Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-08-05
MODERN CRUEL WARFARE.
The Horrors of the Egyptian Abyssinia
Campaigu-From 100000 to 100000
Men Either Killed or Wounded

The Horrors of the Egyptian Abyssinla
Campaigu-From 100, 900 to 100000
Men Either Killed or Wounded.
From private letter from an officer
of the Khedive's army in Egypt We take
the following: The result OF the fight
ing in Abyssinia between the Egyptian
troops and King Johns army, the gov
ernment at first, it appears, feared to
know-certainly feared to publish the
truth, and not without good reason.
Perhaps it was a continuation Of her
traditional Oriental policy which has
worn rut out of which she cant lift
herself, but must sooner or later be
jolted. A part of the Egyptian forces
met King Johns army and gave battle,
the fighting continuing three days. At
the end OF this time King John had lost
nearly half his army in killed, wounded
and missing; the killed, wounded and
missing of Egyptians totaling about the
same as the killed aud wounded OF the
opposing forces, which was variously
estimated at from $4,000 TO 100000
fighting men. More than this, the day
after the last days fight, King Johns
army fell back one march and sent in
flag of truce asking for an armistice.
He said he had lost great many OF
his people in battle, as he supposed we
had also; that he did not wish to see
any more blood shed;that he was friend
of the Khedive, and wished to live in
peace with him. He thought terms of
peace could be agreed on if the armis-
tice should be granted. 1t was granted
and fighting ceased. The greater part
of the troops have returned, and peace
practically has been restored, though
some of the details in winding up may
not yet have been concluded.
AS it was publicly known and pro
claimed to the Abyssinians that their
territory was not coveted by Z gypt;lhat
the war was made only against klng
John and his followers, by the powers
of whom it had been inaugurated, it is
incomprehensible why the general facts
the results of the campaign-could
not have been published, and confidence
and respect, if not credit, sustained. To
an American it is only necessary to say
that the American staff officers connect
ed with the expedition did their duty
charactersticaly. Three were wounded.
one Of whom was captured, though af
| terward released, after some suffering
from i'll treatment.
You may form some idea of his suf-
ferings, the horrors Of his dreams night
and day, when tell You that lie was
severely wounded in the leg, then cap
tured, stripped to the skin, arms tied
behind his back until the pains from
the swelling became excruciating; made
to walk thus for days without meat or
drink, in the uDobscured sun of Abys-
sinia, with the full conviction that if he
did not keep up with the horsemen he
would be murdered. He was made to
sleep without cover (nakedD 10 the
mountains, where the nights are SO cold
that two wooden blankets in addition to
the ordinary night clothing are but
comfortable. Then, several days after
capture, to see in all directions prisoners
and friends forced by the pricks OF
spears TO flee for their lives, and then
barbarously shot down, with the fear
every moment that his Iurn would come
next: yes, in the midst Of the frighttul
massacre, to be seized by three or four
| Ahyssinians and hurried to a neighbor-
ing bill where the foul deed could be
more privately accomplished-morc i'll
harmony with the usages of the people,
and in ascending to be halted at large
rock behind which she thought to say
adieu TO the earth, and on which two OF
his guardsmen and executloners shar-
pened their semi-circular sharped, sa-
bers, whose grating suggested thoughts
of such horrible maugling by their
scimeters, dull and awkwardly welded,
as to find pleasurable emotions at the
sight of an Abyssinian with gun near
by. whom he begged to shoot him.
Every large rock they come TO was the
same thing repeated, until they got
near the summit, when a horseman, it
Is supposed from King John, ordered
their return, and our friends escape
from barbarous death.
For two weeks he was guarded by
boys, whom he was obliged TO follow,
and who delighted i'll torturing him by
threatening motions of mutilation and
death.
Of the headquarters staff three were
killed and eight wounded. Among the
wounded are Col Dye, Major Johnson,
NJ. D., and Major Wilson, NJ. d. DR..
Johnson has recovered; the other two
will in time. Let me assure you that if
the expedition did not meet the expec-
tations of those persons who thought
the subjugation of Abyssinia was in
tended, it was not the fault of Ameri-
cans.
FFYECT or THE BIG UORS MASSACRE