August 14, 1883

General Charles "Chinese" Gordon Discusses His Discovery of "Cavalry" in Jerusalem

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A fine letter about Gordon’s archeological exploration of Jerusalem’s biblical sites, most especially his identification of Skull Hill as the site of the crucifixion. Significant here, too, is Gordon’s expression of belief in the physical exactitude of his quest: “One can conjure up Alexander the Great, Titus, Pompey, etc. & say to a yard where they once stood.”

Gordon also mentions, in a postscript, that he may go to Gaza to visit a Missionary there.

Autograph Letter Signed ("C.G. Gordon"), 4 pages, octavo,  Jaffa, 14 August 1883. To Sir Samuel Baker.

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Transcript

Jafa, 14 August 83.

My dear Sir Samuel,

I must write a line to express to Lady Baker, yourself and family, my sincere sympathy with you all, and the full hope that you are given the sustaining power of the Carpenter. I had hoped you might have come on to this land from Egypt as I would much liked to have seen more of you than this hurried visit aboard the steamer. It would be a great pleasure to have shown you the Skull Hill, of which identity with Calvary there is, to me, no doubt - and there are many things I would have been glad to have talked to you about. I could show you [...] and most of the sites which are disputed, but which, I think, clear, at any rate to my mind. This is a good Land, for ambition. One can conjure up Alexander the Great, Titus, Pompey etc. and say to a yard where they once stood. I have always felt that in no place in the world, [...] as in the lonely wastes of Jordan.

With my kindest regrets and sincere wishes that [...] will comfort you and give you the full knowledge that He is [...] in all His work.

Believe Me
yours sincerely,

CG GORDON

PS I mean to stop here in Palestine. I may go to Gaza, for I found a nice fellow a Missionary there.