Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-24

awaiting your orders. can hold out
forty days longer with ease. Aftsr that
II will be difficult. The loss Of Colonel
Stewart is terrible. l told him
to give you al the information possible.
He had my journal from January Sd to
September 10th. The Mahdi is eight
miles from Khartoum. SEMINAR is all
right. The garrison there Is aware that
you arc coming. Ny journal from Sep
tember 10th to date is on board one OF
the steamers which you will find at
Mctemneh. continue to have occa-
sional fights with the Arabs. 1t IS
rumored that all the Europeans with
the Mshdi, including Slatin Bey and
the nuns, have become Mussulmans.
Lupton Bey has surrendered. have
sent out scores OF messengers in all
directions during the last eight months.
Do not send private letters to me. The
risk is too great. DO not write me in
cipher have none, and 1t is OF no
use. The Mahdi knows everything.
Take the road from Abu klea to Me-
temneh. You need not fear the Mahdi.
Both the Greek Consul and Austrian
Consul are safe. The Mahdi has cap
turcd letter from the King of Abys-
sinia to me. Your expedition, as ! I'M
dcfstand, is for the relief of the garri-
son Of KhartOum. which ! failed to ac-
complish. | decline to admit that 1t is
for the rescue Of me personally
A letter from General Gordon, dated
September 9th. contains the following
statements g. We have sufficient money
and provisions here at Khartoum to last
four months. At the expiration of that
period we shall be much embarrassed.
At Senaar there is doura enough. The
garrison at Galahat and the people in
that neighborhood are continually fight
ing, and the inhabitants are opposed TO
the false Mahdi. Although we wrote
you that it was impossible to send
Colonel Stewart to Berber on account
of many things which had occurred
here. we afterwards saw fit to send him,
together with the French and English
consuls. in a small steamer to Don
COLA TO communicate with the British
commander there concerning the Sou
dan. We detailed two large steamers to
accompany them to Berber TO keep the
way clear for them to pass by Berber
towards Dongola. How many times
have we written asking for reinforce
ments and calling your serious atten-
ton to the Soudan, and no answer
came. The mems hearts become weary
Of delay. While you are eating and
drinking and resting in good beds, We
and those with us, soldiers and servants,
are watching night and day, trying to
ouell the movement Of the Mahdi. or
course you take no interest to sup
press this rebellion, the serious con-
sequences Of which are reverse
of the victories for you. The ne
elect thereof won't do. Stewart
starts in two days. The reason for
sending him is because you have been
silent all this while. You have ne
elected US. We have lost time without
doing any good. If troops be sent us
the rebellion will cease when they reach
Berber. The inhabitants will return
to their former occupations. Therefore
it is hoped you will listen to all that
Stewart tells you and regard it Sc
riOusly. Send the troops we have asked
for without delay"
General Gordon's messenger, on De-
cember l4th, informed General WOlse-
ley that Khartoum was besicged on
three sides, and that fighting was car
ried on day and night, but that the III
Mahdi's men could not take the city
except by starving out the garrison.
General Gordon also instructed the
messenger sent from Khartoum OIL De
cember l4th to deliver the following
message to Lord Wolsclcy: Don't
scatter your troops. Bring plenty OF
troops; the enemy is numerous. We
still hold 0mdurman. The Mahdi'S
works are within rihe-shot. The Mahdi
lives beyond gunshot. The Mahdists
a month ago attacked Omdurman and
disabled one of our steamers. We dis
abled one of their guns. The fighting
was renewed on the south side three
days later. The rebels were again re-
pulsed. Come quickly. Don't leave
Berber in the rear. Keep the enemy in
your front, and don't let rumors OF
your approach spread"