Posted on 08/15/2016 10:47:40 AM PDT by NRx
A (mostly) daily posting for those interested in history and the day to day news, politics and culture of a bygone world; the full edition of the New York Tribune from today's date in 1896 (digitized).
(Excerpt) Read more at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov ...
If you want on or off the ping list for the daily newspaper from 120 years ago, drop me a line, either here or by FReep mail. The rate is 23 cents per week (3 cents for the dailies and a nickel for Sunday).
Just curious= why do you do 120 years ago, instead of 100?
120 seems like an odd number
So she was the Queen of de Nile?
120 is an even number:)
This was a popular war, driven partly by the popular desire to avenge the death of General Gordon at Khartoum. Popular with the people, the politicians wanted nothing to do with it. If you want to find out how the Brits did against the "Dervishes" (the ISIS of its time) you should look it up.
120 puts us half way through the last decade of the 19th century, which was truly the end of an era. 100 years ago lands us in the middle of the Great War and the dawn of modernity. Being hopelessly reactionary, I prefer the 1890’s. The Great War is too depressing. It remains the greatest calamity to befall Western Civilization since at least the French Revolution.
As you will know, but had to put in a little history here for others. The British did not wish to be cut off in the desert without water for their expedition. A railway was gradually built from Egypt to the Sudan. fanatics of Islam did not realise it's strategic value. It had water tankers and supplies easily transported.
Finally came the stand off. 20,000 crazed horsemen willing to die for Allah. The British lines at Omdurman holding with some Egyptian troops, plus the black Sudanese troops. On they came. The British had the Maxim, the Gatlin and the Gardner machine guns all American manufacture. About 11,000 horsemen died and never reached the bayonets of their enemy.
The Khalifa (Mahdist leader) retreated with his ministers and waited on his blanket for his doom. The Sudan went back to Egyptian control. Had those troops lost they would have been massacred to a man. Which happened to 10,000 Egyptian troops in the Sudan under Sir Michael Hicks in 1883. Two observers survived. They were Austrian. Finally escaped from Islam after many years.
Is that the expedition where a young Winston Churchill got his first real taste of war?
no, 119 would be an odd number
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