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Born in Woolwich, London, the son of Major-General Henry William Gordon (1786-1865) and Elizabeth Gordon, née Enderby (1792-1873), he was educated at Fullands School, Taunton, Somerset and then at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, beginning in 1848. He was commissioned in 1852 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers, completing his training at the High School at Chatham, and promoted to full Lieutenant in 1854.
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At first, he was assigned to the construction of fortifications in defence of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales. However, the Crimean War broke out and Gordon was ordered on active service, arriving at Balaklava in January 1855.
Later he was to become involved with Coalhouse Fort.
Coalhouse Fort was subjected to many design changes as work progressed on it's construction and there does not appear to be a single designer through all stages of the building. Colonel W.F.D Jervois and Captain Siborne appear to have contributed to planning at different times but in the final phases Lt.Colonel (later General) Charles Gordon supervied the project from his headquaters at New Tavern Fort in Kent, from which it is said he would be rowed down on inspection days and would proceed to examine the construction at the run!
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