The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-12-04
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EL MAHDI.
KHARYoUM SACKED AND PILLAGED
And the False Prophet, Flushed and
Triumphant, Marching on Cairo
What Will be the End?

Oneid On routing Hicks Pashs's forces
Here they held high carnival Tor ,hrp,
or four days. The original army OF 275
0c0 men was swelled dsp by day h,
large additions from the trihs which
bad ha'ore refused allegiance TO tn,
False Prophet. Some 90 600 men frou
the Noudar tribe and is dependen
smaller tribes joined tie successful army
in one body. making The. march Of 20t
miles in four days The Shil!ook tribe
belonging on the banks Of The Whit,
Nile, contributed some 80 000 more men
and The oslapma Bagara Arabs enrolled
themselves under e! Mahdi's banners
almos, to 4 warrior. The Dinka, hear
ing OF The ,remendous victories of tn,
new lesder, sent some 25 o00 of thei
pick, d 6ghters 10 serve under him. Sew
eral hundred Of The Djihba tribe, al
though far removed from the scene {
battle. got word of F. Mahdi's success
and rushed TO his aid
A Monster Army.
With these adGi,iuns To mis- Gehtins
strength the rebel leader has now oves
half million OF men under his com
mand This huge army although com
posed of such Heterogeneous and iDcon
gruous elements is easy for him to han.
die, where almost anv other leaier would
ind II utterly impussihle,o govern then
at all Ell Mahdi's claim 10 he direc,
descendant Of Mohamned, his personal
peculiarities apparently sabs,an,iating
tha. claim, gives him supreme controI
over bis ignorant and fana;ical followers
While waiting for marching orders e.
Mahdi gives them TIE fullest license IN
camp. AZ a result there was perfec,
orgle in E Obeid and the surrounding
towns, the hordes Of men keeping drunk
on their vile native liquors.
: The mob made the city perfect bell
nothing being sacred from them. Muir.
der, robbery and rapine was their hourly
amusement, and the streets almost ran
with blood, while fres were set all over
the town, the ,incendisies dancing
around the blazing houses in flendish
delight. Women we're assaulted on ev.
cry corner and subjected to the mos'
brutal and devilish treatment
The Advance on Khartoum.
Having got bis plans malured, f
Mandi finally yielded to the pressure oil
his counseIlors and ordered an advance
on Khartoum. On the morning OF the
9th he started from Ell Obeid with about
half his forces for the hanks of the
White Nile. about seventy FIVE miles t.
the cast, intending 10 reach the river a
point about opposite Barra Island as
soon as possible, thence following the
river to its junction with the Blue Nile
so much OF his command taking hoats
ss could be accommodated by the limit.
ed number OF crafts to be obtained.
A second column Of some 100000
strong started out soon afterwsrd in {
nortteasteriy direction, making detoul
through the western psrt OF Kardofan
crossing one corner of the Lybiau deser
and making a forced march across th'
Kshapish country to Kaartoum. Tb,
third and central division did not star
until the following morning, having con
siderable advantage In the matter o
route and distance. This column com
prised $50. 900 men, with Alameen e
Kanemy as the commanding general. =
The route of this section OF the grea
arinv was almost in q bee line from E
Obeid 10 Khsrtoum, through Bara ant
many other towns 10 The thickly settles
central and northeastern portions o
Kardofan. Each division threw ont skir
mishing parties in all directions and thu
practically
Covered an Enormous Expanse o
Territory.
All along the line of march each divis
ion received constant additions and me
with no resistance whatever until KhaI
toum was reached.
As the forces came within sight Of til
city in great numbers during the mex
two days. the excitement became intenst
and perfect panic occurred among lh
foreign inhi bitants, who began to fe
as rapidly as possible. On the 17th q
advance was made by small skirmisf
ing party. but i. was repulsed with cor
siderable loss by the garrison. A fe
hours after hostilities began in earnes
and con inued for about thirty hour
with great loss to The False Prophet
forces.
At one time it was thought the rebel
had been permanently repulsed, so hea'
lily did they suffer, and sortie vas mad
by large company from Knar'num. hr
they soon returne glad to get hehin
the friendly walls, so terrible had bee
the slaughter inflicted by the hesiegin
hosts. 1t was then seen that both th
numerical and strategic strength Of tb
enemy had been largely underrated, an
from t,at our all hope Of saving th
city seems 10 have been lost.
The City Carried by Assault.
The guns captured by The rebels frol
The army of Hicks Pasha were direc'e
on Khartoum with terribls effect. Gres
assures were made at intervals in tn
eartben wall which surrounds the city
and into these was poured constar
stream OF bullets. AFRO VS., javelns. stone
and other missiles common to, Africa
warfare. After a number Of gaps {
this nature had been made, the ib"sies
ing horaes made o. concerted rush fo
the vulnerable point. Hundreds wer
moved down in the streets. bazaars wer
pillaged right and left, many house
we're set on FIRE, women were seized b
the brutal invaders and assaulted, an
on every hand were scenes of carnsg
and destruction. Nearly all the Euro
peans are believed to have escaped be
fore the rebels captured and sacked tn
city, but the loss OF life and propert
among the other residents must hav
been appalling.
The Alarm General.
The people OF all the towns betwee
Khar,oum and Cairo are in a state {
terrible excitement and alarm, II is re
ported that El Mahdt will move on Cair
al once. Ii this be true Egypt will
in stste of ansrchy within two week,
worse than anything ever known befor,
How to Stamp Out BOssism.