The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-03-28 00:00:00

THE NARRATIVE OF THE WAR.
THE ADVANCE AGAINST OSMAN
DIGNA.

GREAT BA.TTLE.-THE REBELS ROUTED.

Last week closed with another brilliant victory for
British arms, and an utter defeat of the rebels It
will be remembered that General Graham's forces
prepared for a determined advance against Osman
Digna, and that a successful reconnaissance was made
as far as Haskeen on Thursday. On Friday morning
the whole forces were under orders to march out
from Souakim, and the march and the subsequent
events are narrated as follows by the special corre-
spondent of the Daily aronie.-74. Writing from
ilasheen camp, Friday, three p.m., he says: The
march out from Souakim in the early morning proved
without incident. No obstacle was met with on the
way. Our advance towards the enemy's position was
made in square formation, or rather the formation
was that of three sides of a square, the gallant
Marines, the Berkshire Regiment, and the Surrey
men farming the front, the Guards being on the right
flank, and the Indians on the left. Scouting ahead
in open order were the Mounted Infantry, and
then the cavalry, the whole forming a most impos-
ing force. The march was over trying ground,
pebbles, or rather miniature [boulders, and thick
mimosa bush rendering the march a fatiguing one.
On arrival at the site selected for our new camp, a
halt was called, the men preserving the same forma-
tion. General Graham, with his staff, rode up to the
summit of the hillock inside the right flank of our
force, from which he was able, by the aid of his
glasses, to gain an uninterrupted view of the plain,
and to search carefully the surrounding ridges. At
this time no force of the enemy were observable. The
site selected for our camp is between two hills, rising
in a parallel line, and another hill crossing the two
towards Hasheen. In the sheltered valleythus formed
it was decided to build an advanced zareea, and
the work was commenced instantly, being carried
on without cessation. It has been decided that the
Surrey men shall guard this camp and defend it until
the general advance is made against Osman Digna.
Redoubts were built on the summits of the hills,
which I have already described, in such a way as to
command every approach to the zareba. Altogether
four of these redoubts were mapped out, a Gardner
gun being placed in each. This work having satis-
factorily been put in hand, our force advanced again
from the zareba towards the hills where the enemy
•
were supposed to be. It was not long before the
rebels were sighted in some force, occupying a
hill directly in our line of advance. General
Graham and his staff took up their posi-
tion upon a commanding eminence, from
whence they could closely watch all the rebel move-
ments, and direct the advance of our own troops.
The Marines and Berkshire Regiment were ordered
to advance to the attack, and this they did at the
double in such gallant style that to an on looker it
had very much the appearance of a race for the
hillocks on the right of the ridge where the rebels
were posted. These hillocks, once gained, would to
a certain extent turn the enemy's left. The Marines
were first to reach the mounds, and then, opening a
well-directed fire upon the enemy, covered the further
advance of the Berkshire men, who, turning direct
upon the rebel position commenced the ascent of the
hill on which the rebels now began to show in very
large numbers. Steadily pushing on, firing as they
went, the Berkshire men went over the ground
in good style, until within a short distance of
the summit, when, with a ringing cheer, they
rushed over the ridge, clearing the enemy out in
splendid style. From the time the order to advance
was given until the Berkshires held the crowning
ridge not fifteen minutes had elapsed. Half a
moment's breathing time and the Berkshire men were
on again, sending the rebels helter-skelter over the
spur into the plain below. Here the Bengal Cavalry,
acting on the left base, charged the retreating rebels,
the Indians with their conspicuous turbans, their
flashing lances, and waving pennons making a gallant
show in the noonday sun. But the Bengalee was not
to have it all his own way. A small body of the
rebels, as nearly as I could judge about forty in
number, turned upon their pursuers, and charged
with the utmost bravery. An old Sheikh, mounted.
upon a camel, led the Arabs on, waving his spear fran-
tically, and his followers nothing loth, rushed around
the Bengalese flank getting to their rear. The Indians
charged home, piercing many of the rebels, and
driving the others round the back of the hill before
the Guards' square, which was drawn up on the right
base. But as the Bengalese went back the rebels
gathered again like a cloud behind them, and the
Indians were fairly chased home. For a moment it
seemed as if a vast confusion must ensue, but matters
were soon righted. The Guards poured a heavy fire
into the Arabs, but the rebels, following close upon
the Bengalese, prevented the shots from having due
effect. To give the Bengalese an opportunity of re-
forming, the Guards' square slowly fell back, firing
all the time upon the rebels. Gradually the fire
