The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-12-02
Sir Archibald Alison.

The following is u vivid description OF tho
battle Of Tel-el-Kebir, as written FOR the PEBBLE
shire Advertiser:
Tel-el-Kebir, as we now know, was one Of the
bloodiest battles on record. In none OF the san
culinary engagements OF the Franco German war,
not even in the last struggle OF the Southern Gen.
iederacy before Richmond, did the slaughter
having regard, that is, to the number Of men
engaged and tho space OF time occupied in fight
ing-equal or even approach that which took
place in the Egyptian desert. Something like
400, or three per cent, OF the British army, were
put horS de combat. while the loss sustained by
the Egyptians was proportionaily greater than
even this. And il we look closer at the British
dead and wounded it will be found that, as the
brunt of the battle was borne by one brigade
alone, 30 the carnage was confined. In a great
measure, to four out of the fifteen regiments
which operated against the Notifications Of Arab.
Somewhat strangely, however, the brigade which
suffered so severely. the brigade which showed
the way to the rest OF the army. has been passed
over. in comparative silence, by the Commander
in-Cbief. While the bravery Of the Guardsmen,
and the Irish, and even the Indian regiments, was
amply acknowledged in the official records OF the
battle, the Highlanders were accorded no more
than a formal mention, such a mention, indeed,
as they would have been entitled 10 had they
acted the part OF a reserve. instead, as they did,
that OF a 81 forlorn hope But IL 10 not only the
men of the brigade who have been the victims OF
this strange neglect. Were we 10 measure the
Huu dCulCNCmCitln ~ JE hTcniUNlQ AlI~
son by the attention paid him in the dispatches
from headquarters, we should rank him no
higher, it IL to be feared, than any second or
third-rate officer Of them all. When the story
Of the war, however, comes to be written, IL will
be Sir Archibald, next TO Sir Garnet WolseIey
himself. to whom the highest NEED OF praise will
be paid. IL was Alison who opened the military
campaign in Egypt in the early days OF July Il
was Alison who held the entire Egyptian forces
at bay with a handful or men for upwards OF
three weeks. and by so doing gave the authorities
at home time to arm and despatch an army corps
sufficiently strong to meet and conquer Arab on
his own ground /; aud it was Alison who, at TEL
el-Kibir, led the Highland Brigade ia their
splendid assault on the Egyptian trenches. The
story, besides, OF the reconnaissance he undertook
at Bamleh, when lie remained under fire for some
twenty minutes, maintaining, all the time, the
anne unconcerned demeauor which he manifests
in the Pail Mall. is yet recollected, aud provides,
indeed, one OF the most interesting, personal
episodes OF the campaign. General Allison, a.
everybody knows, is a son Of the late Sir Archi-
bald Alison, Sheriff Principal Of Lmarksbire.
The General was born in Edinburg and partly In
Glasgow; and entered the army In his twentieth
year. He served IN the Crimean war and the
Indian nutiny, losing an arm at the relief Of
Lucknow, and was second in command or the ex-
petition against the King Of Ashantee. From
1874 till 1877 be occupied the post OF Deputy
Adjutant General ia Ireland; and in the last
named year he was promoted TO the rank or
Major General, while in 1873. he was appointed
Deputy Quarter-master General. and Chief OF the
Intelligence Branch OF the War Office. IL may
be, and let us hope that il will be, that the heroic
daring Of the HigIaBders, and the skill and daring
OF their leader, will yet receive sufficient recog-
milton at the hands Of the Commander-in-Chief
and the War Office. Let this. however, turn out
as j: may, We may rest assured that history will
do them justice. And already, let il be added.
we at home are busy anticipating the verdict OF
history. The wild charge they made has sent IN
all into a nutter of pride over Sir Archibald and
his men But indeed it was impossible that We
could have felt otherwise than proud. No feat
of arms has been performed by Scotchmen for
ovor a generation equal to that Of winning the
battle Of Tel-el-kebir.