The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-06-08
DERYISHIS REFUSED.
Troops Have Big Fight
with the Khalifa's Forces.
FULLY A THOUSAND MEN sLAIN.

The Troops March on Firl<ct in the Night,
and Capture the Place After a Battle
Lasting an Hour and Balf-The Loss
of the Egyptians Very Small.
F1RRET, Egypt, june S-1his point was
taken by Egyptian troops at an early hour
yesterday morning, ana their manner OF
acquitting themselves in this, the first en-
gagement of the Nile campaign, has given
satisfaction TO the British officers in COM
mand Of them. The Egyptian forces left
Akasheh, the Egyptian outpost, saturday
evening. The distance is twenty miles,
and it took the whole night to accomplish
the march
The march was pursued in absolute 81
lence. In consequence, the arrival of the
Egyptians at the dervish camp took the
enemy completely by surprise. They quickly
rallied, however, and rushed to their arms.
They stood to their positions and made a
stubborn defense of the camp for an hour
and half during which there was hard
fighting.
The dervishes were finally put to rout
by flank movement executed by the cav
airy The forces of the khallfa took flight
towards Suarda, pursued by the cavalry.
Suarda is nearly hundred miles south of
here, but it is strongly hold by force of
several thousand dervishes.
Reports so far received indicate that the
loss to the dervishes will amount to "a
thousand men, Among those killed is
Emir Hammuda, who was their com
mander, besides many important chiefs.
/ The Egyptian loss was twenty killed and
| eighty wounded.
The dervisiies made hard fight with "A
/ large force of riilemen, and not only held
their ground, but attempted to advance
with a perfect roar of musketry, which
was repulsed by Shrapneu and Maxim
hail and steady converping volleys, which
shattered the mud houses of Firi,et. The
position of the dervishes was stormod
from the north and the remnant of the
dervishes made running fight through
the hills towards Mograt.
Hammuda was In command of the larger
force at Suarda He was of the tribe of
Habbania and was well known to Slatin
Pashn while the latter was a captive of the
khalifa in the soudan. Slatin has de-
scribed him as a great favorite with the
khalifa, who promoted him TO the rank OF
emir because he left his own tribe when
the insurrection first broke out to serve
the khalifa personally.
1t is probable that the taking Of Firket
was decided upon owing to the doubtful
strength of Akasheh as an outpost, sur
rounded as it is by low hills, the taking OF
which would make AlSasheh a death trap.
The finishing of the railroad line from
Sarras has been rapidly pushed since the
expedition was determined upon. By eX-
tending it to Firket the worst cataract
will be turned, and early advantage car
thus be taken Of the rise in the Nile at the
end of July for water transport to Dongola
The officers in command Of the Egyptian
forces express great qualification at the
conduct in yesterdays fight of the Egyp
tians about whom some doubts have beer
felt, and the Soudanese, who have beer
looked to with confidence for good fight
ing Both the Egyptians and Soudanes,
displayed great steadiness and dash. Hun
A dreds of dervishes were taken prisoners.