The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-03-08 00:00:00

THE DEPEAT OP THE REBELS
IN THE SOUDAN.

On Priday in last week general Graham, tom-
manding the British army, about four theatsand
strong, completely defeated, close to the seer of the
battle and massacre of the 4th February, the rebel
forces, estimated to 'onumber our own fty three to
one. The special correspondent of the Datly News, in
ia telegram dated Trinkitat, Saturday, gives some
particulars of the battle, from which 'ere extract the
following :
On Thursday afternoon a last effort was made to
treat with the retels. A flag of truce, with a letter
Iflied in a cleft stick, was carried by Major Harvey,
late of the 42nd, to a distaisee of two miles from
'Fort Baker. Major Harvey, sclao gallantly proceeded
,atone, was iked upon by the memy. Thrusting the
stick into the ground, he gaTiopped back. Going out
on Friday morning he foowd the flag taken away, but
no reply awaiting him. the enemy's intention to
fight wm thus clear.
It had been already manifested during the night
by their firing several rockets, but no damage was
,done.
At eight o'clock we marched out in the form of
battle chosen by the General the previous evening.
This time, in order that there should be no risk of
'being eaught by surprise, the formation consisted of a
'large square, or rather oblong, with the 75th Gordon
Highlanders in front, the Black Watch occupying the
Tear, the 89th on the right flank, and on the left the
'6sth, who had late in the evening arrived from Aden,
and immediately on landing marched to Fort Baker
across the lagoon in thick mud, which they trudged
and floundered in up to their knees.
Our line of march coincided with the path ,of
retreat of the 4th February. Beginning near the
fort skeletons half-covered with flesh dotted either
side of the line of advance for miles. On the scene
of the massacre of Baker's square it was strewn
literally with hundreds, numbers of them in the most
extraordinary attitudes, and with fleshless fingers
clutching into the sand. I noticed most of them lay
on their faces, and showed one or more spear thrusts
in the back, head, and neck.
It was a hideous picture—those grinning, half-
decomposed skeletons, in their positions so significant
of abject despair, and it would have horrified the
most hardened against such sights.
Near the spot, but five hundred yards to the wind-
ward side, yesterday a stubbornly-fought fight began.
The time was about eleven; but by nine rifle shots on
the enemy's side were becoming frequent, and groups
and a line of rebels were seen on the low horizon
from iur left, round by the front to part of the
right.
As in the previous encounter, the enemy's chief
strength was on the left.
Until eleven o'clock we marched slowly onwards,
with frequent halts, not replying to the enemy's fire.
The view of the mounted riflemen, spread out far to
the left of the 10th Hussars, and the 19th massed in
the other part of the field, and of the large square,
solid as a wall, and imperceptibly gliding, so to speak,
across the level landscape, was extremely striking and
picturesque.
The infantry had reached the point already men-
tioned, about a mile from the wells at El Teb when
the enemy entrenched there, opened upon us in earnest
with the Krupp guns they had captured from us on
the 4th February. Doubtless, too, these guns were
worked by men of the same Tokar garrison which the
expedition was intended to relieve.
The first three rounds were ludicrously wide of the
mark, throwing up cascades of sand half a mile or
more beyond the square; but the enemy soon found
our range. Two or three of their shells burst right
over the square. A splinter from one of them badly
wounded General Baker, who had been attached to
the Intelligence Department under Colonel Ardagli.
Shortly the nine-pounders landed from the fleet and
the machine-guns were brought into play. The
practice was excellent. The Gatlings and Gardiners
in particular made great execution. No sooner did
the hoarse growling rattle of the mitrailleuses com-
mence than numbers of the rebels were seen dropping.
Meanwhile the infantry only advanced slowly and
steadily, and the cavalry was retained in the rear
ready for a charge.
At this time we were right opposite Teb, and as we
turned to move upon it the 65th, on our left flank,
became the front line. They and the 75th were for a
time exposed to a heavy fire.
After some interval, the square, moving now to-
wards the left flank, made a turning movement
upon the Wells, thus temporarily converting the
Black Watch into the front line, and straight in face
of the Wells and the rebel entrenchments, which
included two so-called forts in which the Brupps and
Gatlings were mounted.
Colonel Slade, of the Egyptian army, 'took one
company of the 42nd. An officer, whose name I am
sorry I do not recollect, took another detachment.
Colonel Burnaby, who accompanied tho 42nd men,
had his horse shot and was wounded in the arm, and
then with a rifle in his hand cleared a small building
from which a group of Arabs were firing.
The enemy's position was really strong, and the
enemy fought like fiends. One man, for example,
rushed upon the Highlanders after he had already
received three bayonet wounds. Some of them close
to the Wells found their way inside the square, where
they were bayoneted. Round an old rusty boiler,
which must have found its way to Teb in Ismail
Pasha's improving days, at least one hundred Arabs
lay dead. A portion of the entrenchment consisted
of a number of deep large holes, or rifle pits, in which
side by side, and over the dead bodies, a great many
had hidden themselves with the purpose to rush upon
the square and cut their way inside it.
Evidently the rebels had all along been laying stress
on their favourite tactics of rushing, fully determined
to try it at all hazards. Concealed as they were,
many of them escaped observation until our men had
passed them. Thus for some time the fighting was a
hand-to-hand conflict, in which the Arabs used their
spears. They discarded their rifles before our troops
came to close quarters.
By this time the enemy was taking rapidly to flight
from the left side of Teb, in the Tokar direction. The
10th Hussars was ordered to charge, and rode at them
in splendid style. They were followed by the 19th.
The 10th gallopped through them repeatedly, dispers-
ing those right and left, but apparently doing little
execution. The real reason of this was not the alleged
inferiority of swords against spears, but the unsteadi-
ness of the Egyptian horses, which had never been
properly trained, and which swerved and plunged as
the spearmen darted and dodged about the bush. It
was in their charge that Major Slade, a most gallant
officer, fell. His horse was hamstrung, and Major
Slade, falling on the ground, was overwhelmed by the
rebels.
The battle was over by about two, the troops giving
hearty and loud cheers when the last band of fugitives
were seen disappearing towards Tokar.
The conduct of the troops was admirable through-
out. There was no hurry and no flinching in their
movements. Considering how recklessly brave their
enemy was, our men, it is but common justice to them
to say, maintained the honour and the glorious tradi-
tions of British soldiers and sailors.
No captures were made except that of guns; but in
the evening a message reached Trinkitat that a large
number of bullocks had been taken.
All our casualties, except those of the cavalry, wer3
caused by bullets. Had the Arabs fired lower, our
roll of dead and wounded would have been much more
serious.
Admiral Hewett and General Baker returned to
Trinkitat late in the afternoon with a small escort of
cavalry, General Graham with the main body remain-
ing at the Wells to which supplies of water,food, and
munitions were sent early in the evening.
On reaching the Trinkitat beach General Baker,
who rode with difficulty, and was supported into the
admiral's boat by two men, was loudly cheered by the
-soldiers and bluejackets, who rushed from the tents to
:welcome him.

