elf and
memorialised his Imperial Majesty to confer on him the dignity
and office of Tsung-ping (Brigadier-General), to enable me to
consider him as part of my command. Again, since Gordon has taken
the command, he has exerted himself to organise the force, and
though he has had but one month he has got the force into shape.
As the people and place are charmed with him, as he has already
given me returns of the organisation of the force, the formation
of each regiment, and the expenses ordinary and extraordinary in
the clearest manner, wishing to drill our troops and save our
money, it is evident that he fully comprehends the state of
affairs."

On his return to Sungkiang, Major Gordon devoted himself to the
thorough reorganisation of his force. He began by abolishing the
system of rewards for the capture of towns, and he forbade plundering
on pain of death. These were strong steps to take with a force such as
that he had under him, but he succeeded in making them acceptable by
increasing the pay of the men, and by substituting on his staff
English officers--the services of a few being lent him by the
commanding officer at Shanghai--for the adventurers who had followed
Ward and Burgevine. The total strength of the force was fixed at 4000
men, and his artillery consisted of four siege and two field
batteries. The men were paid regularly by a Chinese official appointed
by Li Hung Chang, and the cost to the Chinese Government averaged
L20,000 a month. At the same time, Gordon collected a pontoon train
and practised his men in all the work of attacking fortified places
before he ventured to assume the offensive. He also organised a
flotilla of small steamers and Chinese gunboats capable of navigating
the canals and creeks which traversed the province of Kiangsu in all
directions. Of these the principal was the steamer _Hyson_--a
paddle-wheel vessel drawing 3-1/2 feet of water, armed with a
32-pounder in her bow, and a 12-pounder at her stern, and possessing
the faculty of moving over the bed of a creek on her wheels--and it
took a very active and prominent part in the subsequent operations.

The strategy on which Major Gordon at once decided, and from which he
never deviated, was to cut off the Taeping communications with the sea
and the river Yangtsekiang, whence they were able to obtain supplies
of ammunition and arms from little-scrupulous foreign traders. The
exp