The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-02-12

w uCn Oh SHdIlCS w uSUIl I0stCitu Mill
toum he found that Mahdi S forces occupied
to land and ascertain the fate of General
Gordon, but this step he found impossible.
The enemy's guns were turned upon him
in full force. He was therefore COM
PEELED to turn his back upon the fallen
city and return to Gubat without finding
out whether General Gordon was dead or
alive.
THE FATE OF GORDON.
1.-THE rumors concerning the fate of
General Gordon are many and varied. but
all agree that the Mahdi captured Khar-
toum by treachery. The most reliable re-
ports point to one Faraz Pasha as the
traitor. 1t is said that he, being left in
charge of the ramparts, opened the gates
on January 26th and admitted the enemy
Some rumors state that the Mahdi, to-
gether with few Levantines, is cooped
up in a church. Others say General Cor
don has been seen wearing the Mahdi IS
uniform. The majority agree, however,
that Gordon has been killed.
1t is reported that General Lord Wolse-
ley commenced an advance from Korti on
Friday for the relief of the troops near
Metemneh, and that he sent orders to
General Earle to hasten his advance against
Berber, in order to assist in the relief of
Metemneh. The objective point of all
General Wolseley's movements is now
Metemneh.
Press messages from the Soudan are
greatly retarded. Several newspapers have
made application to the War Office for per-
mits to communicate instruction to their
correspondents, but they have all received
the reply that General Wolseley has sole
authority in the matter.
In London bitter feeling exists against
the Government ON account OF its tardy,
half-hearted action in sending relief to
Gordon.
THE STORY OF THE MISSION.
The story of General Gordons mission
to Khartoum is briefly as follows /: In May,
1881, Mahomet Achmet, of Dongola. an
nounced himself as the Mahdi. the ''Di-
rected of God,'' whose divine mission was
to reform Islam. establish universal equal
ity, law, religion, and communion of goods.
He is a member Of a religious fraternity
which has it's headquarters at Bagdad and
ramihcations throughout all Islam. Kor-
dofau and the western SOudan locked to
his standard an Egyptian force under the
English Commander Hicks Pasha was
utterly annihilated, and the Mahdl with
his victorious troops threatened Khar-
toum. The Egyptian garrison there and
other garTiSonS along the route to the Red
Sea were beleagued. Eight thousand
troops were between Khartoum and Ase
suan, G.000 in Khartoum and 10000 to TIL.
south of that town. The question which
confronted the British and Egyptian gov
ernments was Are these men to be ADAM
doned to the fate which befell Hicks
army? The Egyptian Government was
helpless. and the British desired to en-
tirely abandon the Soudan, but saw no con-
venient way for retiring the threatened
garriSons. When affairs had reached this
confusion and tangle, General Gordon ar
rived in London January Z, 1884. and in q
newspaper interview declared that the
policy of evacuation meant n massacre
Col. Coetlogon's six thousand faithful
men at Kartoum would be cut to pieces if
they attempted to escape by the Red Sea
route. The English papers Immediately
began to demand that Chinese Gordon
powers to treat with the Mahdi and avert
the disaster. This loud demand had its
result. and Gordon was called to the aid of
the British government. On January Is,
1884 he left London for Egypt, with carte
blanche to take what measures he saw fit
for the retirement of the troops and the
restoration OF the native government. On
his voyage to Egypt he wrote: ''The
Mahd ought to be left out of the calcula-
tioh. 1t should be optional whether the
sultans of the restored kingdom should
accept his supremacy or not. [ will carry
out the evacuation as far as possible with
avoidance of all fighting"
General Gordon arrived at Cairo on Jan
uary oath. and Immediately telegraphed to
Khartoum :'sYou are men. not women.
Be not afraid. / am coming" 1t was
his belief that he could organize an army
at Khartoum, and he said : IF | am sent,
l will go alone" The instructions he re-
ceived from Sir Evelyn Barring were ::
~ on will bear in mind that the main end
is the evacuation of the Soudan." Before
leaving Cairo he stated that his plan was
to restore the son of the late Sultan of
Darfur, to give Kordofan to the Mahdi,
and leave Fashoda and Bahr Gazelle to
their native rulers. He found that the
first part of his plan was impracticable,
because the young Sultan of Darfur was a
drunkard. Gordon's route was up the
Nile valley by train to Assiut, by steamer
to Wady Halfa. and thence to Korosko.
A four-days' ride on q dromedary would
then carry him to AbC-Hamar.
On arriving at Berber he telegraphed :
'sDo not bother at all about us. | hope
the Soudan will soon be in good order"
All along the Nile, on his journey. Gordon
invited the chiefs to go to Khartoum to
in assembly of notables, where the indie
pendence of the Soudan was to be dis
cussed. On February IA he telegraphed
from Berber Just leaving for Khartoum.
Give yourself no further anxiety about
this part OF Soudan. The people, great
and small. are heartily glad to be freed
from union which has only caused them
sorrow" -Four days later February IS,
1884, he arrived at Khartoum and was en-
Enthusiastically received by the people. who
rejoiced over his proclamation remitting
half their taxes, promising not to interfere
with the slave trade, and recognizing the
Mahdi as Sultan of Korfodan. The books
in which the records of back taxes were
kept were publicly burned. He threw open
the doors of dismal dungeons and made
free many wretched prisoners. A council
of notables was organized, and Gordon was
recognized as the saviour OF the people.
But in March uneasiness began to be
felt in Cairo. There were rumors that Ell
Mahdi with 100000 men. would sweep
over the desert and drive the infidel and
Turk from Egypt, Gordon himself. on
March Z. said There is nothing further
to be hoped for in the way of quieting the
people than has already been accomplished
and there is a certainty that as time adj
vances the emissauies of the Mahdi will
succeed in raising tribes between this and
Berber'' When Gordon accepted his mis-
sion he hoped that the road between Ber-
Der and Saukim would be kept open. 1t
still remained closed. Even after Gen
eral Graham captured Tokar and chastised
Osman Digna, nothing was done in that
direction. Gordon said IF her Majesty's |
government does not act promptly General
Graham victory will so for naught and
with the useless expenditure of blood the |
effect Of it will evaporate." He advised |
the appointment OF Zebehr Pasha as gov
ernor of Soudali. On March Is, Gordon
with 5000 men attacked the rebels at Hal |
fyeh, and was defeated through the |
treachery Of two pashas whom he after |
,clc cL0 SiIalaa AIn,r Lcc. |