In a further telegram on Sunday the same corre-
espondent says:
Among the feats of Friday's battle none was more
'brilliant than those of the 19th and 10th Hussars.
In the charge named in an earlier telegram the 19th
-found themselves confronted by a large body of rebels
mounted on camels and horses, the former masking
the latter, behind which again were considerable
numbers of spearmen on foot. The rebel horsemen,
armed with two-edged swords, made for the 19th,
producing, however, little or no effect. The real
opposition was from the spearmen, who, lying down,
•as the cavalry galloped on, started up, and attempted
;to hamstring our horses.
Lieutenant-colonel Barrow, leading the charge, re-
ceived a spear wound, but rode until his horse felL
The colonel's trumpeter coming to the rescue was
severely mauled. Lieutenant Probyn, attached to the
10th, was the first to fall in this charge. Major Slade,
of the same regiment, was not missed until the cavalry
had for some time been returning to the square.
Major Slade is supposed to have been killed in an
.attempt to help Lieutenant Probyn. Twelve spear
wounds were found on his body. Sergeants Phipps
and Conolly deserve something more than verbal
,recognition of their brave rescue of one of their corn-
rades. In this attempt Phipps was twice wounded.
After all was over and the enemy was in full flight
,to Tokar, the walls presented a strange spectacle. The
horses were eagerly making for water, and the cavalry
and infantry men were slaking their thirst, and wash-
ing off the dust, mud, and blood from their clothes.
Old soldiers to whom I have spoken on the spot
said they raver met a more resolute foe in the course
of all their service. The scene of the battle-field,
which 1 again rode -over yesterday, justified this
description of savage valour.
Judging from what I taw, I should think the esti-
mate of 2000 killed on the side of the enemyrathw under
than over the mark. The space inside the entrench-
ments was thickly strewn with bodies, especially :about
the few ruined brick buildings. Near the build:tit;
which Colonel Burnaby helped to clear, with 14
double-barrelled rifle charged with buckshot, I coune(ll
among a great heap of bodies those of seven boys,
not one of whom was more than tweice. They fought
as desperately even as the adults.

