The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-30

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an event Of such great Importance and
it was accomplished under such cir
cumstanees of dramatic interest that
no one can tan to appreciate the follow
ing more complete record of the great
tragedy. 1t is from the pen of the
British officer second in command OF
General wingate's army, and it has Just
reached his family in London;
In my last letter I told you was on
my way up to Join in the Rhallfa hunt;
It is all over now, and am on my way
back again. 1t has been the quickest
thing and most complete I have ever
taken part in. On the 18th Of Novem-
Der left Dongola, and. Joining the
sIrdar at wady Hslfa, travelling ex-
press speed all the way, arrived at
Khartoum on. the 18th, The sirdar
there appointed wingate to command
the operations. We left Khartoum the
same evening and arrived at Fachi
shoya, the point of concentration of the
troops, on the evening or the Goth. and
wIngate there took over command
from Lewis, and my work began.
Steamers kept on arriving all night
and depositing men and animals; by 8
a. m. all details had arrived. At 10 q
m. all C. o.'s were sent for and Win
gate gave out to them his plan of
campaign and the orders for the carry
ing out Of the same together with the
distribution Of the transport animals
some one thousand-for the carrying Of
food, water, ETC., the water being the
dimcuIt part, we having only enough
tanks to carry water for our men and
animals for two and a half days at the
rate Of men one gallon. horses six, and
mules four, camels none. AT $3.50 the
same day we started from the river and
marched some four and half or Eve
miles by sunset. and then halted in
square till the moon should rise. At
lO:45 p. m. we started again and
marched until dawn. when we halted,
as we were supposed to be near the
camp of the Khalifa's advance guard,
under Ahmed Fedil, of Gedarif fame,
and Lewls's opponent at Rosseires, at
Melissa. Our cavalry carefully recon-
noitred, and eventually found Melissa
vacated. It was only spot in bushy
desert where there was a small pool Of
very dirty water. We arrived there
about s a. M having marched twenty
seven miles since leaving the river. We
then watered our animals while our
Arab irregular horsemen under most
gallant Egyptian officer followed in the
tracks Of the retreated force OF Ahmed
Fedil. Very soon they returned. and to
our great Joy reported that Fedil's
force was only about three miles fur
thief on, encamped by the water pool Of
Abo Aardel. Fearing that Fedil might
again retreat before our infantry could
come up. wlngate most judlcIously and
promptly sent on our cavalry camel
corps, two guns and four maxims. es-
corted by our black irregular infantry,
10 try and engage Ahmed Fedil. and
hold him until our regular infantry and
guns could come up. We had to serve
out the water from the tanks, most
awfully-a long job-so the infantry
could not 90 until that was done.
Colonel Mahon, our a. A. G., a caval-
~ officer of great experience, COM
Z manded the advance guard. He drove
in the enemy's cavalry scouting in
front OF him, and after carefully recon-
noItering the position seized q hill close
to Fedlrs camp. which practically COM
manded the same. He at once shelled
the camp with his two guns, and the
enemy attacked him. trying to drive
him of the hill as our infantry came
up and Joined his party. They were
Just in time to repel most determined
attempt TO capture the hill and guns.
The Dervishes charged with all their
old dash and gallantry and were only
finally stopped within sixty yards OF
the guns and Maxims. The two nearest
OF the slain were tied together at the
wrist and lay dead side by side The
prisoners told US afterward that they
we're two great friends who had al
ways lived together, and finally had de-
cided to die. as they had lived, togeth-
er.
It was touching sight, and made one
wish that such brave men had fallen in
a better cause. That charge being de-
feated, we made a general advance Of
the whole line. driving the now defeated
enemy through their camp, and many
miles on through the bush. The cav
airy did not return from the pursuit till
late In the afternoon. and we encamped
some two miles beyond the place where
we had fought. Our losses were very
small, one Egyptian officer badly
wounded. one man killed and five
wounded. while we could count some
four hundred OF the enemy dead, and
had some three hundred prisoners,
most Of them wounded, and their store
OF grain, which Ahmed FedIl had been
collecting for the KhalIEa's force by
Riding and looting the surrounding
country.
Thus you sec We had begun we'll
Marching twenty.seven miles by night
we had practically surprised the Khal'
lfas advance guard and annihiiated 1t
and captured his food The next move
was more difficult because we were
uncertain as to the actual position Of