became more effective. The Marines, who still
occupied their position on the hillocks, covered the retro-
grade movement of the Guards' square, pouring a steady
fire upon the Arabs. In an instant, however, the
natives regained the hill, from which the Berkshire
men had previously dislodged them, and at once
opened fire upon our men. It was at this moment
that Captain Dallison of the Guards was killed, to-
gether with a private, whiletwo others were wounded.
The whole force then fell gradually back for some
little distance, when the Surrey men, who were hold-
ing the entrenched camp, and who had guns to protect
the position, opened fire from the hillock on which
the General and his staff were stationed, and soon
shelled the enemy from the hill which he had occu-
pied. The rebels had managed, however, to inflict
severe loss upon the Indians, Major Robertson being
wounded, together with six of his men, while five privates
were killed. The Indians whose horses were disabled
stood little chance, the rebels giving no quarter and
finishing them off instantly. Seeing the straits in
which the Bengalese were placed, the Horse Artillery
quickly unlimbered, and opened fire in their support,
but too late to effect an immediate improvement.
The enemy scattered their forces directly the shells
fell amongst them, and the artillery were drawn into
the Gtrlrds' square. The rebels showed no dispo-
sition to come near the Guards, but quickly fell back
when the full force of their fire was experienced.
Doctor Leng, while acting in the square, received a
bullet wound in the shoulder, which is of a
serious character. The sth Lancers in the mean-
time charged down the pass leading to the zereba,
but did not operate against the enemy on the
plains. They dispersed the rebels before them in
gallant style, but here and there little groups of
rebels scorned to fly, and met their fate, fighting to
the last. In this charge Major Harvey, of the sth
Lancers, was wounded; and Sergeant Nicholls and
one private killed and two men wounded. The
Lancers drove the enemy to the back of the mound,
and from thence those who were unwounded made
their way to the hills beyond, and were quickly out
of range. The Infantry, in scouting towards the
rebel village, had two men wounded on the way.
After the enemy was shelled from the hill he
disappeared into his fastnesses, and fighting was
over for the day. The whole force then returned
to the zareba bringing the wounded into the
improvised hospital, where the most serious
hurts were attended to, and every comfort afforded
them. The one event of the day has been the
episode of the Bengal Lancers, the rebels showing
the same contempt for cavalry that they have done
on previous occasions, and pursuing their old tactics
of lying down, and then springing up as the horses
passed, and hamstringing them. One cause for the
confusion into which the Bengalese were thrown was
the rapidity with which the rebels acted. Directly
they saw a slight turn in their favour they acted
upon it like a streak of light, and were among the
Indians like a flash, leaving the Bengalese no time
to re-form. It is certain that English cavalry would
never have lost their heads as the Indians did. Cap-
tain Thomson, acting as cavalry brigade-major, made
a determined attempt to rally the Bengalese, and had
the narrowest shave of his life in so doing. Calling
upon his men to stop, and setting them the example,
he was set upon by a few natives, who hamstrung his
horse. Man and beast fell to the ground together,
and Captain Thomson being pressed under the
horse, was only saved from death by the gallantry of
one of his men, who sprang over him and warded off
the thrusts until further assistance arrived, and
Thomson was extricated. Veterinary Baldock, who
was preventing riderless horses from reaching the
enemy, narrowly escaped being speared by a party of
Arabs who rushed at him. The enemy did not attack
in one solid body, but in isolated parties, so that, in
fact, a series of fights were going on at the same time.
There were several bodies of about 50 Arabs in each,
with a sheikh to direct their movements and it was
one of these parties that first got round the Ben-
galese flank. The Arabs to-day maintained their
high reputation for bravery. They showed, how.
ever, a wholesome dread of coming to close
quarters with our infantry, but as before men-
tioned they exhibited complete contempt for the
cavalry. There were altogether about 3000 Arabs
opposed to us on the hills on our front. Another
contingent of about 1000 men attempted to cut our
communication with the camp, but the East Surrey
men were too sharp to allow this to be carried into
'effect, and the enemy, baffled, joined the main body.
t The British casualties are about 40 killed and
Wounded. The enemy's loss is unknown, but I should
estimate it at quite 400. Too much praise cannot be
given to the infantry for their steady behaviour undel
most trying circumstances. Hordes of rebels swarm-•
ing all round them, the ground of a most broketi
character, and a temporary confusion through thil
falling back of the Indians, were borne and met
steadily with the steady gallantry which has ever dbl.
tinguished English troops.

