The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-18
TWO MILITARY HEROES.

TWO MILITARY HEROES.
Lords Roberts and Kitchener to Di-
rect the south African War.
LONDON. Dec. 1S.-Shortly before mid
night the following notice was posted at
the War Ofice:
"As the campaign In Natal. in the opin-
ion Of her Majesty's government, is likely
to require the presence and undivided at
tention of Gen. Sir Redvers Butler it has
been decided to send Baron Roberts of
Kandahar and Waterford as commander
in-chief in South Africa, with Lord Kitch-
ener as chief of staff
Lord Roberts was born at Cawnpore
Sept. 30. 1882. He is a son of Gen. Sir Abra-
ham Roberts. He was educated at Cliff
ton. Eton. Sandhurst and Addiscombe, en-
tered the Bengal Artillery in 1851; was at
the siege of Delhi and took active part in
the subsequent operations down to the re-
lief of Lucknow, winning the V. c. in 1885,
He was assistant quartermaster general
in the Abyssinian QS6S and Lushai QS7l-
72) expe0iIlons. In the Afghan war, in
1878, Roberts, now major general, forced
the Afghan position on Peiwar Kotui and
was made K. c. B. Qs79) After the mur-
der of Cavagnari and mis- escort at Kabuf
he defeated the Afghans at Charasia, took
possession of Kabul and assumed the gov
ernment. Yakub Khan was sent a pris-
oner to India, but Abdul Rahman was pro-
claimed Ameer, General Burrows was
crushingly defeated at Maiwand and the
British Kandahar garrison was besieged.
On Aug. 8. 1880, Sir Roberts set out with
10000 troops on his memorable march
through Afghanistan to the relief of Kan
dahar. Three weeks later he reached it
and completely routed Ayub Khan. In
1881, now a baronet, he was appointed
commander-in-chief In India. Created
Lord Roberts of Kandahar and Waterford
in 1892, he became field marshal and COM
mander-in-chief in Ireland in 1896 He
published "The Rise Of Wellington" QS95)
and "Forty-one Years in India QS9O, and
latter phenomenal success.
Lord Kitchener, who is at present in
command Of the British troops in Egypt,
is forty-eight years old. He was graduated
from Woolwich Academy and obtained a
commission on the Royal Engineers as
lieutenant In January. 1871. In the usual
routine of British garrison life he came
to the rank of captain after twelve years
filled with commonplace events. This was
in December. 1888. Six weeks later he
went to Egypt. There his own particular
Of
After the Tel-el-Kebir campaign, he was
employed on general duty for eighteen
months, and was then attached to Sir
Charles Wilson, with the rank of brevet
major. at the outset of the Nile expedition,
in September, 1884. AT this time his name
began to appear in the telegraphic dis
patches, and he was soon promoted to
brevet lieutenant colonel for his work I'm
the Intelligence Department. In this branch
of the service his experience as an Of
ficer of engineers began to show itself as
II has continued to do throughout his entire
career down to the time of Omdurman; he
has built railroads or opened caravan
routes before he has moved his army for
ward. He remained with the Intelligence
Department until July. 1885, Subsequently
II. c. Chermside. as governor general of
the Red sea littoral, and commandant at
Suakin. He was in command of a special
body OF Egyptian troops trained under his
own direction ,in the brief campaign of
Haudub against Osman Digna in 1883, when
he was severely wounded, but obtained the
post of A d. c. to the Queen, which car
ries with 1t the rank Of colonel. In the
following year he was twice mentioned In
government dispatches, for his action in
the Gamaizah affair, where he commanded
brigade of the Egyptian army, and again
at the battle of Toski. where Sir Francis
Grenfell broke the advance Of the Dervish
hosts toward the north. For these actions
Kitchener was also made Companion of
the Bath but 1t was not until 1896 that he
was made a knight in the same order.
This was for an action which elevated him
at once as one OF the marked men for
fame in the world, and one from whom
eyes have never since been withdrawn.
Sir Francis Grenfell had retired from the
office of sirdar or commander -in-chief OF
the Egyptian army in 1892. and Kitchener
was appointed to fill his place. thus receiv-
ing the local rank of ferik or lieutenant
general. while his rank in the British army
remained unchanged. When the British
Cabinet. In 1895. determined on a recon
quest OF the Khedival possessions and re-
inforced Kitcheners Egyptian forces with
troops from India and the old country
they evidently knew the man in whom they
placed the execution OF their plans. The
sirdar was slow and deliberate. but he
was sure. and they had patience.
After the recapture OF Dongola in the
summerSof 1896. Kitchener became, with q
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