The Story of General Gordon

by Jean Lang

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Pages: 65

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About this book

Jean Lang traces Charles George Gordon's early years and his work among poor boys in Gravesend in this biography for children, published in 1906. Born in Woolwich in 1833, Gordon grew up in a military family. Lang follows his mischievous childhood near the Arsenal, his schooling at Taunton and Shooters Hill, and his entry into the Royal Military Academy before he turned sixteen.

At Gravesend, Gordon uses his officer's pay to help boys who need food, clothing, shelter, or work. He teaches evening classes and later at Ragged Schools, offering Christian instruction alongside practical help. When boys find jobs at sea, he tracks their voyages with pins on a world map. Lang also describes his care for sick boys and the zoo outing he arranges for them. These everyday acts of service give the book its picture of courage outside military life.

About the author

Jean Lang

Jean Lang (1867-1932), who also wrote as Jeanie Lang and as Mrs. John Lang, was a Scottish writer with a long interest in myth and legend: where the stories came from, and how they shifted as they passed from teller to teller.