_
_
Some time after the battle, and when the troops
were searching about the enclosure, a youth lying un-
oberved amongst a crowd of dead and dying started
up, and rushed with a drawn knife on two of our
n-ten, who, taken aback, ran for some distance, and
then, turning round, shot him. The adveKiture caund

st brief commotion in the camp, for more might be
lurking unseen. At some distance outside an Arab
sprang like a cat upon the back of one of our soldiers,
and tried to cut his throat. An officer rushing up
pistolled the Arab through the heart, barely in time
to save the soldier's life. _ _

_
The ambulance was admirably managed. Every
requisite was in readiness, and the wounded were all
under careful treatment before dusk. Next morning
the wounded were sent on to Fort Baker. It was
deemed unsafe to transport thorn during the night,
when, in spite of our victory, stray bands might be
prowling about. Notwithstanding the danger Captain
Turner volunteered to go on foot to Fort Baker for
stores. He returned at midnight, guiding his path
by the light of a huge bonfire which the soldiers kept
piling up on the top of a mound.
Late in the evening the Highlanders shot seven
Arabs hovering about the encampment. About the
same time a number of Arabs, including one woman
and two boys, came in and surrendered themselves
prisoners.

The loss in killed on the British side was five
officers, twenty-two privates, and two marines; in
wounded seventeen officers and 142 soldiers ana
marines. The officers killed are Lieutenant Free.
man, 19th Hussars; Major Slade, 10th Hussars;
Lieutenant Probyn, 9th Bengal Cavalry; Quarter-
master Wilkins, 3rd Battalion King's Royal Rifles;
and Lieutenant Frank Royds, of the Carysfort.
It is stated in the "Court Circular" that her
Majesty received on Saturday the gratifying intel-
ligence of the victory of Sir G. Graham over the rebel
forces near Trinkitat, and at once telegraphed her
congratulations to Sir G. Graham through the
General Commanding her forces in Egypt, as well as
the expression of her sorrow at the loss of brave
,officers and men, and her anxious inquiries after the
wounded.

Lieutenant Frank Royds, of her Majesty's ship
'Carysfort, joined the Mediterranean Squadron four
years ago, and was engaged in the operations at lias-
sassin and Tel-el-Kebir. He was at Teb, in com-
mand of the Naval Brigade who had charge of the
zGatling guns.
Quartermaster T. Wilkins, 3rd Battalion King's
Royal Rifle Corps (60th Rifles), by his bravery in
battle raised himself from the ranks after fifteen
years' hard service. He was born in 1848, and
,entered the army at 19. Two years ago he
'obtained his commission after gallant conduct
at Tel-el-Kebir. He was engaged in the South
African "War from 1879 to 1881, and in the Zulu and
Transvaal campaigns. His conduct during the action
.on the Ingogo River in the Transvaal was particularly
mentioned in the dispatches, and he received her
Majesty's special medal for distinguished conduct in
the field. In the Egyptian campaign he was present
.at the action of Kas.sassin and the battle of Tel-el-
Kebir.

Colonel Montague Maule Slade, of the 10th If assars,
was the only other officer killed who had previously been
engaged in warlike operations. Born in 1849, he
entered the service in 1868, with a commission in the
56th foot, but the same year ho joined the 18th
Hussars, two years ago changing into the 10th Hussars.
He was engaged in the Afghan War of 1878-9, and
for his gallantry was frequently mentioned in the dis-
patches. He was on his way home from India when
he was stopped to do duty with his regiment at
Trinkitat. He has two brothers in the Royal Horse
Artillery, both of whom have rendered distinguished
services, one in Zululand and the other in the
march from Cabul to the relief of Candahar.
Lieutenant Probyn was a nephew of Sir Dighton
Probyn, private secretary to the Prince of Wales.
Lieutenant Probyn was appointed only a few weeks
ago, after a most successful term of studentship at
the Staff College, to the 9th Bengal Cavalry. He
was granted leave to accompany Colonel Stewart
to Egypt, in order to take part in the cavalry opera-
tion under General Graham.
Lieutenant Freeman, 19th Hussars, was born in
1858. He joined the service in 1879, and this was
the first occasion upon which he had been engaged on
active service.