The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-06-28
HOW HICKS PASHA DIED.
The Story or the Destruction OF His Army Told by
Eyewitness.


Col. Coborne, who was at one time attached to the
stan OF Gen. Hicks Pasha, sends TO the London
DaiiD Ne,ns an account Of the destruction of that
unfortunate orcer and his entire army of about
IL 500 men. This account narrated by one of
the very few survivors OF the massacre, q boy OF
seventeen, who was slave of MohaInet Bey an
oficer in Gen. HIcks's army The narrative, as
taken down from the boy words, Is In part as fol-
lows:
We plunged into the desert having turned backs
on the Nile that the greater part OF soldiers
march-the march from which there was TO be no
returning NO more wonld they greet the rising
traced on the sand led to the sunset-the OF
their lives. We now occasionally the enemy In
the distance-in scattered groups In front, on our
nanks-and we perceived, too, they were gathering
in our rear; but when the cavalry were sent out
against them they vanished like mists In the morn
ing sun. But they were DIGGING our footsteps like
wild beasts do their prey-slowiy, but surely we
used to shell them and fire the krupps at them.
From shat we vents TO the wells OF Ragshah, from
ii kepshah 10 Helet Bonnee. We always Kept two
squares days march apart. When Hicks Pashas
square, consisting OF 5000 men, left that place ALA
deen Pashas force, consisting OF ,S00 occupied the
position We now marched To Ell Juama; from this
to AL Agana.
"At length we reached Lake Rahad. This is
large swamp, with pools of water; there is always
water here. 1t is on elevated ground, rocks and
hills around. We had hoped the Tagaa tribes
would join us here-that Is the reason we had come
this way-but they were afraid of the Arabs. I
don't think Lake Rahad Is more than twO-and- half
fort here and placed In 1t four Krupp guns and nine
teen smaller ones. We got here plenty of beans and
melons and as much water as we wanted We
enemy were gradually hemming us In even here,
and Hicks Pasha determined to push on at once to
all tents were struck at daybreak We had NOT
marched an hour when the enemy for the FIRST time
commenced TO nre at us, but from a long distance.
NO one was hit, or scarcely any one, but some
cames were wounded We halted for the night and
intrenched ourselves with earthworks, putting q
Zareba outside again. The fires OF the enemy at
days we found some water but had to search for IT,
we lett at sunrise and marched TO Shekan,
where we again halted for two days. The reason we
did this was because we were now encrcled by our
enemies, and camels began TO fall from the and
from Shekan Till the sun was In the middle OF the
SKY. We halted, az Arabs were all around firing
Rrfs me s oasn On the third day. on our way TO
countered the enemy's hOrsemen, putting them To
Night. Our cavalry then returned, bringing with
them several captured horses. This was when the
sun was young Our square continued to move on
shortly afterward, the sun being yet young. we
heard sound, w-o-O-o-h,' there the boy tried 10
give the idea Of galloping horses. This was the
sound he said they heard,I and then presently all
around we saw Arabs innumerabie-the whole world
surrounded US, and bayarey tiags) were waving and
spears cleaning In the sunshine above the bush.
Our square was halted, and We opened hre killing
many bushes for the Krupps 10 do execution, but
the machine guns were u work day and night. Next
morning a wnen we marched saw Arabs lying IN six
heen we mad nine Engiisbnen with us besides Hicks
Pasha. AZ first the Egyptians lay down TO hide, but
Gen. Hicks ordered his English onicers to go round
and make them stand up. Some OF the English were
Killed when doing this. and Hicks took out his
Time OF day they were Killed and the manner. Al
noon Hicks Pasha called assembly OF them to see
who were alive We waited for Aladen. who now
Joined us.
.'The next morning we all marched OF together
we came To many large trees. An immense mum
The men declared they would rather march
on ineir way nghtng and reach the water than stand
sun IN square. 80 Hicks, yielding 10 these reInon-
slrances, continued To march on In square. II was
not YET dhuka, tnooDD and we were not far from
ElquiA. We could see 1t. We should have been
mere by noon, and there was abundance OF water.
II believe this Is the same as Is written In our maps
'Melbeis.D The rear face Of our square.was formed
by the two black battallons, one raised In SEMINAR
and the other from the Mudireer OF sankett II was
near noon, Just about this timezyessa- rush ter
rible and sudden, sweeping down like the torrent
IRON the mountain, was made. The Arabs burst
upon our front face In overwhelming numbers IL
was swept away like chan before the wind. Seeing
commenced a deaih-dealing fuslade both on The
Arabs pressing into tho square aud each other
Pasha and the very few English officers left with
him, seeing all nope OF restoring order gone, spurTed
tner horses and sprang out OF the confused mass OF
wounded, dead aud dying. These oficers fired away
their reyoyers, clearing space for themselves MI
all their ammunition Was expended. They Killed
10 their swords and fought TIL they fell
Hicks Pasha now alone remained. lie was
terror 70 the Arabs They said he never struck q
named him AbOu Deraa DOugal, the heavy armed,
or thick or bIawny. lie Kept them all at bay, hui
he was struck On The wrist With sword and he
dropped his own He then fell was covered with
blood, and got under dead body aud pretended Ia
be dead while the struggling aud yelling, uproar
fighting, and Strengthening was going on, IA IL AID
for three hours The Arabs triumphant having
hewn down and speared most OF the Egyptlans
commenced W search the bodies. l Say most he,
cause the cavalry galloped oil 10 Lake Rad aud
some OF the foot soldiers ran OH there too FIVE
hundred Egyptians were taken prisoners They
tried particularly 10 save the guns one hundred OF
these were captured. All these fought against you
the other day al Abou flea They were made To- 90
So They fet me and found / was alive; they
prcked me with spear ! made prisoner
NOW. what tell you further Id from hearsay IN,
rear face alone remained In good order when ali
troops These marched away, forming squaIe OF
their own, and the Arabs could mol break H. 80 they
went 70 plumber and slaughter the rest. The blacks
marched ON III sunset aud there was lu for them
"Mahomet AchInet remained far distant al the
time Of the battle lie had said 10 the ainecrs and
deryishes: Forward Attack tue enemyi Mean
while Will remain here and pray 10 Allah for your
success He came after all was over and AZ shown
the body OF Hicks Pasna. 1 heard thai MahoInet
Achnet put all tue spOils Into great hole lie or
dered IL al 70 bt given 70 him. Al sunset they pnT-
sued the black troops. ON coming 10 them the
deryishes called out 10 them, Selma surrender /
They replied. We VII mol surrender. We will moi
surrender We will not eat the Efendlnas bread
for waste, 4. e. for noihing) Wen light til VIC die
but many Of you Will do, TOO. But an une pected
rush was made on them while the parleylng Was 40
ing on, and they were al slain"