The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-05

INC Mic, NnDla, sept. 2.-By camel post
to Nasri.-The Sirdar. General Herbert
Kitchener, with the khalifa's black
standard. captured during the battle,
entered Omdurman, the capital of Nah
dim, at 4 o'clock this afternoon. at the
head of the Anglo-Egyptian column.
after completely routing the Dervishes
and dealing a death blow to Mahdism.
Roughly, our losses were 200, while
thousands of the Dervishes were killed
and wounded
Last night the Anglo Egyptian army
encamped at Agaiza. eight miles from
Omdurman. The DervIshes were three
miles distant At dawn to-day the cayal-
ry patrolling toward Omdurman discov-
cred the enemy advancing to the attack
IN battle array, chanting war
songs. Their front consisted of
infantry and cavalry, stretched
out for three or four miles.
Countless banners fluttered over their
masses and the copper and brass drums
resounded through the ranks of the saw
age warriors. who advanced unswerv-
ingly with all their old time ardor our
Infantry formed up outside the camp.
On the left were the 1st battalion
northumberland fusileers the End bat
talon Lancashire fusileers and the lst
battalion Grenadier guards with the
Maxim battery, manned by the Royal
irish fusileers. In our center were
the lst battalion Warwickshire regi
ment, the 1st battalion Cameron High
landers and the 1st battalion Lincoln
shire regiment with Maxims worked by
a detachment of the Royal artillery un-
der Major Williams. On our right were
the Soudanese brigadeS commanded by
General Maxwell and General McDon-
aid. The Egyptian brigades held the
reserves and both fianks were support
ed by the Maxim Nordenfeld batteries.
AT 7:2O a. m. the enemy crowded the
ridges above the camp and advanced
steadily in enveloping forma ton. AT
':4O our artillery opened fire. which
was answered by the Dervish rifemen.
Their attack developed on our left and
in accordance with their traditional tao
tics they swept down the hillside with
the design of rushing our flank. But
the whitening fire maintained for 10
minutes by all our line frustrated the
attempt, and the Dervishes, baked,
swept toward our center, upon which
they concentrated a fierce attack.
A large force of horsemen, trying to
face continuous hail of bullets from
the Cameron Highlanders, the Lincoln
shire regiment and the Soudanese, was
literally swept away, leading to the
y.
dead strewed the field.
The bravery of the Dervishes can
hardly be oVerstated. Those who car
ried the flags struggled to within a hun
dred yards of the fighting line. When
the Dervishes withdrew behind the ridge
In front of their camp the whole force
in echelon Of battalions to- (
ward Omdurman. As our troops sur |
the crest adjoining the Nile /
the Soudanese on our right came into
contact with the Dervishes, who had |
formed under cover of q rocky emil
nence and had massed beneath the
black standard of the khalifa in order
to make a supreme effort to retrieve the
fortunes of the day. A mass Il, 900 strong
bore down on the Soudanese.
General Kitchener swung around the
center and left of the Soudanese and
seized the rock eminence, and the Egyp-
tians, hitherto in reserve. joined
he firing line in 10 minutes and before
he Dervishes could drive their attack
home.
The flower of the khalifa's army was
taught in a depression and within a
Tone of whitening cross-fire from three
batteries, with the attendant artillery.
rhe devoted Mahdists strove heroically
o make headway but every rush was
topped, while their main body was lit
rally mown down by a sustained dead
Y cross-fire.
Defiantly, the Dervishes planted their
tandards and died beside them. Their
ense masses gradually melted to COM
anies, and the companies to driblets
eneath the leaden hail. Finally they
roke and fled, leaving the field white
With jibbah-clad corpses, like a snow
rift dotted spot.
At 11:15 the sirdar ordered an advance /
nd our whole force. in line, drove the
catered remnant of the foe into the
esert. our cavalry cutting off their re-
reat to Omdurman.
Among the chief incidents of the bat
e was a brilliant charge by the 21st
lncers, under Lieutenant Colonel Mar
N. Galloping down on a detached body
the enemy, they found the Dervish
wordsmen massed behind and were ,
lrced to charge home against appalling
dds. The lancers hacked through the ,
lass. rallied and kept the Dervish
Orde at bay. Lieutenant Grenfelt {
ephew of General Sir Francis Grenfelt
as killed. four other officers were
ounded, q men were killed and 20
ounded.
The Egyptian cavalry We're in close
yhting throughout with the Baggara
orsemen. For a short period the enc
y captured and held a gun, but Il :,
as brilliantly retaken. The heroic =
avery Of the Dervishes evoked uni !,
'rsal admiration. Time after time their !
spersed and broken forces reformed |,
Id hurled themselves upon the Anglo y
zyptians. their emirs conspicuously =
aiding and spurning death. Even while v
ounded and in death agonies, they :
ised themselves TO fire last shot.
Among the wounded is Colonel "
hodes. the correspondent Of the Lon =
N Times and a brother of Cecil I -