FURTHER FIGHTING.—TERRIBLE
SLAUGHTER ON BOTH SIDES.
Farther news from Souakim on Saturday staled
that the enemy made no attempt during the night to
disturb the Surrey men in their zareba at Hasheen,
but at daybreak small parties of rebels were found to
have taken up positions on the neighbouring heights,
whence they were dispersed by our guns. The bulk of
our forces were to start at daybreak on Suriday pro-
bably forHandoub,7where another zareba was intended
to be eonstructed preparatory to the final advance on
Taznai.. Surgeon-Major Lane, who was severely
wounded in the chest during fighting on Friday, ditti
on Saturday in bosnitaL''

The special correspondent of the Daily Chronicle
telegraphed from "near Baker's zareba, Sun:ay, 9.30
p.m., the following graphic account of the advance
and the severe fighting which characterised it:
Instead of being cowed by the lesson of Friday, the
rebels have become emboldened, and to-day they
attacked us with much skill and the greatest bravery.
In accordance with the plan of General Graham's
operations, a strong force left here this morning to
construct another vareba beyond the one laid down
on Friday. We marched from Souakim early this
morning, our force consisting of the Berkshire Regi-
ment, the Marines, the Naval Brigade with four
guns, and the Indian contingent. The order of march
was in two separate and complete squares, the cavalry
being ahead scouting in open order. The command of
to-day's expedition was entrusted to Major-General
Sir L. M'Neill. The marching powers of the force
were to some extent impeied by the number of
baggage animals taken carrying stores with which to
stock the new zareba. The site of the proposed camp
was reached without incident. A large sand re-
dout was constructed, the four Gardner guns
being placed in position, one at each corner. The
work was all but completed when just at two o'clock,
without the slightest previous warning, a large body
of rebels sprang out from among the scrub and a,
neighbouring wady and made straight for our posi-
tion. At that moment a large number of the men
wore working at the redoubt, others had their atten-
tion taken up by the baggage animals; and, not ex-
pecting an attack, our force was not in the best posi-
tion to meet it. The order to form square was given
instantly, the men rushed to their positions, but
before the movement could be completed the
rebels were swarming up to our quarter, bran-
brandishing their longs spears, and throwing them-
selves with savage ferocity upon our troops. To
complete the square formation under such circum-
stances was painfully difficult, but at this critical
moment the sterling qualities of the British soldier
shone forth to a degree which has never been ex-
celled. Firing steadily, and with cool precision, the
rebels were brought down in scores—in hundreds.
The first wild rush was checked, the British square
was quickly rendered intact, and we could breathe
again freely. Then a merciless rain of leaden hail
was poured forth from all sides by our men. The
Gardner guns in the newly-constructed redoubt
were brought into play, but again the rebels
came on like a vast cloud, brandishing their
spears and rushing upon certain death, for
after the first sudden onslaught, when they got
right into our lines, they never got within several
yards of our square. Unfortunately, after a few
rounds, two of the Gardner guns became jammed, and
were for a time disabled, but the remaining two were
splendidly served and did fearful execution. The
rebels could not hold out against this terrible fire;
they vanished baok among the bushes and stole away
behind the hillocks. All serious fighting was over,
though for some time after the enemy kept up occa-
sional shots from a distance. The Gardner guns and
our small-arms also kept firing so long as any traces
of the rebels could be observed within range. The
enemy numbered fully 4000. Their tactics differed
from those of Friday, inasmuch as to-day, instead of
acting in isolated groups, there was, after their first
appearance, a concentrated rush by a large number,
and our force was then attacked simultaneously on all
sides. Their fanatic courage won the admiration of
our men. Nothing could exceed their bravery; they
rushed upon certain death again and again without a
falter. Even when they at length withdrew they did
so fighting, and with no appearance of having suffered
a crushing defeat. Hundreds of their dead and
wounded lay all round our square. The experience
of to-day may serve to impress the lesson of wariness
upon them; but I much doubt if their inclination for
fighting has been checked in any degree. The
attack of the rebels, too, was conceived and
carried out with all the astuteness of a Red indian
tribe. They sprang from behind the bushes, from
behind inequalities of ground, and seemingly from
the very ground itself, as if by magic. Howie) many
of them could have got so near us without being per-
ceived is a mystery. The loss of the rebels to-day is
believed to be fully 800 in killed and wounded- -many
more than fell in the engagement on Friday. On our
side all ranks behaved gallantly, and it would be in-
vidious to award higher praise to one corps than to
another. The Marines held their own when engaged
hand-to-hand with the Arabs, and gained their- for-
mation as speedily as any. They had a few minutes
of hot work. A desperate sheikh, waving a banner,
was right upon them with a horde of followers before
the square was formed. But the Marines were equal
to the emergency, and bayonet and bullet proved too
much for the Arabs. The ground was cleared, and
the Sheikh, scorning to fly, died fighting with his last
gasp. The banner was secured by the Marines, and
was afterwards borne into the redoubt as a trophy.
The 17th Loyal Poorbeahs fought splendidly from
beginning to end. They were as hard-pressed as the
Marines in the early stages of the fight, and although
they suffered some loss before they gained a position
to repel all attacks, no troops could have behaved
more gallantly under exceptionally trying circum-
stances. Tbe Berkshire men and the Naval Brigade
fought throughout with steady bravery. Our loss
was, as might be expected, somewhat heavy. So far
as I have yet been able to ascertain, the Marines have
eight killed and twelve wounded. Among their
officers Eyre is :lightly wounded. In the 17th Native
Regiment Captain Von Beverhoudt was killed,
and Lieutenant Drury wounded. The Indians
also lost eight men and twelve wounded.
Brigade-Major Kelly is also slightly wounded.
Lieutenant Swinton, of the Berkshire Regi-
ment, was killed, together with ten of his men.
Seventeen Berkshires were wounded. In the Naval
Brigade, Lieutenant Seymour was killed, and
Lieutenant Deigan was wounded. Five sailors were
killed and two wounded. Several men of the Trans-
port Corps also fell, they being outside the square
with the baggage animals, and many of the beasts also
came to grief. Our total casualties will probably
amount to 90 killed and wounded. It now transpires
that in Friday's fighting the Bengal Cavalry sustained
a loss of 17 killed and 16 wounded