The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-14

General Kitchener organized splendid
army. He depended more upon the ex-
ceilence Of the equipment than upon the
size OF the army, which consisted of about
Is. 900 infantry. 800 cavalry and loo fight
ing men in the camel corps. There were
also several thousand Arab allies, good
fighters and finely armed. About 1000 more
men were in the transport service. All
the important officers were young Britons
who had served in the Egyptian army.
for which they were carefully selected.
The whole force was composed Of p.eksd
men Three-fourths Of the force were TEL
lahin belonging TO corps that had proved
steady under fire and were admirably
trained The rest were black SouGanese
battalions. more active. eager AID self
reliant In battle and better marksnen han
the Egyptians. but less intelligent and
amenable to discipline and direction.
The artillery consisted of powerful Krupp
field batteries and Maxim batteries. the
advance from Wady Haifa began on March
~. 1886, and on the following day MAJOR
Collinson occupied Akasheh without oppo-
stion The khalifa proclaimed jehad CT
holy war against Egypt. and called uptn
All QClN4SHSS CdpdbEG VI OCGtA4e ~ "a ~
enrol themselves under the green banner.
The Emir Osman Azark advanced with Is
Inducements TO Suarda- The vanguard Of
the Egyptian expedition consisted Of 200
mn, including a camel corps OF 500. The
main force numbered $500 infantry and
$50 cavalry. commanded by 120 British Of
ficers, with a Maxim battery, served by
English artiIlerists. OF the infantry 400
were Soudanese.
English troops were dispatched at once
to Egypt Three British battalions and
1000 Bedouins were organized there TO join
the expedition. bringing its strength up TO
1900 men. Native troops of India went
to Suakin to relieve the Egyptian garri-
son there and enable it to take part in
the operations in the field.
A fort and intrenched camp were built
at Akasheh, beyond which point halt
was made until transport camels and boats
could be obtained. In the Suakin district
the forces of Osman Digna moved toward
Sinkat and fighting took place between the
Dervishes and friendly Hadendewas and
Amarar, who barred their advances. An
Egyptian force went out from Suakin on
April Is, to support the friendly Arabs and
routed Osman Digna completely. On he
Nile the campaign was opened on May l
by Major Burn-M Murdoch, who. with his
cavalry. dispersed a force of Dervishes in
the vicinity of Akasheh.
Many sheiks of the Bisharin. Ababdeh
and Kababish tribes, who had formerly ad-
hered TO the khalifa, were won over by
the British, who organized a large body
of British irregulars to patrol the desert
on both sides OF the Nile. arming them
with Remingtons, while the Egyptians
carried Martini Henry rifles.
Contention and division, jealous fear and
distrust paralyzed the central power at
Omdurman. The mulazamin Of the khalifa
attacked the bodyguard of Ali Wad Helu,
and in the fight several hundred men were
slain on both sides before peace was re-
stored by the emirs.
On June s, after all the expeditonary
force had been brought up to Akasheh, the
troops were led out by the sirdar TO at
tack the Dervishes entrenched at Ferkcl,
sixteen miles distant. The main body, L.,
600 strong, with rifed artillery and machine
guns advanced along the river, while the
camel corps and cavalry, with hocse ar
tllery and two Maxims, 2,100 men in all,
took the desert route to occupy the heights
east of Ferkeh. The intention was to sur
prise and entrap the ffty-seven emirs
there, who had only 5000 troops with
about 1000 rifles. The black troops ad-
vanced rapidly to the attack at dawn on
June Z, opening a well-directed fire. The
Dervishes fought with desperate valor, but
were steadily driven from their positions.
being unable to resist the double attack,
from the front and from the side Of the
desert. The desert column. which had sue
cessfully turned the position TO cut off the
retreat, fell upon the retreating Dervishes
after they were driven out of the town,
pursuing them beyond Suarda, and captur-
ing the camp there, with A great quantity
of supplies.
At Ferkeh all their camels, provisions
and ammunition fell into the hands Of the
Egyptians. The Dervlshes, who were some
Of the khalifa's picked troops, led by his
best emirs did their best to resist the at
tack The Baggaras among them refused
to surrender when death was the certain
alternative.
The Jaalin "a religious people, who were
once faithful Mahdists, but now detest
the khalifa's regime, and the blacks who
fought for the khalifa under constraint and
afterward were eager to join the Egyptian
army. constituted the bulk of the prison
ers. Nearly 300 were killed in camp includ-
ing fifty emirs. The brave commander,
Hammuda, was one of the slain.
The Egyptian troops were composed OF
the most stalwart men fthe nation. finer
in physique than any army in Europe, bet
ter fed and cared for than most European
soldiers. About 500 prisoners were taken
by the Egyptians, whose total loss was
only twenty killed and eighty wounded
The pursuit and the taking OF Suarda
brought the enemy's losses up to 1000
killed, wounded and prisoners. The EgyP-
tian camp was established at Kosheh, close
10 Ferkeh-
The khalifa, after the Ferkeh defeat.
preached holy war. an dsaid ne would
send large achievements OF 200 brave
men to Dongola, but. surrounded By the
dsanected, he dared not send many q MS
own tribe north. He sought support from
the Nile population, whom the Bsggaras
had hitherto kept in cruel subsection. re-
leasing the imprisoned Dongolese and jail
in chiefs. and giving them commands. The
Dervish garrison retired from the country
before suarda and Dongola, whence thoG-
sands flocked 20 the Egyptian camp. de-
lighted with the prospect % change q
rulers.
Wad e Bishara, enir % Dcngois- Or /
dered a muster Of all the males in me /.
province capable 81 peariag arms. De,eT- /