Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-12-06
Egypt.

y uehHhNCu W iktulcI lSltHlhth Soiu'
pany, dated Cairo, November -, says
the army of Hicks Pasha has been des
troyd by the forces of FL Mahdi, the
False Prophet. The fighting is said to
| have continued from the Sd to the jth
inst, and to have resulted in the ami
hilation of the Egyptian troops. II is
stated that a German artist was the only
person who escaped. The forces of III
Mahdi comprised, it is estimated, 200,
600 men, and included dervishes, Bed.
ouins, mulnttocs, and regulars. The
battle was fought near III Obeid. FL
Mahdi first sent forward the dervishes
declaring that they would vsnquish the
enemy by divine aid. Subsequently tho
regulars joined in the attack, and the
engagement became general. The army
of Hicks Pasha, which early in the
battle was divided into two bodies, was
subsequently reunited and formed in
to square, which the forces of the
False Prophet broke after three days
desperate fighting. The force under
Hicks Pasha comprised 10000 men, He
had with him 10 British officers. Mr..
- Donovan, of the London Dulg Macs,
and an artist connected with a German
Illustrated paper, also accompanied his
army. II is understood that Sir Evelyn
Barring has advised the Egyptian Govern.
ment to abandon Souian aud establish
a strong frontier line from Khartoum
in the north of the SEMINAR Province,
TO Saukin, on the Red Sea.
The London Nsrg Cairo correspon.
dent says Hicks Pasha had divided his
army, sending half to II Obied to de
maud the surrender of that place. He
awaited the arrival of the Mshdi, who
was advancing from the southeast. The
Mahdi, however met the half OF Hicks
Pasha army advancing to FL Obeid and
attacked it. Hearing the firing Hicks
Pasha came up with his whole force and
formed a square. The MAhdl brought
up fresh regulars, who, it is supposed
were the soldiers who were captured
when FL Obied fell, and who agreed to
take service under the Mahdi These
numbered 5000. The square Of Hicks
Pasha was then broken and his army
was annihilated
FL Obied. where the three days battle
ending in the annihilation of the expe.
dition, was fought, is the capital OF kor
ioian, 2lO miles southwest OF SEMINAR,
and 80 miles west OF the White Nile,
and has a population variously estima.
ted at from 1900 to 10000.
The Paris T-ps says Frenchman
named Soulier organized the forces Of
FL Mahdi. 1t states that NJ Soulicr,
after the bombardment Of Alexandria,
ent to Khartoum without any definite
object in view, and that he subsequently
met Fl Mahdi and gained his conf
dence
The London N17i4rfr correspondent
At Cairo says" A telegram from Mr
Power, one Of the artists With Hicks
Pasha's expedition, reports that the
first attack 10y the Egyptian army was
,uccessful, and that it was not until the
enemy was believed to be routed tha
Hicks Pasha accepted the guidance OF
an emissary OF the Mahdi, who led the
army into waterlcss defle, where it
was annihiated.
Colonel CoettonRan, who was with
Hicks Pasha, has sent a telegram from
khaTtoum to General Sir Evelyn Wood,
the commander Of the British troopa in
Egypt confirming the previous reports
Of the disasters to Hicks Pasha's army.
lie says the whole country has risen.
Intense excitement prevails everywhere
in Egypt. The country is not safe
above the second cataract Of the Nile.
The Khedive has ordered the evac
ua,ion Of the military posts on the
Blue Nile and White Nile. II necessary
SEMINAR is to be abandoned, the aban
donment of Khartoum is Also suggested
Orders have been received from the
English Government to postpone the
avacuatiou ofCairo nv tho British troops