The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-06-09
The English ID AbYEsinia.

- =
magnitude that even our readers, absorbed
as they are nsthe perpiexities Of their own
political situation, may consider it diver
sion. 4s. n y Il 81 ~ +, &.
This expedition has been one Of the most
successful, as well as, one Of the most swiftly
executed, that ever was accomplished. IT
was determined upon In August, commenced
in October, at distance or third Of the
circumference Of the globe from England,
and was completed and the entire army
departed for home by thetlast of May.
The distance from Senate, on the Red
sea, to Magdala, EAbysainia; by thesway
the army marched, is 400 miles The road
commenced in the sands and jungles Of the
coast, and rose from terrace to mountain
top, q height of 10, 900 feet above the sea.
Of course this ascending march, involving
the hardships Of all kinds of temperature,
suggested to;7Sir Robert the remark, in
his address at the close Of the expedition to
his army, that they had sustained the vicis-
STUDIES Of the heat of o tropical sun, and of
storms Of rain and sleet IN crossing the
sands and the precipitous mountain ranges.
We have; before described the equipments
of the British army=its mixed character
Of British and native Indian troops, and
the manner IN which the stores and muni-
tons had to be conveyed, by packing on
mules, oxen, icamels, and elephants.
The route was successfully accomplished,
and General Napier was near Magdala,
whittier Theodore had advanced to meet
him, by the 9Th ofApril. Magdala is
naturally fortified town in the bosom Of the
mountains. There were The Kings prison
ers, the English and foreign prisoners, as
well as hundreds Of Abyssinians reserved
as the objects of his revenge and malig-
nifty. -. ...o.z,z
THE PRISONERS AND THE KING.
On the 7th the King sent for the European
prisoners, numbering some sixty. They
were conducted to him and found him seated
in court upon stone. he was dressed
in q rich brocaded silk shirt, woven with a
gold thread, and white silk trousers. He
is described as tall, symmetrical, with a
face of the hue of pale ink and almost Eu-
ropean contour-Gps thin and tightly
pressed, indicative of determination and
irmness. 81 His eye was clear and piercing,
and the general expression Of feature was
that of impetuous resolution, which may be
styled ferocity. l,s .4s, } x z4srs
He was unusually civil to the prisoners !;
entered into free conversation, abiding in
the course Of it to the story Of Damocles,
indicating thereby the troubles which often
hang over the heads of monarchs.
THE KING ENCOURAGES HIS MEN-MURDERs
e -, - A FEW PRISONERS. sg
During the scene with the prisoners he
encouraged his own men, who were a little
dispirited OF the approaching engagement.
He told them directly they saw the English
approach they were to fire off their pieces
at them the English would reply, but di-
rectly they had fired one yolley they would
be unable to load again in time to withstand
the shock of the Abyssinian spear I" in
which CASE" added he, "you will enrich
yourself with spoil compared to which the
rich dress l am wearing is but an insignif-
cant prize" Before proceeding to the top
of Selasse Hill, from which he was in the
habit Of making his reconnaissance, he Or
dered the execution of seven prisoners, in
Guiding the young wife and infant child of
one of his servants who had escaped from
Magdala few months ago. These were
Al IL i Q,,~,n
over the nearest precipice.
THEoDoRUs, IN, A RAGE, sLAUGHTERs HUN
DREDs OF HIS NATIVE PRISONERS.
The Europeans were allowed to encamp in
tents the 18th and 9Th, not being returned to
their prisons. On the 9Th the King sent
them word that he had seen the British
troops descending the -Bashilo, river pass
ing through an immense gorge by Magdala.
Soon afterwards they were Informed by an
Abyssinian, who requested them to keep
close in their tents, that the King was in o
terrible rage, and was then issuing an
order to kill all his native prisoners! One
of the English prisoners thus describes this
affair: 5-sssz - ...
y g From what have heard, it appears that
the King rushed down, mad with rage and
arackee, and calling out one of the prison
ers, hacked him to pieces with his own
sword. Another speedily met the same
fate. The third was boy about ten years
of age. His youth and innocence (for il
was his father who had been the ofender)
were no protection; he was mangled in the
same way as the two others. The cutting
and slashing went on in this manner 70,
some time, when the King, finding this
mode of execution too slow. for his impatient
spirit, ordered out the musketeers. The
remainder were then quickly shot down and
thrownoveEthe low cliff, the force of theshock
in several cases opening the chains of the
wretched victims. Those whose quiYerine
limbs showed any signs of life were FREQ
| on from above till the murderous work vas
completed" s. 81. s, se. t2 p
THE FIRST BATTLE.
On the 10th, Good Friday, o message Wal
received from Sir Robert Napier demand
ing the release of the European prisoners
The King refused to receive this message
and ordered the prisoners back to their pri.
son, he said. as o place Of greater safety
That day Theodorus ordered an attack upor
| the British advance from Fellah near Mag.
dala. He imagined that they were only 9
party of pioneers. His men rushed to thu
charge inspired by the expectation of booty
after an easy; victory. They were dread
fully defeated with the loss Of six gene
rails, i56S men killed and 356 wounded s
most extraordinary reversal Of the mum
bers Of killed and wounded, the latter be
ing universally the largest. The British
loss, none killed and thirty wounded.
FARLEY AND RELEASE OF PRISONERS.
The day having gone against the King