Editing Mercenary (section)

====19th century====
Between 1850 and 1864, the [[Taiping Rebellion]] raged as the Taiping (Heavenly Peace) Army led by [[Hong Xiuquan]], the self-proclaimed younger brother of Jesus Christ, engaged in a bloody civil war against the forces loyal to the Qing emperor. As Hong and his followers, who numbered in the millions, were hostile to Western business interests, a group of Western merchants based in Shanghai created a mercenary army known as the [[Ever Victorious Army]].<ref name="Smith">{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Richard |title=Mercenaries and Mandarins: The Ever-Victorious Army in Nineteenth Century China |date=1978 |publisher=KTO Press |location=Millwood |isbn=0527839507 |pages=43–44}}</ref> During the Taiping Rebellion, the Qing came close to losing control of China. It was common for the financially hard-pressed Qing emperors to subcontract out the business of raising armies to fight the Taiping to the loyalist provincial gentry, which formed the origins of the warlords who were to dominate China after the overthrow of the Qing in 1912.

The rank and file of the Ever-Victorious Army were Chinese, but the senior officers were Westerners. The first commander was an American adventurer, Colonel [[Frederick Townsend Ward]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Richard |title=Mercenaries and Mandarins: The Ever-Victorious Army in Nineteenth Century China |date=1978 |publisher=KTO Press |location=Millwood |isbn=0527839507 |pages=60–61}}</ref> After Ward was killed in action in 1862, command was assumed by another American adventurer, [[Henry Andres Burgevine]], but the Chinese disliked him on the account of his racism and his alcoholism. Burgevine was replaced with a British Army officer seconded to Chinese service, Colonel Charles "Chinese" Gordon.<ref name="Faught">{{cite book |last1=Faught |first1=Brad |title=Gordon: Victorian Hero |date=2008 |publisher=Potomac Books |location=Washington D.C |isbn=978-1597971447 |page=29}}</ref>

A highly successful commander, Gordon won thirty-three battles in succession against the Taipings in 1863–1864 as he led the Ever Victorious Army down the Yangtze river valley and played a decisive role in defeating the Taipings.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Urban |first1=Mark |title=Generals: Ten British Commanders Who Shaped The Modern World. |date=2005 |publisher=Faber and Faber |location=London |isbn=978-0571224876 |page=157}}</ref> Through technically not a mercenary as Gordon had been assigned by the British government to lead the Ever Victorious Army, the ''Times'' of London in a leader (editorial) in August 1864 declared: "the part of the soldier of fortune is in these days very difficult to play with honour...but if ever the actions of a soldier fighting in foreign service ought to be viewed with indulgence, and even with admiration, this exceptional tribute is due to Colonel Gordon".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Urban |first1=Mark |title=Generals: Ten British Commanders Who Shaped The Modern World. |date=2005 |publisher=Faber and Faber |location=London |isbn=978-0571224876 |page=158}}</ref>

During the French conquest of Vietnam, their most persistent and stubborn opponents were not the Vietnamese, but rather the Chinese mercenaries of the [[Black Flag Army]] commanded by [[Liu Yongfu]], who been hired by the Emperor [[Tự Đức]].<ref name="Karnow">{{cite book |last1=Karnow |first1=Stanley |title=Vietnam: A History |date=1983 |publisher=Viking |location=New York |isbn=0670746045 |pages=81–82}}</ref> In 1873, the Black Flags killed the French commander, [[Francis Garnier]], attracting much attention in France.<ref name="Karnow"/> In 1883, Captain [[Henri Rivière (naval officer)|Henri Rivière]], leading another French expedition into Vietnam was also killed by the Black Flags.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Karnow |first1=Stanley |title=Vietnam: A History |date=1983 |publisher=Viking |location=New York |isbn=0670746045 |pages=84–85}}</ref> When the French conquest of Vietnam was finally completed in 1885, one of the peace terms were the disbandment of the Black Flag Army. Chinese flag rebels also fought in the [[Haw wars]] in Laos and northern Thailand.

[[Philo McGiffin]] served as a naval mercenary in the Sino-French War and First Sino-Japanese War.<ref>Davis, Richard Harding ''Real Soldiers of Fortune'' (1906)</ref>