Gordon, who "died as he lived, a Christian, a gentleman, and a soldier". [18], Gordon spent thirty-four consecutive days in the trenches around Sevastopol, and earned a reputation as an able and brave young officer. George worked as a custodial supervisor in the Lincoln County School system. George Gordon | Obituary | National Post [257], Nutting contended that the conflict between Gordon's devoutly-held Christian ideals and his sexuality made Gordon deeply ashamed of himself and he attempted to expiate his wretched, sinful nature by seeking a glorious death in battle. Death Notices - Ross-shire Journal In 1904, it was moved to Khartoum, where it stood at the intersection of Gordon Avenue and Victoria Avenue, 200 metres south of the new palace that had been built in 1899. To plant a tree in memory of George GORDON / GEORGE / HANSLOW, please visit Tribute Store . The headless body of the Mahdi was thrown into the Nile. [164], Stead published his interview on 9 January 1884, on the front page of the Pall Mall Gazette alongside an editorial of his titled, "Chinese Gordon for the Sudan". [132] In April, the government of the Cape Colony offered him the position of commandant of the Cape local forces, which Gordon declined. After he arrived in Britain, Gordon announced to the press that he "did not want to board the tram of the world" and asked to be left alone. After Gordon's death, Barnes co-authored Charles George Gordon: A Sketch (1885),[126] which begins with the meeting at the hotel in Lausanne. [46] After the battle, Gordon was hailed as a liberator from the Taipings by the ordinary Chinese people. Due to many aspects of the Taiping ideology resembling Chinese communism, the Taipings are treated sympathetically by Chinese historians who portray them as prototypical communists, with Hong Xiuquan foreshadowing Mao. [199] "The reading public wanted heroes, it wanted to read about one lone Englishmen sacrificing himself for glory, honour, God, and the Empire. Queen Victoria sent him a telegram of rebuke which found its way into the press. He attended schools in Ferndale and Eureka, CA. The Reverend Reginald Barnes, who knew him well, describes him as "of the middle height, very strongly built". [48] After Gordon had surrounded Burgevine's force outside of Suzhou, the latter had abandoned his own men and attempted to rejoin the Imperial side, leading Gordon to arrest him and send him to the American consul in Shanghai together with a letter asking that Burgevine be expelled from China. When he woke up again that afternoon, he found Gordon's body covered with flies and the head cut off. [37], Gordon then made a rapprochement with Li and visited him in order to arrange for further operations. An insurrection had broken out in Darfur province led by associates of Zobeir and Gordon went to deal with it. [224] This symbolic decapitation echoed General Gordon's death at the hands of the Mahdist forces in 1885. He was a committed and valued friend and colleague for over thirty years at Sterling Marking Products. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, and has been regarded as among the greatest of English poets. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Still Hopes Retirement Community, located at 1 Still Hopes Drive, West Columbia, SC 29169 and First Baptist Church, located at 1306 Hampton Street, Columbia, SC 29201. [44] Aboard the Hyson were 350 men from the elite 4th Regiment of the Ever Victorious Army. [13] Gordon was especially impressed with Philippians 1:21 where St. Paul wrote: "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain", a passage he underlined in his Bible and often quoted. Elated by these successes, Gordon wrote in his diary: "We are going to hold out here forever". Always thoughtful [50] The Ever-Victorious Armywhich was inclined to lootinghad been ordered not to enter Suzhou, and only Imperial forces entered the city. Gordon agreed with Lord Elgin that after the Chinese authorities had murdered a group of British and French officers travelling under a white flag to parley that a reprisal was in order, but called the burning of the Summer Palace "vandal-like" and informed his sister in a letter that "it made one's heart sore" to burn it. Sir Gordon Downey obituary | Civil service | The Guardian The "Ever-Victorious Army" resumed its high tempo advance, leading to the Battle of Changzhou, and culminating in the capture of Changzhou Fu, the principal military base of the Taipings in the region. Faught also pointed out that the first hints that Gordon might secretly have been having sex with