The times., 1898-09-25
THEIR RUSH TO DEATH
How the DerviShes Charged
the British Troops.
THE COURAGE 0F MADNESS
They Were Swept Away by the Rain
of BuIlets-But the White Men
Stood Firm as Stone WALL
No Sign of Wayering in the
Efercest Charge.

stroyed the Dervishes. written by the
correspondent of the London Standard.
the following is taken:
After the repulse of the enemy's first
attack on the position occupied by the
sirdar's forces the British biigades were
ordered to advance, the Egyptians and
Soudanese having been sent out to clear
the way. The enemy, who rallied on
height. now renewed the attack, directing
Il this time against the Khedive's troops
Streaming down the declivity, the Der
wishes were received by the Egyptian anu
Soudanese brigades with courage and
coolness that would have done credit TO
veterans Along the whole line OF Gen.
Macdonalds front-its right resting on
the river, its left reaching to the ridge
the khedive's troops stood as firm as IL
on parade There was no sign Of wavering
at any point, even where the rush threat
ened to the fiercest. Their discipline, too,
was excellent. their bullets telling he2v-
ny on the dense mass of the enemy, VINO
must have numbered here from ten to
fifteen thousand men.
Meanwhile the Sirdar, who had al
IGduA DtS dDO4I GOV o. 49, ~
on Ou.durman. saw what was happening
On his right, halted the British division,
changed front and went straight to the
assistance of Gen. Macdonald Wen as
they had fought and grandly as they
were holding their ground, the gallantry
of the Egyptian and Soudanese troops
had been sufficiently tested. They had
Taa d.. r nF,arsa mn
ton per man. Still, as a matter OF tact,
the victory was ali but won. and the only
British regiments brought into action to
support them were the Seaforth and
Cameron HighIanders. Thus it may fair
ly be said that to the khedive's Soudan-
ese and Egyptian troops belongs the
credit for the repulse OF the enemy at
this the turning point in the second
phase OF the engagement
"At the same time invaluable aid was
given by the Maxim batteries and the
Thirty-second Fled Battery, Royal Ar
tilIery The hill on the east on which the
Sidar and the British division halted.
was found to be held by a few Dervish
sharpshooters. These men, however, were
soon driven off. Then up ridge, run
ufng from the hill on the side command
ing the valley where he night between
the Khedive's troops and the enemy was
IN progress. guns and MaXims were drag
ged in an incredibly short space of time
Soon they were in position, and storm
OF shot and shell was falling thick and
fast on the masses Of Baggars IN the
broad valley below.
The advancing host fairly resled under
this dense hail Of lead and iron. BuS noi
even yet was the fight over Once again
the enemy attempted to sweep along the
valley, and Gen. Macdonald had TO
change front. so as to bring his line into
position facing south. This operation, In
the very heat Of combat, is not such an
easy matter as on a parade ground; but
the men behaved splendidly, ana in a few
seconds they were again pouring in
steady and effective fire on the Dervishes,
which served to check even the most
reckless of the Baggaras. The chances,
X should be noted, were now sensibly
more equal than in the earlier stage oi
the engagement; but never, even for a
moment. could those who watched the
fighting doubt the issue; and at this point
the bulk of the British division Were
merely spectators. The full brunt of the
battle was on the Khedive's troops.
Hitherto the Khalifa's Baggara cav
airy had taken but little part in the con-
fict It was his foot soldiers who, in
their mad. fanaticism, had been spending
witness an act of reckless daring not less
memorable than the charge of the Twen-
ty-first Lancers through 900 of the enc
my. After their first repulse the Dervish
infantry reformed on the west of the
valley and made ready for another as.
sault Seen from a distance their ranks
looked like one lone ridge of flashing
swords, SO thick was the mass of armed
men. Before them rode 2,000 or 300
hnr an roll ed nd armed Will
spears Their purpose was evident. The
horsemen meant to try 10 break through
the dark line in front and divert our fire
so as TO give the Dervish infantry al
opening. True to carry out these tactic!
they would have TO charge an army II
battle array; but the odds neither dis
mayed nor deferred these Arab warri
ors.
''Galloping forward in loose open or
der, they drew nearer and nearer th'
zone of our fire. For a short space tn,
fusillade from our line was suspended
Breathlessly every soldier in the Sirdar':
army watched this amazing feat of arms
Nearer and nearer came the enemy's cav
alry-men who could face certain death
Closer and yet closer they rode toward:
the thin black line. A sudden hush fel
upon the valley.
A thrill Of somber admiration pulsed
through our ranks. In a few moment
the intense silence was broken The enc
rnyrs nearest horSemeu, still riding gal
Iantly. got within 200 yards of US. The
a section of Macdonalds line opene
fire. Two of the Baggara horsemen wer
seen TO reel and fall from their saddles
A riderless horse came at a trot tOwar
our firing line. Still the enemys cavalr
rode on undismayed. Again flash iron
our rifles and stream of bullets. Hal
a dozen OF the Baggaras bit the dust
Saddle after saddle was emptied, unit
not a score of the Khalifa's hOrsemel
rode on, their white jebbas flowing in tn
wind, their spears brandished, their rein
loose
zone horseman. mounted on a magnif
cent bay, more fortunate, but not NOR
undaunted than his fellows, rode within
thirty yards of our line before he, toe
fell The Dervish cavalry was annihilat
ed. Not a horseman was left. The fiel
was strewn with corpses: by the side O
many the horses We're seen placidly graz
ing Yet all this was but the prelude I
a display of even more reckless courage
Not disheartened, but melted by the fat
of the cavalry, the Khalifa's infantry ad
vanced. Sweeping along the side of tn
valley, like some seething torrent tn
footmen now came on. firing their gun
and rifles as they pushed toward the Sil
dar's position. The air above US wa
thick with their missiles; but luckily the
aimed too high, and the bullets flew vair
ly overhead.
This was the Khalifa's last assault
and his banner was borne in the eente
Of the line of attack. Shot and shell rai
tied and Missed from the Maxims an
guns on the ridge commanding the va
ley: making great gaps in the ranks {
white jebba-clad Dervishes. A few NOR
rounds and the Maxims and artiller