Sir John French: An Authentic Biography

Nile Ex

f Abu Klea-Metammeh-The Death of Gordon-A Dangerou

enterprises more thoroughly than another, it was the Nile Expedition of 1884-5. What began as a forlorn hope ended in complete fai

r been opposed to his "Divine powers." Why Gordon should have been entrusted with the evacuation is not so doubtful. W.T. Stead and other journalistic pundits conceived him to be the man for the task, however much Egypt's ruler, Lord Cromer, might differ from their verdict. So to Khartoum Gordon was sent with an all too

LEEPE

ng was done. In April he found Khartoum besieged, but even that did not startle the Home authorities from their lethargy. At length, however, the Government realised that to al

e desert from Korti to Metammeh and thence to Khartoum; and a second up the Nile. With the luckless flying

nd two thousand camels, was on parade for inspection near Korti. At first there was

unprotected mass of camels, cheering and yelling. Everybody expected to see them break their ropes and career wildly over the desert.

that they would stand charging niggers or anything else in creation with equanimity. Sad to say we came to the conclusion that it was want of brains pur et simple that c

ITCHE

they refused to do. Said Stewart, "You will come anyway. If you like to ride to Metammeh tied on your camels well and good; if you prefer not being lashed on, you will get these nice

rk to do. During the whole weary march t

est hills, and with the help of your glasses discover them to be the 19th. Sir Herbert (Stewart) wa

ying across the desert towards the horizon, both the men and their ostrich-like steeds enveloped in a huge cloud of dust. A wind storm arose more than once, flinging blindin

find out the reason of a faint light burning far off on the plain.... They returned with several natives, a string of camels and several load

Klea. At this time French's work was peculiarly dangerous. He spent night

through to the wells at any cost. Leaving a very small force to hold his camp, he formed his main body into a square, in which form it advanced. No sooner had the advance begun than the enemy op

d by four to one. The attack was delivered with appalling force. The Arabs' shouts as t

ROKEN

hose solitary Gardner gun jammed at the critical moment. When Lord Charles Beresford was attempting to clear it his assistants were all

ually the Dervishes were driven off by the aid of the artillery. But there were the wells still to capture, and the detachment of the 19th Hussars was given that impor

l in the van. On the following night there was a scene of wild disorder. It was

extraordinarily dark, and there was no moon to light the way for the exhausted column through the wild and pathless country, which would have been difficult

saddles, boxes, etc., hastily flung up to protect his men. By this time the horses of the 19th Hussars were so done up as to render them useless. French's regiment,

RDS AT

into a square to meet the enemy's att

emy approach. The brunt of the attack was on the left angle of the front face, where the Guards and Mounted Infantry received the charge, at a distance of three hundred yards, with a fire so deadly that the front ranks of the yelling Der

e field. Yet not a single British soldier was either killed or wounded in actually repelling the charge. Among those seriously wounded later in the day was

ded that he never saw French so profoundly moved as he was on the receipt of these black tidings. With Khartoum fallen the mission of the flying column was ended. It

to take command. With him he brought only the Royal Irish and West Kent Regiments to

IRST

Khartoum had released a host of the Mahdi's followers, the storming of Metammeh was now a doubly difficult

to that unceasing pelting of bullets which Buller characterised in one of his laconic dispatches as "annoying." But Barrow, the Hussars' chief, was a master of the art of reconnoit

eceived information to the effect that the enemy was advancing upon him with a force of eight thousand men. He determin

y have seemed to the Eastern mind, was his sole means of covering his retreat. Orders were therefore given to fill up all the principal wells with stones and rubbish. It was certainly an effectual measure, for the enemy would be delayed for many hours, perhaps days

were coming back across the desert after our failure, the whole force depressed by the death of Gordon. I came on him about a hundred miles from the river-the last man of the last section of

ED IN D

r Buller was a believer in cavalry and used it wherever possible. In hi

Hussars, both during our occupation of Abu Klea and during our retirement. Each man has done the work o

ere not soldiers but heroes." None of the men earned the title more thoroughly than Major French and his troopers. "During the whole march from Korti," says Colonel Biddulph, "the entire scouting duty had been taken by the 19th Hussars, so that each day they covered far more ground than th

TNO

ile, by Count Gleichen, by permis

ile, by Count Gleichen, by permis

ile, by Count Gleichen, by permis

e information the writer is indebte

imes, by Col. J. Biddulph, by