the boys of the Fort House were made by Lytton Strachey in his book Eminent Victorians (published 1918) which, in Faught's opinion, may have said more about Strachey than it did about Gordon. He will be lovingly remembered by Sybil, his wife of the past 32 years; his children Dale (Afton) of Las Vegas, Holly of Edmonton, Donald (Vivian) of Red Deer, Kenneth (Beverly) of Red Deer and Lorraine (Dick) Brantner of Wrentham, as well as numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. [245] The British historian Alex von Tunzelmann criticised the film for portraying Gordon and the Mahdi regularly meeting and as frres ennemis, though she added that it is true that Gordon and the Mahdi did exchange letters. [172], Due to public opinion, the government dared not sack Gordon, but the Cabinet was extremely angry about Gordon's insubordination, with many privately saying if Gordon wanted to defy orders by holding Khartoum, then he only deserved what he was going to get. He has written a 526-page flora of County Durham, plus a handbook on wild roses - a. George E. Harrington, 86 of Oswego. I am the successor of God's Prophet and I have no need of any sultanate of Kordofan or anywhere else! After an order is placed, our forestry partners will plant the tree in the area of greatest need (nearest the funeral home), according to the planting schedule for the year. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. In him I found a dedicated and consummate professional who was unafraid to get his hands dirty and get the job done. [12], To block the French, a British force under Herbert Kitchener was sent to conquer the Mahdiyah state and defeated the Ansar at the Battle of Omdurman in 1898. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. The scriptures both Old and New Testaments are the law of his life and death. Many Taipings were willing to surrender only if the Imperial government would spare the lives of themselves and their families. [120], Gordon returned south and proceeded to Harrar, south of Abyssinia, and, finding the administration in poor standing, dismissed the governor. [73] Urban wrote that the best evidence suggests Gordon was a latent homosexual, whose sexual repression led him to funnelling his aggression into a military career with a special energy. Obituary. file size: 2 MB. Thence he returned to Cairo and resigned his Sudan appointment. Karen and I were shocked and saddened to hear of Georges passing. In 1982 disgusted with "Big Brother" encroaching on his business, he educated himself and others on law and courtroom procedure, and established a law school in Boise, Barristers Inn, which name was changed to George Gordon's School of Common Law when he moved to Isabella, Mo in 1984 following his patriarchal marriage to Jacqueline. [59] Gordon seemed pleased by his simple lifestyle, writing in a letter that: "One night, I slept better than I have for a long time, by a fire in a fisherman's hut". [163] Gordon offered up a 19th-century anticipation of the domino theory, claiming: The danger arises from the influence which the spectacle of a conquering Mahometan Power established close to your frontiers will exercise upon the population which you govern. He had an unfaltering testimony of the Gospel, which he happily shared with others, particularly when he and Sybil served two proselytizing missions, one in Edmonton and the other in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unexpectedly at home on Wednesday 25th January 2017. Just for the love of it | The Independent | The Independent Yes, these are people struggling to be free and rightly struggling to be free". [101] Gordon also clashed with Chaill-Long, whom he accused of working as an informant for Aiyub Pasha and called him to his face a "regular failure". George, an entrepreneur, piloted his own plane at the age of 18 and created a construction company specializing in the restoration of San Francisco's "painted ladies.". [65], Faught maintained that Gordon was a heterosexual whose Christian beliefs led him to maintain his virginity right up to his death, because he believed that sexual intercourse was incompatible with his faith. Acton, NH George E. Gordon, 69 of Acton, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 26, 2022, after a long period of declining health at Lahey Clinic Medical Center in Burlington,. [40], During his time in China, Gordon was well-known and respected by friend and foe alike for leading from the front and going into combat armed only with his rattan cane (Gordon always refused to carry a gun or a sword), a choice of