Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-12-06
ANNIHILATED EGYPTIANS.
Hicks Pasha's Troops Consisting of
Ten Thousand Wen Swept from the
Face of the Earth.

Hicks Pasha's Troops Consisting OF
Ten Thousand NTen Swept from the
Face of the Earth.
A dispatch dated Cairo, Nov. %,
says THE army of Hicks Pasha has
been destroyed by the forces of 81
Mahdi, the false prophet. The intel
ligence of the disaster was brought to
Khartoul by a Coptic official. The
fighting is said to have continued from
the 81 to the 9Th inst, and to have re-
suited in the complete humiliation of
the Egyptian troops It is stated that
a European artist was the only person
that escaped. The forces of Ell Mahdi
comprised, it is estimated, 300, 000men
including dervishes and Bedouins,
mullatoes and regulars. The force
under Hicks Pasha comprised %, 900
men, He had with him ten British
officers. O'Donovan, of The London
Daily News, and an artist connected
with German illustrated paper, also
accompanied his army. The cores
pondent of The London Graphic is
believed to have been killed.
The battle was fought near Ell Obeid.
FL Mahdi first sent forward dervisches
declaring that they would vanquish
the enemy by divine aid Subsequent
ly the regulars joined in the attack,
and later the engagement became gen
eral. The army of Hicks Pasha,
which early in the battle was divided
into two bodies, was subsequently re
united and formed square which the
forces of the False Prophet broke after
three days desperate fighting"
The Council of War discussed the
military situation as to whether Khar-
toum or point further south was
tenable, but no decision was reached.
Evelyn Barring has advised the Egy-
tian Government to abandon Soudan
and establish a stronger frontier line
from Khartoum, in North Senaar
Province to SOuakim on the Red Sea.
1t is reported that the recent orders
for the evacuation of Egypt by the
British troops have been counterman-
ded.
The Marquis of Salisbury, speaking
at banquet of the Carlton Club, said
the defeat of Hicks Pasha must end
all thought of the withdrawal of Brit
ish troops from Egypt. A number Of
French papers express the opinion
that the disaster in Soudan will lead
to the permanent English occupation
Of Egypt.
Notwithstanding the reports as to
the numbers engaged in the battle,
military correspondents of English
papers have written that on Sept 8th,
Hicks Pasha marched out of Khar-
toum with 1000 regular infantry, 400
cavalry, of which 100 were cuirassiers
and the remaining Bashi-Bazouks, one
battery Of Krupp guns, two batteries
of mountain guns and one battery of
Nordenfelts. At Berair and Duem,
on the route to El Obeid, Hicks Pasha
was to be reinforced with 1900 regular
infantry and 1000 additional Bashi
Bazodks, making his total command
only about 10, 900. After leaving the
Nile en- ronte to Ell Obeid, some eight
posts were to be established, to keep
up a line of communication, which
would require total detail of nearly
1000 men, leaving 1000 available forces
of all arms to meet 200, 900 men re
ported to have been massed under Ell
Mahdi Official accounts received late
today, however, says Hicks Pasha's
entire force aggregated 10, 500 men.
Prominent sheikhs under Ell Mahdi IN
September claimed that his forces
numbered 200, 900 that they had Rem
ington's guns and rockets, which they
had taken from the Turks, but that Ell
Mahdi had forbidden their use. Only
spears and swords were to be used by
his fighting men.