Omaha daily bee., 1885-03-06
BURNABY DIED.

CORRESPONDENT BURLEIGH's ACCOUNT OF COL,
BURNABy's DEATH AT THE BATTLE OF ABU-
KLEA.
LONDON, March 4.-[Via Mackay. Bennett
Gable to the Tribune. mir. Burleigh, the war
correspondent who was wounded at Abu-
Klea, has, under the inspiration of his hunt,
written to the Daily Telegraph a thrilling &C
count of the battle, and in 1T occurs this des-
cripticn of Col. Burnaby's death, which must
become historical:
"Still down upon us the dark Arab wave
rolled. 1t had arrived with three hundred
yards, undiminished in volume, unbroken in
strength rush of spsarsmen and swords
men. Their rifle fire had ceased. Other
Arab forces surrounding us-The Mahdi's
troops %plundered, plundering Bedouins, and
p~lliaging VILLAGERS from the riverside stood
eager on the hillside watching the charge up
on the British square. In wild excitement,
their white teeth glistening and the sheen of
their brandished weapons flashing
like thousands of mirrors, on
ward they came charging straight
into our ranks. 1 was at that instant inside
| the square aud not far from tho Gardiner
gun, when l saw the left flank move some
what backward. Col. Burnaby himself,
whose every action at the time l saw, from a
distance of about thirty yards, rode out in
front of the rear left face, apparently to assist
two or three skirmishers running in hard
/ DTtbSeu. All DuI Oub Ludu VI bltin buCCbtu6u
in reaching our lines, Col. Bnrnaby went
forward to his assistance, sword in hand. AS
the dauntless colonel rode forward he put
himself in the way of a Sheik charging
down on horseback. Ere the Arab closed
with him u bullet from come one in our ranks
brought the Sheik headloug to the ground,
BURNABY's FIGHT FOR LIFE.
1.-The enemy's spearsmen were close behind,
and one of them suddenly dashed at Col.
/ p,,rnahu pntptinn tho Innu hlaAa nf hia unaar
at his throat. Checking his horse and pulling
it backward, Burnaby leapt forward in his
saddle and parrled the Moslem's rapid and fe-
~rocious thrusts, but the length of the mans
weapon-eight feet-put it out of his power to
return with interest the Arabs murderous in
tent. Once or twice Col. Burnaby just
touched his man, only to make him more
wary and eager. The affray was the
work of seconds only, for the savage horde of
| swarthy negroes from Kordofan and straight
haired, tawny- complexIoned Arabs of the
Bayuda Steppe were fast closing In upon our
square. Col. Burnaby fenced the swarthy
Arab as il he were playing in an assault at
arms, and there was a smile on his features as
he drove of the mans awkward points. The
scene was taken in at o glance. With that
| lightning instinct which / have seen desert
warriors before now display in battle while
coming to one anothers aid, an Arab, who
was pursuing a soldier and had . passed
Il HNe PAGES W DuTuhDyb IlBuI anu
rear, turned with a sudden spring, and this
second Arab ran his spear point into the
Colonel's right shoulder. 1t was but q slight
wound. Enough though to cause Barnaby to
twist around In his saddle and defend himself
from this unexpected attack. Before the
savage could repeat his unlocked for blow, go
near the ranks of the square was the scene
now being enacted, a soldier ran out and
drove his sword bayonet through the second
assailant. Brief as was Barnaby's glance
backward at this fatal episode, it
was long enough to enable the
first Arab to deliver his spear.point
full in the brave officers throat. The blow
drove Burnably out of his saddle, but it re-
quired a second one before he would let 60 OF
his grip of the reins and tumbled upon the
ground Half a dozen Arabs were now about
him. With blood gushing in streams from his
gashed throat the dauntless guardsman leapec
to his feet, sword in hand, and slashed at tn,
ferocious group. They were the wild strokes
OF a proud brave man dying hard, and h
was quickly oyerborne and left helplss IS anC
, dying"