The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-24
EXTINCTION OF MAHDISM.
BRITISH orr GERS ACCOUNT OF TIE
KILLING OF THE MILITIA.


Eahdlsm is event Of such great Importance
and IL was accom- plishcd lInder such circum.
stances Of dramatic interest that no one can
fall to appreciate the following moro complete
record Of tho great tragedy. tbs from the ron Of
the British officer second in command Of Gen
wingatc's army. and II has Just reached his family
In London:
In my last letter I told you was my way
up to Join in the Khafn hunt; II is all over now,
and am on my way back again. IL has been
the quickest thing and most complete have ever
taken part In. On the 10Th November left Don
cola and, joining the Srdar at Wady Halfa,
travelling express speed all the way, arrived at
Ehartoum on the 18th The Srdar there appointed
wingats TO command tho operations We left
khaftoum the same evening and arrived at Fachi
Shoyn, the point OF concentration Of the troops
on the evening Of tho 2Oth and Wingatc there
took over command from Lewis and my work
began. Steamers kept on arriving all night
and depositing men and animals: by 8 A. NJ
oil details had arrived. AT 10 A. NJ. ell G. O.'s
were sent for and Wingntc gave out to them
his plan OF campaign and the orders for tho
carrying out OF the same. together with tho
distribution Of the transport animals some
one thousand--for the carrying Of food. water.
&C, the water being the Difficult, point, We hay
Ing only enough tanks to carry water for our
men and animals for two and a half days at tho
rnto OF men one gallon. horses six, and mules
four. camels none. AT $50 the same dny we started
from tho river and m Grched some four and half
or five miles by sunset and then halted in square
till the moon should rise. At 1915 L. ~ wo
started again and marched till dawn when we
halted. as we were supposed 10 be near the camp
OF tho Khalifa's advance guard under Ahmed
Fedil. OF Gedarif fame, and Lewis's opponent at
RosSeircs, at Melissa Our cavalry carefully re-
oonnotred and eventually found Melissa vacated.
II was only a spot in q bushy desert where there
was small pool Of very dirty water We arrived
there about a. NJ, having marched twenty
seven miles since leaving tho river We then
watered our animals. while our Arab irregular
horsomen under n most gallant Egyptian officer
followed In the tracks Of tho rercatcd force OF
Ahmed Fedil. Very soon they returned and
70 our great Joy reported that Fcdn's force was
only about three miles further ON cncamlcd by
the water pool Of Abo AarGel Fearing that Fedn
might az ain retreat before infantry could
oome up Wingnte most iudCiously and promptly
sent on our cavalry camel corps. two guns and
four maxims escorted 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. n most iully-along Job so the In.
fantry could not e on till that was done
Col. Mahon, our A. 4. G., a cavalry officer Of |
great experience. commanded the advance guard. |
he drove In tho cnemy's cavalry scouting in front /
Of him, and after carefully accommodating the posi-
ton seized hill close 10 Feiiis camp which prac-
Ideally commanded the same. lie at once shclcd |
tho camp with his two guns, and tho enemy at.
tackled him, trying TO drive him oil the hill a. our
came up and Joined his party. They !
were Just in time 10 rcpe most detc rmincd at ,
tempt to capture the hill and guns. The Der. /
vshos charged with all their old dash and galantry
md wero only finally stopped within sixty yards
Df the guns and MaHims. The two nearest Of /
zho slain were tod together at the wrist and lay
Head side by side The prisoners told us after
ward that they were two great friends who had
Always lived together and finally had decided
70 die. as they had lived together
II was touching sight, and mado ono wish
Mat such bravo men had fallen in better cause
That charge being defeated, we made general
ADVANCE OF the whole line. driving the now de.
Gated enemy through their camp. and many
ailos on through the bush. The cavalry did not
=turn from the pursuit till late in tho afternoon.
md We encamped some two miles beyond the place
mall, one, Egyptian officer badly wounded. one
nan killed and five wounded. while We could
cunt some four, hundred Of the enemy dead, ard
lad some three hundred prisoners, most Of them
FOUNDED, and their store Of grain. which Ahmed
sedil had been collecting for tho khaliia's force
Thus you see We had begun well. Marching
wentys seven miles by light, We had practically
,In,nS s .S hhsss ndv1ncg guard and ami
vas more difficult, because We were uncertain
rs 70 The actual position Of the khalifa himself
some said that he was at the wells Of G edd othctts
,, Tho water pools OF ON Homare and, again,
hafa had three courses open ' tS t SO ans Iho
% march via Gcdid TO Shcrkech where he could
20 OUT OF reach; secondly, TO advance s,reirht !
tn retiF tl, 4. l
some dangerous move as he had exhausted
~ 1000 and water coming. We had two n;crna-
twenty,soyen miles from us. or 10 go to Geld,
pght MIN II We found him there or go from there
to ON Homara, or wherever he might be located
s.sidsSf q, WIN !hs acumcn q true straegist
81 s 70 no G ,S I there he could
teeh out Of reach, and Il would place him in an
eav ant, position 70 s,tike the Khafa Il
fedl had retreated, his original plan Of ADVANCE
OuI only difficulty was the uncertainty Of nnding
you'd not drink: 40 we sent back all our empty
INKS WIZ Win aoS cames from Abo Aardcl to ihe
os at that place in two days time: we had sill
ono ana hall days water. and We reckoned that
Il w e9T ionn gst to Gedid ,wentyth,ee miles and
ofeE next day and meet out water So at mid.
Nv s %ns I. again ha and and got to Gcdd
backs after little sleep and less water Al N G snf
| ,
eold US the khalifa was at Masarudn some seven
miles southeast. the road to which was through
, d-nseiy wooded country. Our useful ATSb |
scouts under the same Egyptian officer. We're
,ntIusted with the Job Of ending out tho truth
and on they went, II being deemed inadyisabl, |
20 loi our regular troops be seen until We wrtc |
near enough to strike-a wise prccauiton |
Luckily we found AZ Gedid a large DooI NJ .y |
client wafer which relieved US from nny hIr,hrr |
lnAiey on that score So we watcrcd ali our | ,
non and horses and chmrls filed our t,nka |
,o2sca our hrst meal and generally rested Al |
I, NJ our scouts returned. and The officer re- |
ported that he had found no one al NugnT,i.in
'ui NAV nc had actually located the KHaliis
~ inc former place and only about six miles from
'ui camp inc road being fairly open and good
Tong except In few places where the trees wers
nick This was indeed good news, and We thrn {
pew that unless tho khalifa rctreated in he
hgh' we must get go In at him AL NJ ,
,oAt morning We started with tho moon nbont
quarter size, well up. Our transport we iett
'ehlhd with orders TO follow at a A. NJ I'VE moved
nost carefully, covered by cavalry In front and ,
,tameis on hanks: not q sound was heard except
re Ioot5tops Of men and horses and occa sionSiiv
nc cthck on pioneer axe cutting way through |
~ thlck bush for the column behind him ~ ioiInS
aI.nt three miles we halted, and CUl Mnhnn
,er on WITH few men. and carefully felt his
'n siig INA, me highest ground near their camp
|, ~ n. nage with gently soping ground In front
N, " di towaId the camp was unoccupied and at