weapon that almost cost him his life several times. [40] In a 2008 article, Stallard argued that Chinese historiography has largely neglected Gordon, which Stallard felt was undeserved. GORDON, George [42], Gordon's task was made easier by innovative military ideas Ward had implemented in the Ever Victorious Army. [218], Baringwho deeply disliked Gordonwrote that because of the "national hysteria" caused by Gordon's death, saying anything critical about him at present would be equal to questioning Christianity. NEWS has reached us of the death of this veteran geologist, at the advanced age of 92. [65] Another "scuttler" later recalled: "He made me feel, first of all, the meaning of the phrase, the Goodness of God. He will be forever cherished by his wife Gail Bowen (nee Reid). [179], Gordon made all of his personal dispatches to London public (there was no Official Secrets Act at the time) in attempts to win public opinion over to his policy, writing on one dispatch: "Not secret as far as I am concerned". [88] Isma'il was a Muslim who loved Italian wine and French champagne, and many of his more conservative subjects in Egypt and the Sudan felt alienated by a regime that was determined to Westernise the country with little regard for tradition. [201] However, Faught wrote that there was a fundamental difference between Gordon and the Mahdi in that Gordon never tried to convert the Muslims of the Sudan to Christianity whereas the Mahdi was an "Islamic extremist" who believed he would establish a worldwide caliphate, looking forward to the day when he would "see the world bow before him". Grief Support. [156], The year 1881 was the Islamic year 1298, and to mark the coming of the new century, Ahmed announced that he was the Mahdi, and proclaimed a jihad against the Egyptian state. Funeral: 21 Mar 2023, Dewsbury. [191] Khartoum was surrounded by the Ansar in March 1884, but was not cut off from the outside world for a considerable time afterward. We lived in the magic of his mystery-enchanted". [244], Charlton Heston played Gordon in the 1966 epic film Khartoum, which deals with the siege of Khartoum. [114] In his worn-out state, Gordon had some sort of religious rebirth, leading him to write to his sister Augusta: "Through the workings of Christ in my body by His Body and Blood, the medicine worked. [166] Urban wrote: "The Pall Mall Gazette articles, in short, began a new chapter in international relations; powerful men using media manipulation of public opinion to trigger war. I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers all the time. [187][197] Gordon received a letter from the Mahdi taunting him over the murders of his friends Powers and Stewart, warning that he would be next if he did not surrender. Prince George Obituaries - Prince George Citizen . P.O. He is survived by his wife and business partner of 30 years Jackie, whom he loved dearly; by his 5 children; granddaughters Jillianne of Garden City, MO, and Kohl and great granddaughters Ruth and Faith of Cheney, WA. In a House of Commons speech on 5 May 1948, then opposition leader Winston Churchill spoke out in favour of the statue's return to its original location: "Is the right honorable Gentleman [the Minister of Works] aware that General Gordon was not only a military commander, who gave his life for his country, but, in addition, was considered very widely throughout this country as a model of a Christian hero, and that very many cherished ideals are associated with his name? [96] The other force for law and order were the much-feared bashi-bazouks, irregulars who were not paid a salary, but were expected to support themselves by looting. Isabella, MO 65676. [52], Instead, the Ever Victorious Army was given the task of taking the secondary cities of Yesing, Liyang, and Kitang. [51], Gordon refused all these gifts and wrote on the Emperor's silk message: "Major Gordon receives the approbation of His Majesty the Emperor with every gratification, but regrets most sincerely that owing to the circumstances which occurred since the capture of Soochow, he is unable to receive any mark of His Majesty the Emperor's recognition". [166] The man behind the campaign was the Adjutant General, Sir Garnet Wolseleya skilled media manipulator who often leaked information to the press to effect changes in policyand who was strongly opposed to Gladstone's policy of pulling out of the Sudan. [107] Gordon wrote in a letter to his sister about the Africans living a "life of fear and misery", but in spite of the "utter misery" of Equatoria that, "I like this work". [246], For the six