The National tribune., 1885-02-19
GEN. GORDON'S Deaf H.
Horrible Cruelty Of the Mahdi's Tr0eps-Massacre
of the Garrison at khartoum.

Horrible Cruelty of the Mahdi's Troops-Massacre
OF the Garrison at khartoum.
There is no doubt now as to the fate of the
gallant Gordon. On the day of the capture OF
khartoum, which is variously stated as the
Goth and 9th of Janu airy, Gen. Gordon's atten-
tion was called TO a tn mutt in the streets. He
left his headquarters to ascertain the cause OF
the disturbance, and just as he reached the
street he was stabbed in the back and fell dead
instantly. The tumult was caused by the
Mahdl's troops, who had gained access to the
interior of the town through treachery. In a
very short time the town and citadel was in
possession of the rebels, and then commenced a
scene OF horror that beggars description. The
panic-stricken garrison was captured almost
without blow, and put to death with the
most fiendish fortunes. Some were transfiXed
on spears and left TO bleed TO death. The eyes
and tongues OF many were torn out, their bodies
ripped open, and portions of their entrals forced
into their mouths. The massacre included
many non-combatants, and the Egyptian
women were subjected to shameful indg-
mites. More than 100 women and young girls
were given over to the Mahdi's followers to be
used as slaves After the slaughter many Arabs
were seen rushing about the streets with the
heads Of Egyptians impaled upon their spears.
The next night was spent in a saturnalia of
blood and debauchery.
Since the capture of Khartoum the Mahdi
the place wel-nigh impregnable He has made
it his permanent headquarters, and is said to
have an abundance of guns, small arms and
ammunition.
SKETCH OF GoRDoN's LIFE.
The noble and eveutful life just closed by
the hand OF the assassin at khartoum COM
menced at Woolwich, England, Jan. 2S 1888.
He was educated at Taunton, in Somersetshire,
and at the Royal Military Academy Wool
witch; entered the Royal Engineers as Second
Lieutenant June d, 1852, and was promoted
to First Lieutenant in 1854. He served in the
Crimean war from December, 1854, to May,
1856; was present before Sebastopol, was
wounded in the trenches, and at the close of
the war he was defined among his comrades
and supcriors as officer of adequate parts
and OF sterling trnstworthiness AT the close
OF the Crimean war he returned to England
and was appointed British member of a sur
veying commission for the settlement of the
Turkish and Russian frontier in Asia.
He was with the English army in China in
1860, and at the close of hostilties remained in
that country, and was appointed commander
in-chief of the army engaged in suppressing
the great TAPPING rebellion. In this capacity
he showed wonderful resources as a soldier,
making out of the disciplined and timid
ChineSes army force which soon dispersed
the savage hordes which poured down on the
richest sections of China. For this service the
Emperor of China conferred on him the high
est military title in the country,-Ii Tu (com-
mander-in chief and the world nick-named
him Chinese Gordon.
When Mehemit Ali entered upon the work
Of annexing the Soudan to Egypt, Gordon was
finally selected for the work of stamping out
the brigandage of the region since become so
famous, as he had before been chosen to do a
similar work in China. He was first made
Governor of the Provinces of the Equatorial
Lakes, aud finally Governor of the whole
Soudan. He arrived at Cairo in February,
1874. He was offered 10000 to maintain his
state, but refused it and accepted only $4,000
He went by way Of the Red Sea to Suakim and
across the desert TO Berber He found the
region a chaos of halfsavage tribes, fretting
under the oppressive wouid-he reform admin
istration of Egypt, as represented by Baker
Pasha He applied himself with great energy,
and soon garrisoned eight stations, quarreled
with the rnor-General of khartoum on
one or two occasions came near losing his life
at the hands of the Arabs he had in his conf
dence overtrusted, but by the end of 1876 he
had done what was required of him III the
Soudan, established numerous Government
stations, established paying relation between
the Soudanese and Egypt, routed numerous
slave catchers, and was back in London again
By February. 1877, he was again on his way to
the Soudan regions, and till July, 1879, when
Ismail abdicated and Tewfik was made khe-
dive, Gordon continued his arduous work of
civiliZng the country. On the 18th of January
of last year this great Christian soldier left
his native land for the last time accompanied
by Col. Stewart and from that day until the
fall of hhartoum he has occupied a very large
share Of the attention of the world