The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-02-25
GEN. GORDON KILLED.
Betrayed Into El Mahdi's Hands
and Stabbed to Death.
A Terrible Massacre Follows the
Fall of Khartoum,

Wilson and Wortley, who were with the OK
petition to Khartoum, have arrived hero
They made the journey from Gubat in four
days. They brought the news of General
Gordon's death. 1t was laarnel that one Of
The treacherous paslas among General Cor
don:s forces marched the garrison to the side
of the town nearest Omdurman, saying that
the rebel attack was expected at that point.
In the meantime another traitorous pasha
opened the gates at the other end and allowed
the Mahdi's troops to enter, and they
easily captured the town. General Cor
don was stabbed just as ho was leaving
the government house.
The London Daily NeUs, which appeared
in mourning out of respect for General COR
don, published the following from Gakdul:
1.-THE natives who escaped from khartoum
say General Gordon was killed while in the
act Of Il leaving his house to rally the faithful
troops. The latter were cut down to a man,
and for hours the best part of the town was
the scene of mcrciless slaughter, not even
women and children being spared. All tse
notables were killed, except the treacherous
pashas and their followers"
The following additional details Of the
killing of General Gordon and tine fall OF
Khartoum arc at hand: On the day Of the
capture, which is variously stated as JAN
uary 8 and q, General Gordon's attention
was attracted by a tremendous tumult Ill
the streets. He left the so.called palace,
or government building, in which he
to ascertain the cause Of the disturb,
ance. Just as he reached the street
he was stabbed in the back and fell dead.
The tumult was caused by the Mahdis troops,
who had gained access to the interior of the
town through treachery, and who were soon
in complete possession of the place, including
the citadel. Afearful massacre of the garrison
followed. The scenes Of the slaugh ter are de-
scribed as surprising the Bulgarian atrocl-
ties and rival tho worst horrors of the
Sepoy mutiny. The panic.stricken Egyp-
tians were captured in their Hight and put
to death with the most fiendish fortunes.
Some were transfixed with spears and left
to bleed to death. Most Of the victims
were mutilated in the most horrible man
ner. Eyes were gouged out, noses were slit,
and tongues were torn out by tho roots. In
many cases the mutilated parts of the vic
TINS bodies were thrust into their mouths
while they were still living. The massacre
included many non-combatants and the
Egyptian women were subjected TO shalnelul
inIienities. More than q hundred women and
Young girls were given over to the Mahdi's
followers to be used rs slavea After the
slaughter many Arabs were seen rushing
about the streets with the heads Of Egyptians
impaled p their spears. TIL next night
was spent in q saturnalia of blood and de-
bauchery.
Since the capture Of Khartoum the Mahdi
has repaired the Notifications, and has made
the place well-nigh impregnable. He has
made it his permanent headquarters, and is
-. L. ,, oG,p1orpa nf pnns email
arms, and ammunition.
General GOrdon's Career.
The career of Major-G General Charles George
Gordon reads more like q romance than q
simple recital of historical facts. His pop
ular title of "Chinese" Gordon made his name
known to every civilized nation on the face OF
the earth over 20 years ago, anil since that
time lie has been almost continuously
before the public gaze as a mill
tary hero of uncommon attributes. Be
ginning his life rs n soldier in the trenches be-
fore Sebastopol, q simple lieutenant of engi-
neers, he rose to the highest rank ever given
To q foreigner in China, after having subdued
a formidable rebellion, then transferred his
services to the government of the khcdlveo of
Egypt, where he won fresh laurclS in his
fight against slavery and barbarism in
the Soudan, returned to n comparatively
peaccful life in tho service Of his own gov
ornment, and finally went back to the scene
of his former struggles in Africa to be killed
by a follower of tho False Prophet. Proba-
bly the story of no other military man of the
age furnishes q more romantic history than
that of "Chinese" Gordon, and the fact that
his death resulted from the delay of his own
country in sending to him the relief which he
needed until it was too late to make it effect
4 III i l.. ILL., 11nos, ,&a,neS ,,yhtoh nf-
tached to his fate.
Chinese Gordon was born at Woolwich,
England, January 2S, 1S3a. His father
was a major-general in the artillery and his
elder brother had preceded him i'll the pro-
fssion Of arms.
In 1866 Gordon proceeded to the Crimea,
where he served several months and won dis
tinction for military skill in detecting the
plans Of the Russians. In 1850, when the
difficulties with China assumed q serious form,
alarge Anglo-French expedition was sent out
for the purpose of bringing the Chinese gov
crnment to terms, in which he was emincntly
successful.
When the Chinese subsequently applied to
the English general for a trustworthy officer
to command tho foreign drilled contingent.
Captain Gordon, then not moro than thirty
wears of age, was named. In almost oil his
engagements Gordon found it necessary to b
At tho front and often to lead in person, bus
he never recognized danger, INC a shower OF
bullets was to himno more than q hall-stoIm.
Gordon left China in 1864 and returned 10
England still a captain Of engineers. he was
given a consular appointment on the Danube,
Whence he was summoned in 1874 x Egypt
by the lato khedive. The new task was a
very difficult and perilous one: he had 70
deal in the Soudan with difficulties when
were only partially known, while he had 10
reconcile instructions that were often lnc4m-
natjble with the facts Of the position. FOR
Years he toiled in the CAUSE with urhasglng
zeal.
In January, 1884, at the request OF the Brit
ish Government Gordon undertook the paci-
icatien of the Soudan. His arrival ut khar-
toum was hailed with delight by the people.
At first there seemed some chance OF success,
but day by day the forces Of the victorious
bIahdi closed more relentlessly about the de-
voted city, until the place fell into their pos
session and Gordon's life was forfeited in the
cause for which he had so long and bravely
battled.
General Gordon was fifty-two years old the
day before his death.