Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-25
A HERO OF THE soUDAN.
FanninG's Deed Would Have Won
Him the Victoria Cross.

Him the Victoria Cross.
From It'd Bits.
Only those who have been engaged in ac-
tive warfare in the Soudan can realize
fully to what extent the religious fanati-
cism of the -mahdrs followers will carry
them In time of war. Reckless as to death,
they rush madIy into the thick of the fray.
Fearless, bold and resolute is a true de-
scription of the Hadendowa tribe of Sou
danese warriors, whose home lies in the
wild and mountainous districts of the east
ern Soudan.-
This warlike tribe of warriors had never
known what it was to suffer defeat at the
hands If an enemy until they received
their first check from the British troops at
the battle of El-Teb. Many a brave young
fellow shed his lifes blood fighting hand to
hand with this warlike tribe in defense OF
is country on the field of battle that day,
and many a poor mother at home in Eng
land mourned the loss of the one great joy
of her heart, and whose home was left des-
olate and bare, now that the beloved one
had persisted CALAMITY fighting on the
feats of Hicks Pasha, on the Nile, and the
intrepid Baker Pasha, in the eastern Sou
dan led up to the subsequent events which
l am about to narrate.
At the battle of El-Teb February 90
1850, Col. Barrow and Trumpeter Tanning
a young fellow of nineteen years, were
leading wing of the Nineteenth Hussars
in the charge against the Arab forces, who
were then IN full retreat, SVhen suddenly
they were cut off from the main body of
the regiment by a superior force of the
enemy. Col. Barrow had already been
badly wounded in the charge, having been
speared through the left arm and side, and
was, therefore, powerless to defend himself
Trumpeter Tanning. who was riding by his
side, took in the whole situation at q
glance, and, quickly dismounting from his
horse, stood on the defensive over the body
of his fallen colonel, and fought with that
indomitable pluck and Courage which only
the British soldier can do when put to the
test Drawing his revolver, and with de-
termined look to do or die upon his manly
young face, he calmly awaited the on
slaught of the savage horde. Not shot
was wasted. Every bullet had its mark
for Tanning knew Only too well his chances
would be small once his revolver was
empty.
At last the critical moment came and he
had fired his last shot. Drawing his sword
he awaited the attack with a firm grip
And now came a terrific hand-to-hand
struggle. in which he fought like a lion
until. stabbed i'll the right arm with a
spear, the gallant fellow, through weak
ness and loss of blood. was compelled to re-
Enquish his hold upon his sword.
Nothing daunted however, the gallant
trumpeter seized his trumpet with his left
hand, and again fought the enemy hand to
hand until literally borne tc the ground by
sheer force of numbers. Here they fell
upon him and hacked his body with thsir
short stabbing spears and knives, and LETT
him and the colonel for dead upon the field
When We recovered the bodies they, were
taken back to camp. Hero we found that
Tanning was stabbed In seventeen different
places. yet. despite this fact, the gallant
fellow fingered for five days afterward,
and died at Victoria Hospital, Suez, where
he was buried. Needless to say, had he re-
covered from his wounds he would have
received the Victoria cross for his bravery
He leaves widowed mother to mourn his
loss.
The trumpet, which bore such mute tes-
timony by the blood-stained finger marks
in his deathly grasp of the gallant stand
made by the heroic youth, was afterward
recovered and preserved as memento by
his comrades Col Barrow afterward died
from the effects of his wounds. although
not until he had rendered excellent serv-
ices on the Nile expedition