Evening star., 1898-09-05
FALL OF KHART0UM
Gen. Kitchener Avenges the Death Of
"Chinese" Gordon.
KHALlFA'S FORCE HAS SURRENDERED
Joy in England Over the Victory Of
Her Army in Egypt.
TAKING OF RMAN

A cablegram from London, dated yester
day, states:
The war Office has received the following
dispatch from Gen. Kitchener. dated Sat
urday evening:
The remnant of the khalifa's force has
surrendered, and I have now a very large
number of prisoners on my hands.
Our cavalry and gunboats are still pur-
suing the khalifa and his chiefs. who, with
only about 140 fighting men, are apparently
making for Kordofan.
The left bank of the White Nile is so di
ficult of approach, owing to the overflow
and the thick bush, that the gunboats can
not effect landing. 1 therefore can only
rely upon the cavalry to capture him.
Il visited Khartoum today. The town Is
a complete ruin, but the lower portions
show some of the principal houses still
standing. The people are naturally delight
ed to US. So far as | can see at present
khartoum is the best position. Omdu-mt.n
is very extensive and the stencil there is
unbearable.
Il have therefore moved the troops down
to Khor Skambat, where we now are IN a
good camp on the river. All the British
wounded will descend the river with this
dispatch. There are no cases that cause
grave anxiety
The morning paper editorials resound
with congratulations upon the avenEing Of
Gordon, and are full of eulogy of Baron
Cromer, the British financial adviser to the
khedive; Gen. Kitchener and all concerned
IN the splendid success. All day yesterday
impressive scenes were witnessed at Cor
dons statue in Trafalgar Square. London.
Early in the morning the statue was
wreathed and decorated with a placard
bearing the words: AT last" The police
removed altogether three such placards,
r.
The Capture of Omdurman.
Advices from On1dLrman, opposite Khar-
toum, on the Nile Nubia, September 2, by
camel post to Nasri, state:
The Sirdar. Gen. Sir Herbert Kitchener,
with the khaifa's black standard, captured
during the battle. entered Omdurman, the
capital of Mahdiam, at O'Clock this after
noon, at the head of the Angio-Egyptian
column. after completely routing the der
wishes and dealing deathblow at Nah
diam
Roughly, our losses were 200, while thous-
ands of the dervishes were killed or wound
ed.
Last night the Anglo Egyptian army en-
camped at AgaiZa, eight miles from O1n-
durman. The dervishes were three miles
distant. AT dawn today our cavalry patrol
ling toward Omdurman. discovered the en-
emy advancing to the attack in battle
ray. chanting war songs. Their front con-
sisted of infantry and cavalry, stretched
out for three or four miles. Countless ban
ners futtered over their masses, and the
copper and brass drums resounded through
the serried ranks of the savage warriors
who advanced unwaveringly with all their
old-time ardor.
Our infantry formed up outside the camp
On the left We're the list Battalion North
cumberland Fusileers; the 2d Battalion Lam
cashire Fusileers. and the 1st Battalion
Grenadier Guards, with the Maxim battery
manned by the Royal Irish Fusileers In
1.-fp
shire Regiment; the 1st Battalion Cameron
Highlanders. and the 1st Battalion, Lin
colnshire Regiment, with Maxims worked
by detachment of the Royal Artillery
under Maj Williams.
The Enemy's Advance.
On our right were the Soudanese brig
ades, commanded by General Maxwell and
General Macdonald. The Egyptian brigades
held the reserves. and both fanks were
supported by the Maxim -Nordenfelt bat
teries.
ridges above the camp and advanced
steadily In envelopng formation. At 7:4O
our artillery opened fire, which was an
swered by the dervish rifiemen
BEL Their attack developed on our left: and
in accordance with their traditional tac-
tics they swept down the hillside with the
design of rushing our flank. But the with
ering fire maintained for fifteen minutes
the dervishes balked. swept toward our
center apcn which they concentrated
fierce attack. A large force of horsemen
trying to face u continuous hail of bullets
from the Cameron HighIanders. the Lin
coinshlre Regiment, and the Soudanese
was literally swept away, leading to the
withdraWal OF the entire body, whose dead
The bravery of the dervishes can hardly
be overstated. Those who carried the flags
shrugged to within a few hundred yards of
our hghtlng line, while the mounted Emirs
absolutely threw their lives away In bold
charges.
When the dervishes Withdrew behind the
ridge In front of their camp, the whole
force marched in echelon of battal.ons to-
ward Omdurman. AS our troops surmount-
ed the crest adjoining the Nile, the Sou
daiese on our right came into contact with
the enemy, who had reformed under cover
or rocky eminence. and had massed be-
meath the black standard of the khalifa in
order to make supreme effort to retrieve
the fortunes Of the day. A mass, 15 900
strong, bore down on the Soudanese
Literally Moved Down.
General Kitchener swung round the GEN.
ter and left of the Soudanese and seized the
rocky eminence, and the Egyptians, hither-
to In reserve. joined the firing line in ten
minutes. and before the dervishes could
drive their attack home.
The flower of the khalifa's army WAS
of whitening cross-fire from three brieades
with the attendant artillery. The devoted
Mahdists strove heroically to make head
way. but every rush was stopped. while
their main body was literally moved down
by sustained deadly cross-fire
Dehantly the dervishes planted their
standards and died beside them. Their
dense masses gradually melted to compa-
mes and the companies to driblets beneath
the leaden hail Finally they broke and
fed. leaving the field white with jibah-elad
corpses. ike a snowdrfft-dotted meadow.
Az 1l:io the sirdar ordered advance,
and our whole force in line drove the scat
tered remnant Of the foe into the desert
our cavalry cutting off their retreat to ON.
durInan.
Among the chief Incidents of the battle
was brilliant charge by the 21st Lancers.
under Lieutenant Colonel Martin. GalIop-
ing down on a detached body of the enemy
they found the dervish swordsmen massed
behind and were forced to charge home
against appalling odds.
The Lancers hacked through the mass
rallied, and kept the dervish horde at bay,