The Irish standard., 1899-07-15
Terrible Indictment Against. tho
kEnglishlsoldiers.::
NUMBERING THE DEFENSELRSS ENEMY
Some Historical Facts. Found in
The State Archives.

]. G. Swift MacNeill, M. P, who has
been writing series OF articles for the
Dublin Frceman's Journal on the in
surrection OF 'oS, draws this effective
parallel between Omdurman and Ire
land:
my object in directing public atten-
ton to the leading events in the Irish
insurrection of 1898 was practical.
Nothing is i'll my judgment more un-
mistakable than the fact that the roots
OF the present lie deep in the past, and
my erdeavor to recall to recollection the
great movement for the redemption of
Ireland from an infamous foreign rule
at the close Of the last century was de-
signed to impress upon the minds of my
fellow-countrymen that the castle sys-
tenn, which was founded on atrocities
whose very contemplation creates hor-
FOR, should be attacked in season and
out OF season, and that on its ruins
1rshmcn should unite in rcconstructing
the native Legislature which was de-
stroyed by combination of force and
fraud for which history affords no par
allel. Interest in matter of a cent
ury ago, if languid, can be powerfully
stimulated by circumstances of the pres
ent day which are in some respects an
alagous. | accordingly invite my read
ers to endcavor to realize some OF the
atrocities perpetratcd by English troops
in 1898 in the light shed on the hu-
nanity OF the English troops in the re-
cent Soudanesc campaign.
when gradually the news leaked out
that unarmcd and wounded men had
been massacrcd in cold blood at Omdur-
man, it was received with sensations Of
disgust and Indignation. Mr.. Ernest
Bennett, who was present on the field of
Omdurman, in an article in the Con-
temporary Review for last January, tcs-
tifying to the scenes he had actually
witnessed, says:
No justification whatever exists for
the butchcry of unarmcd or manifcstly
helpless men lying wounded on the
ground. This certainly took place afctr
the battle of Omdurman. Dervshes
who lay with shattered legs and arms,
absolutely without weapons, were bay
oncttcd and shot without mercy. This
unsoldicrly work was not left 10 the ex-
elusive control OF the black troops; our
own British soldiers took part in it. At
one place on the western slopes of Sing
ham I noticed a fine old Dcrvish with a
gray beard, who, disabled by wound
in his legs, lay PROSTATE beside small
bush. He had apparently attempted to
escape towards Omdurman with the
rest of the Khalifa's forces who sur-
vivcd, but his wound had prevented
this and the fugitive had sunk down on
the ground about eight yards behind his
son, boy OF II, whose right leg had
also been laceratcd by bullet. Neither
the father nor the son had any weapons
at all, yet Highlander stepped out of
the ranks and drove his bayonet
through the old mans chest. The vic
tim Of this needless brutality begged in
vain for mercy and clutched the SOL
dicr's bayonet, reddening his hands
with his own blood in futile attempt to
prevent a second thrust. No effort was
made by any comrade or officer to pre-
vent this gratuitous bit OF butchery, nor,
of course, could any officer have inter-
fcrcd very we'll if the soldier, as was
said to be the case, was only acting in
accordance with the wishes OF the gen.
cral in command"
"This terrible indictment against
British soldiery of numbering in cold
blood defenseless enemies brings home
to us, in all its terrible reality, the de-
scriptions given by Lord Cornwallis,
the military lord lieutenant OF Ireland,
OF the conduct of the British troops to
our own people in the insurrection of
1898.
"Thc lord lieutenant OF the union in
his confidential correspondence speaks
of the ferocity of our troops, who de-
light in MURDER OF their cruelty, when
any poor wretches, with or without
arms, come within their power In
short, murder appears to be their favor
lite pastime.' Again, in a private letter
to the Duke OF Portland, to be laid by
him before the English cabinet, Lord
CORVALLIS says, writing Immediately
after the battle of Vinegar Hill: The