The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-02-13
THE FALL OF .KHARToUM.

he accepted . commission to the Congo from
| the King OF Belgium. He had reached
Brussels and was about to start when telc-
gram from the British government came,
asking him TO undertake special mission TO
Egypt to assist In the restoration Of order and
the evacuation Of Khartoum. The position
Of that city was supposed at the time TO be
almost desperate. 1t was held by an Egyp-
tian gsrrison; and no Egyptian troops had
yet been found who could stand before the
Mahdi's fanatic seldiery. On the 10th Of
February kilograms arrived In London, tell
ing that the last of the wsvering tribes In the
neighboring of Khartoum had declared for
the false prophet, and that the place was
hopelessly surrounded by hostile Arabs.
There was only one man, 30 all England
agreed, who could hope TO hold Khartoum
and save Its garrison; and that man was
"ChInese" Gordon. He returned to London,
left again, with only one days delay, for
Cairo. There he was formally appointed by
the Khedivs Govern0r-General Of the Sou
dan, and on the oath OF the month he started
across the desert with suite Of six English.
men and an Arab guide. Then for moro
than three weeks nothing was heard Of him
or from Khartoum. Meanwhile Baker Pasha
was defeated with the loss Of 1000 men at
Tokar on Feb. 4th, and on the 10th the gar
rison of Saikat was massacred. These dis
asters caused great anxiety for khartoum
and the gallant soldier who was gong al
most single handed to attempt TO save It,
At length news was brought Of Gordon's ar
rival and departure from Berber, and on
February 18th he reached Khartoum. To
hold the place for one week seemed almost
impossible. But by . series Of proclamations
In which he opened q wonderful intimacy
with the Arab character, he won over many
of the hostile sheiks in the nsighborLood,
and by vigorous measures he succeeded In a
few weeks in drilling the garrison into al
effective force. Then no news would come
from him for weeks At time and rumors
gained credit that Khartoum had fallen. As
soon as authentic news came 1t always set
the rumors and anxiety At rest. BY the be.
ginning OF March Gordon felt himself strong
enough to make q sortie against the hosts
which walled him In. April was opened In
almost daily fighting. Assault after assault on
the devoted town was successfully repulsed.
During the latter days Of April Gordon spoke
Of retreating southwark. Then along ST.
lence, during which intense anxiety was ex-
pressed ever all England, and the govern.
ment was accused of Withholding news Of
the fall Khartoum. A vote of censure was
moved in the House of Commons based on
the action Of the ministry in leaving Gordon
without assistance, aud Mr.. Gladstone was
called upon through public meetings 10 BEND
an expedition to Gordons relief. At length,
at the end Of July, news came from Khar-
toum. Gordon and the city were safe, but
the former reproached the government for
leaving him so long unaided, and said that
he was looking daily for the arrival Of q re-
lieving force. "Seven men, including my
SELF" he wrote, sis all the army England has
sent in six months to hold the country
against 100000 men," Still the government
hesitated; and 1t was not until the 9th of
August that Lord Wolseley was appointed to
take command Of the English forces In
Egypt and preparations were commenced
for an expedition up the Nile. Letters now
came frequently from Gordon, telling Of al
NEST daily attacks on the city, and of con-
tinual summonses from the Mahdi to sur
render. To such demands Gordon replied
with . sortis In force.
On the sth Of September--when Gordon
had already held the place for six long
months--the first detachment Of the relief
expedition left Woolwich. A month ago the
relief expedition reached Korti, and on the
9Th Of January General Stewart with flying
column Of 1900 picked men started across
the desert to make short cut to the doomed
city. Twice In the ITO miles Of intervening
desert desperate attacks were made upon the
little band by forces Of Arabs outnumbering
the intruders nearly ten to one. In the two
battles the number Of the English force wa
reduced to 1890 fighting men; but on the
ed oflast month the gallant little troop had |
apparently attained Its end. its leader Was
wounded, and Sir Charles Wilson had as
tuO So"uAuu, uub tuo uCuCIt was
passed; the banks Of the Nile wsrs reached
near Metenneh, and there direct community |
cation was opened with Gordon. Another |
force, under General Earl, was forcing its |
way along the river TO the same point but |
without It's aid, the end Of the expedition, 1t |
was thought, was won; Khartoum was sup
posed to be relieved; Gordon was safe, and |
England jubilsnt. On the 25th Sir Charles
Wilson left Gubat--the station on the Nile |
little above Metemneh--to, pay . visit to
Khartoum 10 show the gallant garrison that |
they were safe 1t last. On the 2Sth the party
sighted the city, but no welcoming boats put
ont to meet them. The British flag was no
longer floating over the walls; the place was
In the hands OF the Mahdi, and his guns
opened fire upon the boats Of the rescuing
party. Sir Charles Wilson was forced to
turn and retreat down stream without learn
ing the fate Of General Gordon, and to carry
back to Gubat the news that after long
year Of hard fighting In the face Of desperate
odds, Of hoping against hope, Khartoum had
fallen. The last dispatch frem Gordon read
"My position here is safe. l can hold out
for year." and yet, with rescue only few
miles away, the place was taken, and the
General himself 10 either captive or dead.