Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1885-02-21
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 81. 1885.


An account of the death OF zen. Earle,
dated Korti, Feb. 9th. says:
The fight occurred near the Nile, n
few miles above Dulka island. The
Arabs had fortified the pass and built a
small fort on the left bapk of the river,
and when Gen. Earle's forces reached
the pass they were subjected to a heavy
fire from field guns which the Arabs
had placed in commanding positions.
Gen. Earle had no artillery and com
manded the troops to charge. 1t was
more OF q scramble than a charge, but
the Arabs were driven form the heights
at the point Of the bayonet and fell back
slowly toward the river. All that re
NAMED to be captured was the little fort
on the river bank. As the British col
uinn advanced it was met by a steady
and well-directed fire from behind the
sand and wattlings which composed the
Arab fort, and many men Of the attack
ing were killed. Gen. Earle again or
dered the men to charge, and put him
self mt the head of the column. He was
killed during this charge. The fort was
ultimately captured, but at a terrible
cost. In addition to Gen. Earle, three
officers and eight men were killed and
thirty.ive men wounded.
GEN. aoRDoN's ~PREsENrrME ATs.
London, Feb. l1.-Gen Gordon, before
his departure for the Soudan, told a
personal friend that he entertained a
presentiment that he would never re.
turn from Khartoun. Gordon said the
prescntimcnt was distinct and intense,
and he could not push it off. Through.
out his entire life. he said, he had al
ways been strongly and correctly affect.
ed by presentiments. During his milf
tary career in China he was guided by
them, but never, even in the most critic
al moments of that eventful period, had
he ever expected death. The friend
also asserted that in pursuance Of his
belief in the presentiment which over
ed him with its shadow befor he started
for Khartoun. Gen. Gordon actually
bestowed upon his chosen friends all
his trinkets and mementoes. A narrow
guage railway will be constructed be-
tween Su2kim and Berber. Gen. Ora
ham has been appointed to the com
mand Of the Suakim-Berber expedition.
Gen. Freemantle will command the
Guards, with Gen. Graves chief of staff.
The cabinet to-day approved Gen.
Wolseley's plan for al early advance
Suakim to Berber. A narrow guagc
railroad will be laid to Ariab, $50 miles
west.of Ssiakim, where M entrenched
camp will be formed with a central
depot for stores. Leaving Arab, troops
will proceed by forced marches to Der
Der. 1t is calculated that the advance
will begin about the third week in
March, ard Berber he reached in six
week. There is still slight ground for
hoping that Gordon is still alive. Ac-
counts of newspaper correspondents
come from Il common native source. No
witness of the death Of Gen. Gordon is
mentioned. With Gen. Gordon were
Ean:a! Austrian vice consul, and TWEEN
ty Greeks and merchants. Firms at
Alexandria. for whom the Greeks have
been, acting as agents, do not believe
they were massacred at Khartoum. II
10 shown that the Mahdl holds fifty
Greeks prisoners in camp at I'll Obeid
and that they are we'll treated.
DE LEssEPs
De ,Lesseps, In an interview in Paris,
considered the English expedition
doomed to failure. II may reach Khar.
toum, but the Toudanese will not sub.
NIT. The English in going or returning
will fall prey to hundreds of thousands
Of fanatics M are ready to die. Gen.
Wolseley telegraphs the government
thai scohts sent to Khartoum have re-
turned. They confirm the report of the
killing Of Gen. Gordon and atrocities
eSnmittsd In Khartoum by the Mahdi's
men 10 reported by Col. Wilson. Troops
hsySAiready sailed from Gibraltar to re-
infofco Woiselevss force in the Sondan