Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-02-18

LITTLE DOUBT OF GEN. GORDoN's FATE.
HIS PREsENTIMENT THAT HE WOULD NEVER
RETURN FROM THE soUDAN.

LONDON, Feb. l2.-Gen. Earle was kill
ed on Tuesday during the storming of the
enemy's position at Brit.
The Standards correspondent with Gen.
Earle's column sends the following dis
patch, dated Kulkl Island, Tuesday: "The
British troops advanced to attack the enc
my, who held strong position on the
hills. After some fighting the enemy was
completely surrounded. Finding it impos-
sible to dislodge the rebels from their for
titled position, Gen. Earle ordered the
troops to charge. General Earle was kill
ed while leading the attack.
'sThe Black Watch regiment captured
the position at the point of the bayonet,
the cavalry taking possession of the enc
my's camp. Gen. Brackenbury, upon the
fall of Gen. Earle, assumed command and
ordered the remaining positions of the ene-
my to be stoi med. The troops acted
promptly, made gallant attack, and soon
captured all the enemy's positions. The
fighting lasted five hours. There was
great slaughter among the enemy. Those
who survived escaped by swimming the
river
Gen. Wulselsy telegraphs that scouts
who were sent to Khartoum have returned
They confirm the report of the killing of
Gen. Gordon and the atrocities committed
in Khartoum by the Mahdi's men. The
war office. however, refuses to officially
confirm the dispatch with regard to the
alone refuses to believe that Gen. Gordon
is dead, and cliugs to the shadow of hope
that he may be prisoner, or may even
have escaped to the South. The Neacs
says: ''The age of chivalry was revived
again in Gen. Gordon history, and the
whole world thrills with passionate grief at
this Christian warriors death"
There is still, however, slight ground for
hoping that Gu don is alive. The accounts
of the different newspaper correspondents
come from a Common native source. No
eyewitness of The death of Gen. Gordon is
mentioned. With Gen. Gordon were NJ !.
Hanzal, the Austrian vice-consul, and
twenty Greeks and Levantine merchants.
a nrm at ALEXANDRA 1Or WnOm the GreekS
have been acting as agents do not believe
the story of the mas acre at Khartoum.
1t is known that the Mahdi holds fifty
Greeks prisoners either in his camp or at
Ell Obeid, and TINT they are we'll treated.
In reply to inquiries General Wolseley tel
graphs that he has received no more au-
thentic news than that brought to Korti by
Colonel Wilson.
Gen. Gordon, before his departure on the
mission to the Soudan, told personal
friend, who nov makes the story public
| that he entertain. preseutiment that he
would never return from Khartoum. Cor
don said the presentiment was distinct and
| intense, and lie could not push 1t off
Throughout his entire life, he said, he had
always been strongly and correctly affected
| by prescn iments. During his militia ry
career in Chnt he was guided by them,
but never even in the most critical moments
of that eventful period had he ever expect
ed death. The friend who now gives these
facts to the public sserts that in pursuance
OF his belief in The presentiment which
covered him with its shadow before he
started for Khar cum Gen. Gordon actually
bestowed upon his chosen friends all his
trim kets ard mementoes.