Statue of General Gordon depicts Gordon in his army uniform with a sabre; and there is a Grade II listed monument to Gordon in Southampton. Major-General Gordon was lionised as a British war hero after his death at the end of the Siege of Khartoum in January 1885. The statue was made in 1887-88. Gordon's brother, Sir Henry Gordon, advised Thornycroft to minimise the military character of the statue, and emphasis Gordons qualities of strength of mind, love, kindness and affection. The original statue in London was first unveiled in Trafalgar Square on 16 October 1888 without a formal ceremony. It was sited halfway
Khartoum (; ') to the west. The city is the capital of the state of Khartoum. The origin of the word, "Khartoum", is uncertain. One theory argues that "khartoum" is derived from Arabic "khurṭūm" ( '), probably referring to the narrow strip of land extending between the Blue and White Niles. Dinka scholars argue that the name derives from the Dinka words "Khar-tuom" (Dinka-Bor dialect) or "Khier-tuom" as is the pronunciation in various Dinka Diaelects. These translate to a "place where rivers meet". This is supported by historical accounts which place the Dinka homeland in central Sudan (around present-day Khartoum) as