They therefore entered into communications with General Ch'en looking to the surrender of the city of Soochow, and agreed to put the Muwang out of the way as a part of the compact — refusing to permit the Chungwang to suffer such a fate at their hands. The city was delivered over on December 6, 1863. The Nawang, who conducted the negotiations, was promised a military commission of the second grade.[1]
When the wangs came out of the city to meet Li Hung-chang all these stipulations were disregarded and they were treacherously put to death. Since Gordon had been a witness to the terms of surrender he considered the execution of the surrendered wangs an unjustifiable act of treachery and became so angry at the governor that he set out with the Hyson and some troops to capture and shoot him. Fortunately Li Hung-chang could not be found, and after reflecting for a few weeks Gordon continued to serve.[2]
The "Ever Victorious Army" suffered some decline in morale and discipline through the inactivity of Gordon during his retirement, but soon recovered after his return. Throughout the spring of 1864 it remained with the Chinese armies which were pushing forward from Soo-
- ↑ Taiping T'ien-kuo Yeh Shi, XIX, 6 f.
- ↑ This incident is one of the most celebrated in the story of Gordon's career. Tsêng Kuo-fan gave his unqualified approval to Li Hung-chang's action, for he recorded in his diary: "Li Shao-ch'üan, when he killed the eight wangs who surrendered at Soochow, showed that his eye was clear and his hand heavy." Excerpts from Diary, II, 38. Wilson, as noted above (note 46), believed that this was in consideration of the treachery by the wangs at Taitsang where his brother was captured. The story is given in detail by Boulger, Life of Sir Halliday Macartney, pp. 92-122. Hake, p. 393, gives Li's and Ch'en's reasons for the treachery. Li seems to have become frightened because of the great number of men who were to come over and because he was in arrears in his payment to the soldiers, and feared a mutiny unless his men were permitted to plunder. General Ch'en feared that the Nawang would supplant him in Li Hung-chang's esteem. Morse, II, 100 f., practically agrees with Boulger, depending on files of
