The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-09-21
THE FALL OF DONGOLA.
Complete Success of the British
Egyptian Expedition,
DERvIsHBs FLEE IN TIE NIGHT.
Their Commander, the Young Emir of
Dongola, Seriously Wounded in satur-
days Fight by the bursting of Shell In

His Tent-Dervshcs' Brave Defense.
KERMA -oN-THE- NILE, Sept 21.-Dongola |
has fallen, and the nominal objective |
point of the British Egyptian expedition |
has been reached The river forces of the |
expedition, pushing up the Nile from Ell
Haflf, landed force at Dongola and oc-
cupied that place before the dervish forces |
retreating from Ell Haflr, reached that |
point FL Hanr and Dongola are, there !
fore, both in the hands of the expedition,
while the dervish forces are somewhere
between, seeking refuge.
On Saturday afternoon the long range
firing continued between the dervishes on
the west bank of the Nile and the expedi
tlonary force on this side. The Maxim
guns, with their sweeping hail of fire, did |
great execution In the dervish ranks,
while the field and horse batteries never
allowed the enemy TO do anything with
their batteries.
Darkness put an end to the artillery
duel across the Nile water, and stiffness
fell upon both camps, The night was one
of waiting, though the silence of the des-
ert was once broken by the discharge of
the Maxim guns on the other side Of the
river. Early yesterday morning there was
no sign of life In the dervish works but
soon a commotion was perceived among
the boats along the bank, and native in
one of them was discovered In the act of
waving something, as though for signal
to this side of the river.
The steamer Dal, of the expeditionary
force thereupon proceeded to the west
bank of the river, where it was found that
FL Hafir had been evacuated by the enemy
under cover of the night, and that not
dervish fighting man was left In sight
The detachment on the Dal sent back to
the camp on this side of the river twenty
seven boats, which had been manned by
the native residents of FL Haflr and loaded
with a great quantity of grain.
The natives announced that the enemy
had departed and that Wad Bishara the
young emir Of Dongola, who commanded
the dervishes, was wounded In Saturdays
fight A she'll from an Egyptian battery
burst in his tent, inflicting wounds in his
breast and head, the former being severe.
After the gunboats of the expedition
had forced their way through past the
forts at Ell Haflr and had proceeded south
ward toward Dongola the dervishes APP
parently perceived that FL Hafir was no
longer the place for them, and they pre-
pared to depart They buried as many of
| their dead as they had time for. The rest
were prepared with a stone around the
neck and thrown into the Nile.
Yesterday afternoon the news arrived
| here that the steamers and gunboats of
the expedition had reached Dongola and
| had landed a force which Immediately
| occupied the treasury and the grain store,
the principal stronghold of the town, This
news was received here with delight, as it
is supposed that the enemy is now march
ing between here and Do ngola in a much
hampered condition, by the reason of the
number of their wounded and their re-
treat along the river bank threatened by
the steamers, which can destroy at any
moment the food supplies stored at Don
COLA if they cannot hold that place against
the retreating forces of dervishes until
land forces of the expedition have ad-
vanced'to cooperate with them.
Saturdays engagement at Ell Haflr
} seems to have altogether dismayed the
dervishes, who placed great reliance upon
the fort at that place. They believed that
that fort would be able to prevent the
passage of any of the steamers of the ex-
pedition up the Nile. The artillery fire
from this side of the river seems to have
entirely disconnected them their batteries
being destroyed as soon as the smoke from
them indicated a target for the British
and Egyptian gunners.
AS soon as the news of the evacuation
of Ell Haflr was received the correspondent
of the Associated Press proceeded to cross
the river and make a survey of the enemy S
late position. 1t was found that their de-
fenses had been built with great care, but
the rifle trenches only permitted the men
d very short and straight front for protec
! ton. Mats were still strewn along, and
within the trenches and IN the straw
\ shelters were the remains Of the carcasse'
> of sheep which had been killed to supply
food to the defenders. The dead had beer
\ buried or thrown into the river.
' Further south on the river bank wa
found their biggest battery This worl
\ contained five embrasures for guns, thre
y In front and two at the side. This batter,
J had been terribly knocked about by th
h artillery fire from the east bank and from
y the steamers.
Still further south was a big entrench
\ mont facing towards the north and ontC
y the Nile There was noticed the SAINT
system of piercing the wall in such a way
/ as to allow firing only in one direction. IL
y this entrenchment 1t was apparent thai
tho Fihemen had made plucky resist
\ ance staying In the trenches all day ant
y eating where they lay.
The native residents Of El HAIR have
L welcomed the appearance OF the Engllsf
> and Egyptian expedition, and seem to re
gard their advance as assurance OF dolly
h erance from the rule of the khalifa anC
y the Baggaras the khalifa's native tribe
3 who have exercised a cruel dominion oyel
\ the Nile tribes
y Wad Bishara, the dervish commander
was wounded at about noon, and was i'm
h mediately carried out Of range of the fire
y repeatedly eEclaimlng 60 those who sur
rounded him: Allah ls against mel"
\ Wad Bishara decided to evacuate his po
y sition during the night He was able Il
remove his guns, but he was forced t.
h leave behind great quantity OF ammuni
3 ton for both the ARTILLERY and the rifles
, The dervish steamer which was sunk b.
l. the expeditions horse battery was said t.
y have also been loaded with ammunition
and guns.
1 The losses of the expedition up to Sat