The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-04-30
End OF the Abyssinian War.
THE GREAT VICTORY OF GENERAL NAPIER-MAG-
pA1A cApruREp-K1Se THEODORE sLAIN-THE
HISTORY OF HIS REIGN-oR1aN OF THE WAR.

| DA1A cAprURED-KISG THEODORE sLAIN-THE
HISTORY OF HIS REIGN-oR1aN OF THE WAR.
The cable dispatches published in the North
ern papers give some further interesting par
ticulars of the important news from Abyssynia.
It appears that the battle was fought on Good
Friday, before Magdala, between the British
troops. commanded by General Napier, and
the Abyssinian forces, under their King, in
person. The latter we're defeated, and re-
treated into the town. Their loss in killed and
wounded was very heavy. On.the Monday fol-
lowing, all his preparations having been COM
pleted, General Napier ordered an assault upon
Alaedala. and the town and citadel we're car
ried by storm. King Theodorus was slain. a
large number of his warriors were killed,
wounded and taken prisoners, and the entire
capital remained in the possession Of the
British forces. The loss of the British in
killed and wounded was small. All the British
captiyes we're found in the city, alive and well,
and we're set free. General Napier's instant
return to the seacoast is expected.
The career of the deceased monarch has
been somewhat adventurous one.
name he organized revolt in 1850 against the
government of the country, then ruled over
by "Kine john" who was the last OF the royal
Mahometan line, and who bore the title OF
HNeous." anglice Emperor. At this date Ii
Kassa was thirty-two years OF age. BY ad-
dress, cunning, and by the assumption OF 80
briety to the degree Of austerity, he ingra-
tiated himself with several warlike tribes,
and starting with but q handful received
Considerable accessions by which he was
able to subdue and attack several outer
provinces. At first he set up only as chief
Of partisan adherents. What, however, with
the growth of his ambition, ana tne natlVe rest
lessness of his followers, he excited the alarm
of Ras Ali. head minister TO the King. To
secure him, the latter offered to Ii Kassa
his daughter in marriage, on the condition pre-
cedeut Of his ceasing hostiliiies to the govern
ment. The marriage took place, and for the
time Ii Kassa was pacific to the royal rule.
He, however, turned his arms IN anotner Grec,
ton. With 16, 600 men Egypt was invaded, and
Ii Kassa descended from the heights OF Jlchel-
sa to the plains Of Galabar: At Ganardros,
however, his army was totally routed by the
Turkish relays Of the Egyptian Seudan, and
III Kassa himself was badly, permanently, Grip
pled by q bullet in the knee. Impoverished IN
spirit and broken in fortune, he was not able
ball from his leg, and without money the leech
refused to work. In this extremity OF suffer
ing he besought his wife to send him cow, by
the gift of which he hoped to stimulate
the physician's withheld milk Of human
kindness. The COW never came, but there
did come plenty of taunts, and
notice of final abandonment from Mrs. Ii kas-
sa, then so-called. stung to the energy OF re-
venge by this treatment, the chief determined
TO lave it out with his wife, her ministerial
father, and the whole regal concern. Partially
recruiting both his health and his forces, he
began an indiscriminate career OF pillage upon
the ePaternal Government" He was formally
impeached BY the Abyssinian Rump. and sum-
moned for trial. He went, but it was to the
wager of battle. The respective chiefs sent
out against him were defeated, and at Arnba
completely vanquished Ras Ali himself, the
Premier of the kingdom, and the father OF his
wife. bv whom he was loved neither TOO wisely
nor too well.
under the name Of Theodorus, at Aaunl, by
the Bishop of Salarna. For awhile he was
quiet, but, smarting under remembrance, he
again invaded the territory OF the Egyptian
Governments of France and England to join In
his crusade, which comprised in design the
re-establishment OF the ancient Ethiopian En-
pire. The expedition was successful as against
the Seudan. But the army which. by num-
bers, had conquered was practically starved
out by the Fabian policy Of his antagonist, and
desertions by the wholesale at last left Theo-
dorus barren victory and the hardship ofa
force not larger than six thousand men and
the control of few futile fortresses. The
foreign entanglements which have even
tuated in the present war and the su-
premacy OF British rule in Abyssinia
began prior to Theodorus' accession to the
throne, as tar back as 164S. A Mr.. Plowden.
Br..lsn Consulate at Massowah, had concluded
.reaty favorable to the residence and bust
ness of foreigners in the empire. Theodorus
set this wise concession of Ras ALL his enemy
and father-in-law, quietly aside, and played the
plunderer and freebooter with Europeans in
general and Britishers in particular. Mr.. Plow-
den himself was soon afterwards killed BY
predatory band in the interior. To keep up
friendly appearance, Theodorus slaughtered
fifteen hundred of his subjects as reprisal. Mr..
Plowden was succeeded by Captain Cameron.
He was received with outward kindness, but
every official obstacle was thrown in his way,
and he himself was captured by Tigre chief.
Released after delay, however, he bore an au-
tograph letter from Theodorus to Victoria So
Letting English aid to realize his old dream
of restoring the Ethiopian Empire. To this
proposition Earl Russell returned refill
sal. Returning with his refusal, Captain Came
ron was maltreated, and all the English mis-
sionares in the country were imprisoned The
successive diplomatic attempts to negotiate
these gentlemen out of confinement are fami-
liar TO the public They failed, and last year
General Robert Napier set out from India with
an eypeditouary force of Britons and Sepoy
allies, comprising in all an estimate of $4,000
men, The steps taken, slowly bnt surely, by
this force, the tardy willingness with which the
constituents of the home government acques-
ced III the extra imposition OF taxes necessary
to the expenses OF the campaign, all the Incl
dents preliminary to the one decisive battle,
have become familiar to our readers. That
the campaign is virtually ended in one battle,
dissipates many of the apochryphal stories con-
cerning the resources. If not the bravery of the
:Abyssinian forces; and the discovery. alive aud
well, of the English prisoners who have been
the qrarQ,nen of the dispute, will send satisfac-
ton as generally through all Christondom as
it will particularly through the British Empire.
The dead Theodorus was forty-seven years
old, was OF average stature, imposing presence,
and OF an irregular, but not unimpressive ply
sioenomv, His habits were those OF an astute
demagoeue. At court he revelled in luxury
and show. In the field, he affected simplicity
| as well Of dress as of diet. He has been cred
tied with being at first chivalrous and frank.
His varied fortunes changed him to dupicity
and cruelty. To get power he was temperate,
brave, austere. In power lie proved vlndictlve
and savage, though not devoid OF the polite
arts which conserved the RESPONSIBILITIES he
had gained by usurpation. After the rupture
of his alliance with the daughter OF Ras Ali, he
became very much married.
| He seems to have taken means to name
his successor. 1t is probable that British oc-
cupation will effect, and has all along been in
tended as the precursor of enduring British