The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-10-05
TRUMPETER TANNING.
His Heroic Fight In the Sudan In Defense
OF His Wounded Colonel

His Heroic Fight In the Sudan In Defense
OF His Wounded Colonel.
only those who have been eugaged
III active warfare i'll the Sudnn can
realize to what extent the religious
fanaticism of the Mahdi's followers
will carry them in time of war.
Reckless as to death, they rush mad
iy into the thick of the fray. Fear
less, bold and resolute is a true de.
scription of the Hadcndown tribe of
Sudanese warriors, whose home Iics
in the wild and mountainous dis
tricts of the eastern Sudan.
This warlike tribe OF warriors had
never known what it was to suffer
defeat at the hands of an enemy un-
til they received their first check
from the British troops at the battle
of El-Teb. Many u brave young
fellow shed his life's blood fighting
hand to hand with this warlike
tribe in defense OF his country on
the field Of battle that day, and
many a poor mother at homo in Eng
land mourned the loss of the one
great joy Of her heart and her
home was left desolate and bare
now that the beloved one had per-
ished gallantly fighting OH tho
plains of the Sudan. The disastrous
defeats Of Hicks Pasha on the Milo
and the intrepid Baker Pasha in tho
eastern Sudan led up to the subse
quent events which I am about to
narrate.
At the battle of El-Teb (Feb. 90,
1880 Colonel Barrow and Trumpet
er Tanning, Il young fellow of 10
years, were leading a wing Of the
Nineteenth hussars in the charge
against the Arab forces, who were
cut off from the main body Of the
regiment by superior force Of the
enemy. Colonel Barrow had al
ready been badly wounded in the
charge, having been speared through
the left arm and side, and was there
fore powerless to defend himself.
Trumpeter Tanning, who was rid
ing by his side, took in the whole
situation at glance, and quickly
dlsmOunting from his horse stood
on the defensive over the BODY of
his fallen colonel and fought with
that indomitable pluck and courage
which only Il heroic soldier can do
when put to the test. Drawing his re-
volver and with a determined look
to do or die upon his manly young
face, he calmly awaited the on
slaught of the savage horde. Not a
shot was wasted. Every bullet had
its mark, for Tanning knew only
too we'll his chances would be small
once his revolver was empty.
at last the critical moment came
and he had fired his last shot Draw
ing his sword, he awaited the attack
with firm grip, and now came a
terrific hand to hand struggle, in
which he fought like lion until,
stabbed in the right arm with a
spear, the gallant fellow, through
weakness and loss of blood, was
compelled to relinquish his hold up-
on his sword.
Nothing daunted, however, the
gallant trumpeter seized his trumpet
with his left hand and again fought
the enemy hand to hand until liter
ally borne to the ground by sheer
force of numbers. Here they fell
upon him and hacked his body with
their short stabbing spears and
knives and left him and the colonel
for dead upon the field.
When we recovered the bodies,
they were taken back to camp.
Here we found that Tanning was
stabbed in II 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 recovered from his
wounds he would have received the
Victoria cross for his bravery. He
left widowed mother to mourn his
loss.
The trumpet which bore such
mute testimony by the blood stain
ed finger marks in his deathly grasp
OF the gallant stand made by the
heroic youth, was afterward recov-
cred and preserved ns r,emecto
by his comrades. Colonel Barrow
afterward died from the effects of
his wounds, although not until he
had rendered excellent services on
the Nile expedition. Tit
Bits.
What %arfed.
Come, old man," said the kind
friend, "cheer up. There are others. -
II don't mind her breaking the
engagement SO very much, said the