When the Duke of Cambridge, the Army's commander, visited one of the forts under construction and praised Gordon for his work, he received the reply: "I had nothing to do with it, sir; it was built regardless of my opinion, and, in fact, I entirely disapprove of its arrangement and position". Besides building forts, Gordon was engulfed in charity and religious fervour during this time. His favourite books were "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas à Kempis, "Christ Mystical" by Joseph Hall and the poem "The Dream of Gerontius" by John Henry Newman. Gordon's closest friends were a couple, Frederick and Octavia Freese, whose son Edward become Gordon's surrogate son.