months after the British public learned of Gordon's death, newspapers and journals published hundreds of articles celebrating Gordon as a "saint". [96] Gordon visited the provinces of Berber and Dongola, and then returned to the Abyssinian frontier, before ending up back in Khartoum in January 1878. View Gordon Averyt Murrill's obituary, send flowers and find service dates or sign the guestbook. Major-General Charles George Gordon CB (28 January 1833 26 January 1885), also known as Chinese Gordon, Gordon Pasha, and Gordon of Khartoum, was a British Army officer and administrator. [209], The Ansar began their final attack by storming the city via the gap in the defence caused by the low Nile and after an hour's fighting, the starving defenders had abandoned the fight and the city was theirs. The relief force, under the command of Gordon's old friend, Field Marshal Sir Garnet Wolseley, was not ready until November 1884. He will be much missed at work. Gordon wrote in his diary: "The HOUR GLASS BROKEN" and predicted that the war would soon be won. Of Marton formerly of Auckland. He loved Nancy, his cherished wife of 39 years, as Christ loved the church. [175] Gordon had a garrison of about 8,000 soldiers armed with Remington rifles, together with a colossal ammunition dump containing millions of rounds. I want no further satisfaction than this". Jamie Wyble Obituary (1967 - 2023) - Baton Rouge, LA - The Advocate The clash led to Gordon informing the Khedive that he did not wish to return to the Sudan, and he left for London. Celebrating the life of George Melvin Gordon You will be taken to the charity's website to process your payment. Find an Obituary. The recent death of one of Mississippi's best-known names in the business world George Bryan of West . He was so erratic, capricious, utterly unreliable, his mood changed so often, his temper was abominable, he was frequently drunk, and yet with all that, he had a tremendous sense of honour and great abilities". The Mahdi is a messianic figure in Islam which tradition holds will appear at the dawn of every new (Islamic) century to strike down the enemies of Islam. Khartoum. We will strive to make you proud, and continue the Gordon legacy of faith you began. There was a secret "ultra" faction in the War Office led by Wolseley that felt that the Liberal government was too inclined to withdraw from various places all over the globe at the first sign of trouble, and who were determined to sabotage the withdrawal from the Sudan. [119] Gordon also promised that those rebels who laid down their arms would not be punished and would all be given jobs in the administration. [15] He was sent to the Russian Empire, arriving at Balaklava in January 1855. "[216] His body was desecrated and thrown down a well. [52] Gordon then returned to Kunshan and disbanded his army in June 1864. (for "Grand Old Man"), to "M.O.G." [137] Gordon arrived in Shanghai in July and met Li Hongzhang, and learned that there was risk of war with Russia. [248], Long after his death, and despite the popularity of Strachey's essay in Eminent Victorians, the appeal of the Gordon legend lived on. [72] Gordon's parents expected him to marry and were disappointed about his lifelong bachelorhood. He was exhausted by years of incessant work. quickly as possible. [95], The Egyptian authorities had been extending their control southwards since the 1820s. Loved husband of Betty for 66 years. He managed the grain elevator in Raymond until he retired manyyears ago and has lived in Raymond ever since. [96] This bold move proved successful, as one chief then another pledged his loyalty to the Khedive, including Suleiman Zobeir himself, though the remainder retreated to the south. With heavy hearts, we announce the death of George Gordon Ross (Columbia, South Carolina), born in Berkeley, California, who passed away on February 2, 2023 at the age of 89. [170], Gladstone felt that this was a deft political move. He doesn't want money!". Suddenly at home on Wednesday 25 January 2017; aged 86 years. It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Gordon Richard George, loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. [81], In October 1871, he was appointed British representative on the international commission to maintain the navigation of the mouth of the River Danube, with headquarters at Galatz. The Lord Mayor of London opened a public subscription to raise funds for a permanent memorial to Gordon; this eventually materialised as the Gordon Boys Home, now Gordon's School, in West End, Woking. [35] Gordon was attached to his staff