70 TO CHANGE CHINA informed the Taotai and the American Consul that he wishes to become a Chinese subject and change to Chinese dress."3 The fol- lowing month Ward married Chang Mei,the daughter of Taki,the Shanghai banker who had helped to finance his forces.The marriage ceremony was carried through in Chinese style,with Ward arriving on horseback dressed in his Chinese official robes.Communication between bride and groom must have proved difficult,since Taki knew only "pidgin"English and his daughter probably knew none at all,while Ward had only a smattering of spoken Chinese and knew nothing of the written characters. Ward returned to the battlefield soon after the wedding,having spent little time with his bride.It is unlikely that this was any marriage of love;it appears,rather,to have been a practical step on Ward's part to bind himself closer to the Chinese and to gain direct financial backing from his father-in-law.The two men went into business together,and by the spring of 1862 Ward had become"joint owner with Taki of two American-built gun-boats.And,with other gun-boats chartered by them...he was now a Chinese Admiral as Frederick Townsend Ward,oil painting by an unknown Chinese artist,and well-fitted out an expedition against the river pirates." his wife Chang Mei,daughter of the Shanghai financier Taki.Courtesy the Essex Institute,Salem,Massachusetts. By making these very graphic gestures,Ward consciously mort gaged himself to the Chinese.He had realized that to prove his loyalty to his Chinese employers he should fit himself as much as possible into the Chinese system.On March 17,1862,he and his lieutenant,Burgevine,were naturalized as Chinese citizens;both re- ceived the button of the fourth class in the Chinese official hierarchy, and Ward was also granted the honor of wearing a Peacock's feather. Only nine days later both men were awarded the button of the third class.Having won a series of victories near Shanghai,Ward also received the rank of brigadier general in the Chinese army.It was at this time that his force received by Imperial decree the title Ever- Charles George Gordon,shortly Victorious Army.In May 1862 Governor Li Hung-chang was told by before he sailed to China in 1859. the Emperor that he should"fraternize"with"Ward and others who seek both fame and fortune,"and go"even to the expense of making small rewards."as In addition to the satisfaction of becoming a general,an admiral,_— ~```辶 ___— — ~~ 70 TO cHANcE CH1NA infonη ed the Taotai and the American C。 nsul that l、 e Ⅵ9ishes to bccome a Chinese su丬 ect and change to Chincse dress'"(’ The folˉ lo、ving n1onth Ward married Chang pV1ei,the daughter of rΓ aki,the Shanghai bankcr、 vho had helPcd to fIna11ce his forces,The】 t1arriagc ccrcmony ll9as carricd throu宫h in Chine货 stylc,with l、丿Vard aⅡiving on horseback dresscd in his C)11inese omcial r。 bes。 Con"nuhication bet、veen brid0 and groom must have Proved di储 cult, since Taki kne、v only‘ ‘ Pidgin” Enghsh and his daughter Probably kne、 v none at 泛}ll,while Ward had only a smattering of spoken Chinese and kpew nothing of thc、 vritten t,haracters, Ward retorned to the battleneld s。。n after the `vcdding, having sPent little time `∧ `ith his bride。 It is unlikely that this l17as any marriage of love;it杏 Ppears,rather,to have been a practical step on 黑焦f‰品氍押漯r瑟器拄窝,邾W怒‰f甓 holless tog∝ hcr,al,d” 山esⅡng d18貌 Wa耐 had be∞me勹om owner with Tal1i of two American乇uilt gun七 oats,And,with\other gun七oats chartered by them,,,he was now a Chinese Admiral as well~fltted out an expedition against the river Pirates,” 31 By maki。g these very graPhic gestures, Ward consciously mort￾gaged himself to the Chinese, He had reohzed that to P亡 ove his l°yalty to his Chinese employers he should st hhnself as much as Pos“ble into the Chnese system,On Marc卜 17,1862,he and h,s 器留:I∶ ,品潆扌⒊r玎iru∶砦子:(l∶∶搬 晶留讠i默谅 and Ward lvas also granted the honor of weβ ring a Peacock’ s feather, only nine days later both mcn、 vere a、 Varded:he button of the third cla豳 扭 HMng won aso∝ d旅 t猁∝ neⅡ shangh峦,Wad dso received the rank of brigadier genera】 in the Chinese army,It was at this ti1ne that his foFce received by ImPerial decree the titlc Ever￾Vktooous Army,Inˇ Iay1862GoveFnor Li Hungˉchang wastdd by the EmPeror that he should‘ Traternize” with‘ ‘Ward and others who seek both fame and fortune/’ and go‘‘even to the exPense of1naking small rewards,’ ’i98 In ad山ton∞ theˇtisf扯 t⒗n of becoming a general,an adm“ al, 查f岁锸襁:蹈仿`锶括蹴虍:e‰巍s;滥滞 钳飞孺h喇 盅I∶ s扩猛f甲‰拈屮 1899