Frank Power

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Frank Power, korrespondent for The Times i Khartoum, Sudan, under byens belejring i 1884-85.

Frank Power's last despatch

Khartoum. 31st July 1884
End of 5th month of siege
To Moberly Bell Esq., "Times" Correspondent, Cairo, Egypt.
Yesterday I sent you via Kasala a despatch giving situation here and chief incidents of siege since 23rd of March. I wrote you several times each week up to 23rd April when all hopes of men getting thro' to Berber had ceased.
For the last five months the siege has been very close, the Arab bullets from all sides being able to fall into the Palace. Since 17th March no day has passed without firing yet our losses in all at the very outside are not 700 killed. We have had a good many wounded but as a rule the wounds are slight. Since the siege General Gordon has caused biscuit and corn to be distributed to the poor, and up to this time there has been no case of anyone seriously wanting food.
Everything has gone up about 3,000 per cent in price and meat is (when you can get it) 8s. or 9s. an oker [an oke was an Egyptian unit of weight equivalent to approximately 2 pounds 13 ounces (1.3 kg)]. The classes who cannot accept relief suffer most. Since the despatch which arrived the day before yesterday all hope of relief by our Govt. is at an end, so when our provisions (which we have at a stretch for 2 months) are eaten we must fall; nor is there any chance; with the soldiers we have and with the great crowd of women, children etc; of our being able to cut our way thro' the Arabs.
We have not steamers for all and it is only from the steamers we can meet the rebels. One Arab horseman is enough to put 200 of our men to flight. The day Saati Bey was killed 8 men with spears charged 200 of our men armed with Remingtons. The soldiers fled at once leaving Saati and his Vakeel to be killed. A black officer cut down 3 of the Arabs and the other five chased our men. A horseman coming up rode thro' the flying mass cutting down seven. Col. Stewart, who was unarmed, got off by a fluke, the Arabs not having seen him. With such men as these we can do nothing. The negroes are the only men we can depend upon.
On the 28th of this month the attack made by the Soudani troops under Mehemet Ali Pasha was most successful. The Arab loss must have been very heavy. As Gordon has forbidden the soldiers to bring in the heads of rebels they kill, it is now hard to know the exact number. We captured that day, 16 shells and cartouches for mountain gun, a quantity of rifle ammunition, 78 Remingtons, a number of elephant and other rifles, nearly 200 lances, 60 swords and some horses. Our loss 4 killed and some slightly wounded. This action has cleared away the rebels who day and night have been firing into our lines at Buri on the Blue Nile.
The following day (29th inst.) a flotilla of 5 armoured steamers and 4 armoured barges with castles on them, went up to Gareff, Blue Nile. I went with them. On the way up we cleared 13 small forts, but at Gareff found two large strong forts. Earthworks rivetted with trunks of palm trees. There were 2 cannon in one. For 8 hours we engaged these forts having with the Krupp 20 pounder disabled their two cannon. The Arab fire was terrific, but owing to the bullet proof armour on all the vessels our loss was 3 killed and 12 or 13 wounded.
Towards evening we drove the rebels (who were in great numbers) out of the forts. In 3 days General Gordon will send two steamers towards Sennar. It is hoped they will retake the steamer Mehemet Ali which the rebels took from Saleh Bey. Gordon is quite well and Stewart quite recovered from his wound. Kindly wire to Mrs Power, 57 Merrion Square, Dublin, Ireland to say I am quite well and happy.
Frank Power.
Times Correspondent.