as engineer officer. When I was 17 I started working, with George as my manager. [187] Even if the relief force had reached him, it is not clear if he would have left Khartoum, as Gordon wrote in his diary: "If any emissary or letter comes up here ordering me to come down I WILL NOT OBEY IT, BUT WILL STAY HERE, AND FALL WITH THE TOWN! [212], Gordon died on the steps of a stairway in the northwestern corner of the palace, where he and his body servant, Agha Khalil Orphali, had been firing at the enemy. . [84] Gordon and Gessi threatened to go to the British and Italian press if she was not released at once, a threat that proved sufficient to win the girl her freedom. Obituary | Gordon Shaffer of George, Iowa | Jurrens Funeral Homes Can hold out for years. [201], Gordon and the Mahdi never met, but the two men, both charismatic and intensely religious soldiers who saw themselves as fighting for God, had developed a grudging mutual respect. Public opinion would be satisfied with "Chinese Gordon" going to the Sudan, but at the same time, Gordon was given such a limited mandate that the evacuation would proceed as planned. My heart breaks for George's family because we went through the same not too long ago with my own George.. Major-General Charles George Gordon CB (28 January 1833 - 26 January 1885), also known as Chinese Gordon, Gordon Pasha, and Gordon of Khartoum, was a British Army officer and administrator.He saw action in the Crimean War as an officer in the British Army.However, he made his military reputation in China, where he was placed in command of the "Ever Victorious Army", a force of Chinese . Gordon is survived by his three children Scott, Dana and Whitney, His sister Dee and three step sons Bob, Kirk and Jeff, and "eight of the best grandkids . [98], From Khartoum, he proceeded up the White Nile to Gondokoro. [233], In 1886, the Western Hospital for Fistula, Piles and other Diseases of the Rectum, at 278 Vauxhall Bridge Road, and backing onto Vincent Square London,[234] was renamed in honour of Gordon. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. [48] Gordon also had the pleasure of defeating Burgevine (whom Gordon detested), who had raised a mercenary force and joined the Taipings. Jackie (Meisner) Reinke, 78, died unexpectedly at home on Jan. 27, 2022. Celebrate the life of George Gordon, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information. Ever since the realisation of the sacrament, I have been turned upside down". Urban wrote that, "Newspaper readers in Bolton or Beaminister had become enraged by stories about chained black children, cruelly abducted, being sold into slave markets", and Gordon's anti-slavery efforts contributed to his image as a saintly man. "[207], The relief force under General Wolseley, which set out from Wadi Halfa, was divided into two columns at Kortia 1,200-strong "flying column" or "desert column" of camel-borne troops which would cross the Bayuda desert to reach Metmemma on the Nile and meet Gordon's gunboats there, and the main column which would continue to advance along the Nile heading for Berber. (151 W George St, Batesville, IN 47006). Laurence Olivier played Muhammad Ahmad. [17] Gordon spent much time in "the Quarries", as the British called their section of the trenches, facing Sevastopol. [43], Gordon's breakthrough caught the rebel army off guard and caused thousands of the enemy to panic and flee. I know how much he meant to you and us here at Sterling. In 1869, Isma'il spent 2 million Egyptian pounds (the equivalent to $300 million U.S. dollars in today's money) just on the party to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal, in what was described as the party of the century. [12], Gordon was apparently killed at the Governor-General's palace about an hour before dawn. My heart goes out to the entire family and friends for the loss of dear George. Send Flowers. [248] About the charge that if only Gladstone had listened to Gordon, the disaster would have been avoided, Cromer wrote that in the course of one month, he received five telegrams from Gordon offering his advice, each one of which completely contradicted the previous telegram, leading Cromer to charge that Gordon was too mercurial a figure to hold command. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Lawn Cemetery at George, IA. George will be missed. [93] Licurgo Santoni, an Italian hired by the Egyptian state to run the Sudanese post office, wrote about Gordon's time as Governor-General that: as his exertions were not supported by his subordinates, his efforts remained fruitless.