ey had built at that place, and also to attack a corps
of 10,000 men supposed to be stationed at the important town of
Kherson. The fort surrendered after four hours' bombardment by the
fleet--the garrison not being "the same style of soldiers as the
Sebastopol men"--but the Kherson force was never encountered, retiring
as the allies advanced, who in their turn retired for fear of being
drawn too far into the country. In one of several letters while on
this expedition Gordon says that the Czar Alexander the Second was
near Kimburn during the attack, and that he sent the Governor a
telegram, "Remember Holy Russia," which the Russian General did by
getting drunk. The expedition was then withdrawn after installing a
French garrison in the fort, and Charles Gordon returned to his old
quarters before Sebastopol. A fortnight after his arrival he was
appointed to take part in the destruction of the docks, which was to
signalise the downfall of Russia's power in the Black Sea. This
closing episode is very well described in several of his letters
written during the month of December 1855:--

"I am now, as you see, stationed in the dockyard preparing the
shafts and galleries for the demolition of the docks. The French
will destroy one half and ourselves the other. The quantity of
powder we shall use is 45,000 lbs., in charges varying from 80
lbs. to 8000 lbs. The French do not sink their shafts so deep as
we do, but use heavier charges. The docks are very well made, and
the gates alone cost L23,000. We are taking one gate to London,
and the French another to Paris. Our shafts are some of them very
deep, and in others there are from eight to ten feet of water.
There is not much prospect of the Russians leaving the north
side. We can see them hutting themselves.... Our works at the
docks approach completion, and we hope to blow up some portion of
them on Saturday. The French blew up one last Saturday. The
explosion presented a splendid appearance and succeeded
admirably, not a stone being left standing. The powder for our
demolition will be upwards of twenty-two tons. The Russians still
(27th December) hold the north forts, and do not appear to be
likely to leave this year as their huts are all built. We can see
them quite distinctly on the other side.... _January 20,
1856._--We have blown up part of our docks, and are very busy