Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-09-08
Victory Not Easily Won.

dONDON, SepU. O.-1ue Wdr COTr6-
spondent Of the Daily News says: Our
victory was not easily or cheaply won.
The dervish loss was enormous. It is
estimated that the killed of the enemy
were no fewer than 5000.
Our whole force was engaged in
fighting from $50 a. m. until sun
down. The dervishes displayed mar
velous bravery to the last. Instead of
waiting for us in Omdurman, where
they could have made resistance that
would have cost US thousands of lives,
they advanced to meet US. The sight
was extraordinary. Some $4,000 men
in four brigades attempted to rush our
zeriba.
With desperate gallantry they We're
repulsed, suffering huge loss. Our
Maxim guns especially made terrible
lanes in their ranks and our artillery
dealt havoc in the town, which was full
of women. The dervish army of 10000
is utterly broken, but we are fully pre-
pared to fight tomorrow if they wish it.
The Standards war correspondent
also pays tribute to the magnificent
courage Of the dervishes, but adds:
Fortunately for US, their leaders showed
little or no wisdom in choosing battle
field. By not occupying the hill on our
left front, the enemy missed his oppor-
tunity. That would have LETT the sir
dar two alternatives. He might have
either accepted the challenge, or elected
to make a wide detour into the desert to
reach Omdurman. In the former case
we should have been compelled to meet
the dervishes in the open. In the latter
the enemy's chances of offering pro-
longed resistance would have been ma
terially increased, but the baggara have
lost none of their former courage and
were resolved to attack US where we
stood, trusting to sheer weight of mum.
bers and hoping to hurl themselves
against us with an irresistible rush.
Hardly Rider Escaped.
Dashing across the level stretch of
pebbly soil, the khalifa's cavalry rode
madly at the steady line of infantry
Our troops awaited the charge without
finching. On came the dervishes, but
again the deadly fire poured into them
did its work. Men and horses fell thick,
and hardly a rider i'll that desperate
charge escaped.
A large body of the enemy's infantry,
undismayed by the slaughter, could be
seen preparing to follow the cavalry
but our field artillery and Maxims de-
scending from the hill on which they
We're posted, came again into action and
the conflict entered new phase.
The attack on our camp had been re-
pulsed and the only question was
whether the defeat of the enemy was
complete. 1t was not long before the
dervishes were seen in full flight to
ward the right, leaving their dead or
the field as they fed. Practically the
whole army of the khalifa was de
stroyed. Our casualties number over 200
Our losses in the zariba when the Ell
emy first attacked us We're small, con
sidering the number Of the enemy. Oul
artillery and rifle fire was terribly eff
fective. The dervishes fought we'll
displaying courage that would hav,
seemed marvellous had we not known
their spirit.
| Welcome the Visitors.
The march to Omdurman after tn
great fight was comparatively withou
incident. The sirdar with his chief O
staff, General Rumble, Colonel Win
gate and Slatin Pasha rode behind tw'
companies of Egyptians and Soudan
ese, who proudly carried with them tn
khalife flag, the black banner which
was to lead his troops to victory. A
we neared the place the people living il
houses outside the walled part, poure'
out to welcome the victors. Passin
through the street we came to the wal
itself, solid looking piece of masonry
There had been no need to emplo,
heavy artillery to effect breach Al
entrance was found near the river an,
the sirdar rode in unopposed. The cit,
seemed deserted save for women an
some two score men who came forwar
to make submission and lay down thei