The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-07
BOBS" AND HIS BIG LIEUTENANT.

was In q state Of anarchy and It's army
was ruined. Kitchener learned that this
army was to be reorganized by English
officers, and he volunteered for the service.
His past vaIor was not forgotten and he
was accepted. He became governor gen.
era1 of the Red sea littoral and command
ant at suakim. While holding this office
he was called on to break Osman Dignas
power in the eastern Soudan, and with this
object the battle of HANDFUL was fought.
With about 600 men, consisting OF cavalry.
camel corps and Sudanese infantry, assist
ed by Bashi -Bazouks and friendly Arabs,
who had come over to his side. he saved
the important position of the Wells Of
HANDFUL from falling into the hands OF the
Dervishes and nearly succeeded in catch
ing Osman Digna himself. Kitchener was
badly wounded in the face at this battle,
and was retired from the service for some
time.
In 1888 he defeated Osman Digna at the
siege OF Suakim He commanded only ma
tive Sudanese battalions, but his faith in
them was unbounded. He led them within
200 yards of formidable breastworks with
out firing shot, but when he did give the
word to go they. poured whitening hail OF
lead into the Arabs position and then car
ried the trenches with rush that would
ing with their bayonets the destruction OF
the enemy.
x Xxx
Kitchener fought again at CANADIAN, at
the battle OF Tosk and at Dongola. He has
been twice shot at by bedouins, nearly
murdered In Palestine, narrowly escaped
being hanged as a spy, besides the ordi-
nary risks in dozen different battles.
Xxx
At Omdurman, In his eagerness to get
where he could see the progress Of the
fight, he came a trife too near the lines
of fire Of his own men and bullet cut
through the sleeve of his coat. The scene
after the battle, which he won, is de-
scribed by eye witnesses as frightful. The
dead Of the dervishes lay around in thickly
piled masses The Martini bullets and the
quick-firing guns had cut them down in
such heaps that the ground was white
dyed with blood. No quarter was given.
A wounded dervish is more dangerous
than one not wounded. especially II he Is
wounded to the death and knows It.
K x x
The victory of Kitchener left him the
controlling power Of the region that COM
prises the bases Of the Niger, Lake Tchad
and the branch OF the Nile that is called
Behr-el-G hazal. His sphere Of influence
with population Of over 100000
Xxx x
The highest praise paid Kitchener Is
that he never neglects the condition of his
men, but when they fight they must fight
as men never fought before 1t is said
that men serving under him are better
cared for than II they were the pampered
pets Of a wealthy. household, but that
when they go Into battle he compels them
to take chances from which less daring
commanders would shrink. An English
authority, writing OF him, said: The mill
tary genius of Kitchener is simply beyond
criticism"
x * x
The same apparently may be said Of
Gen. Roberts. It is to be distinctly remem-
bered, though. that neither man has ever
been pitted against white men In his fight
ing career. Wolseiey was in the Crimea,
but Lord Roberts made his reputation
lighting Sepoys and Afghans. while Kitch-
. ener's battlefield record rests upon the
slain bodies of bowling dervishes Pitted
against the talents Of this duo are now
the mountain walls Of country as rug
ged as India, the science of German arttl-
ierymen, the skill of Frenchmen In the
trenches, the tactical ability of American
officers and the unyielding obstinacy Of
Boer generals.