The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-01-24 00:00:00

.

THE BATTLE

ABU KLEA.

[FROM THE BIRMINGHAM DAILY
GAZETTE SPECIAL CORRESPON-
DENT.]

[BY EASTERN CABLE.]
ABU. KLEA WELLS, January 17,
via Korti, Jan. 21, p.m.
We did not expect to have an encounter
with the enemy before reaching Metammeh,
but for twenty-four hours before we reached
the Wells at Abu Klea we thought we
should be obliged to fight. General Stewart
exhibited the greatest skill and coolness in
directing the operations of the troops under
the most trying and unlooked-for circum-
stances, as the information we had received
that the enemy was in our way was wholly
unexpected. Our troops behaved in a
manner, worthy of the reputation which
British soldiers have obtained, not only in
the Egyptian campaign but in battles fought
against more civilised troops.
In
.Leaving Gakdul on Wednesday afterncon,
General Stewart decided to bivouac on
Thursday night at Jevel-em-Mellaha, where
there is a range of mountains or peaks,
situated about eighteen miles from. Abu
Klea. Nothing occurred during the night
but the ~next morning our suspicion was
aroused by the tracks made by camels and
horses, which told the fact that very re-
cently the enemy had been in the neigh-
bourhood, and in some force. There were
also indications that camp fires had been
lighted in our vicinity within a very few
hours of our arrival.
As this news was reported to General
Stewart, he instructed Colonel Barrow, in
command of the 19th Hussars,• to recon-
noitre. At five o'clock on Friday morning
Colonel Barrow rode out with the 19th
Hussars, and at noon they returned. They
reported that the enemy was in force ahead,
whereupon General Stewart resolved to
attack them at once. A square was formed,
the baggage, stores, ammunition, &c., being
placed in the centre. At half-past one
o'clock the square began :to march, the
General and the staff accompanying the
troops.
Colonel Burnaby undertook personally,
with his usual. bravery and courage, to
reconnoitre the position held by the Mandi's
troops, and he discovered the enemy's scouts
on our right about a mile off. He also ob-
served the enemy's camp, where flags were
flying in white and red; one of them was
green. In the meantime the enemy's scouts,
which we had observed on our left fzont,
had attracted all our attention until I es-
pied others on our right. General Stewart
then consulted his staff, and after some con-
sideration Sir Herbert decided to delay the
attack, as it was now only two hours before
sunset. The battle was therefore delayed
until daybreak of Saturday.
The position we occupied was a plain,
with a depression where the column had
halted. There was a gentle rise on our front,
and another on our rear. On the former the
Guards and the Marines had built a stone
redoubt and a breastwork, On the right
there was a high hill, some 950 yards dis-
tant, and on our left another about the same
distance away. The latter was immediately
occupied by a company of the Sussex Regi-
ment, who had built a stone fort on the front
of the hill, which was erected as a precau-
tion against any surprise. Major Donward,
of the Royal Engineers, had also caused to
be constructed a zereba around the camels
and baggage to protect them from any sud-
den invasion of the enemy. The enemy
swarmed around the depression which I
have mentioned, and occupied the high hill
on the right, and at sunset they opened fire
from their rifles, wounding a hussar and an
Aden camel. They attempted to mass in
the intervening valley, but our well-directed
shots prevented them f-om carrying out
their intention, and the night attack which
was feared was therefore frustrated. The
strength of the enemy was unknown, but
from what we could observe it was ap-
parently large. The enemy kept firing on
us from the hill side after midnight, the
bullets and balls whizzing about us in all
directions, without, however, causing any
casualties to our troops. We spent a most
anxious night, not only on account of the
enemy, but because it was imperatively
necessary we should reach the wells, as we
were in great need of water.
At sunrise the enemy reopened fire and
began an attack upon our right front. Our
artillery, however, were posted on rising
ground, near a stone fort, whence it com-
manded their position, and rendered in-
effectual several attempts made by the
Mandi's general to mass his forces for an
attack. Our artillery were effective in
shelling their exposed position, but never-
theless they kept up so hot a fire as to oblige
everybody on our side except the artillery-
men to remain under whatever shelter could
be found.
During this portion of the engagement
we had seven killed and five officers and
seventeen men wounded, including Lieu-
tenant De Lisle, who sustained dangerous
injuries. Whilst making my way on horse-
back to the Artillery Battery I was ordered
by Major Donward to go under cover, on
the ground that being mounted I was
perilously exposed to the enemy's fire. The
Engineers were engaged in constructing
additional defences here, and an infantry-
man who was next to me at the time was
shot through the breast. At ten o'clock
the General, having attained his object by
bringing the enemy out from their position,
ordered the advance to be made in square,
w hick was compo3ed as follows :—On the
right and right front corner the Guards, to
their right the Marines, touching at the
right rear the Mounted Infantry, at the left
rear a company of the Sussex Regiment, at
the rear Marines with a Gardner gum, at the
left rear corner on the rear left and left side
Lancers, and left front the Dragoons.
Colonel Barrow with the Hussars marched
along a ridge to the left and di 1 excellent
service in clearing the ground. The enemy
continued a heavy fire on our right, and the
storm of ballets only ceased at 3 p.m., when
three Berberees came in and surrendered.
They stated that they had occupied the
position w hen they took possession of Gakdul,
awl that the Mandi had sent dervishes to
summon the natives to oppose our advance.
They- farther stated that there was a strong
force of the enemy stationed at Berber, and
that the Mandi's troops with which we had
been engagelzumbered 7,000, and had been
there eight days. General Stewart shortly
afterwards sent by heliograph the message—
"Occupied Well ;enemy retreating."
Among our wounded are Major Dickson,
shot through the leg, and Major Gough, a
contusion of the head, not dangerous.
.General Stewart and the square were at
tacked for an hour by the enemy in a most
orderly manner and in overwhelming
numbers. Taking advantage of an opening
made at the left rear corner of the square to
admit our skirmishers when they retired un
the main body, and of au nnfortunato and
moat inexplicable falling back of the left