The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-09-18

asleep. 1t must have been close upon mid
night when was disturbed with numerous
measured but heavy footsteps approaching,
and before could realize what was going
on heard clear voice saying: II am the
resurrection and the life, saith the Lord; he
that believeth in me, though he were dead,
yet shall he live, and whatsoever liveth and
believeth in me, shall never die 1t would
be impossible for me to attempt to explain
the feeling which came over me; it is
enough to say that sleep was gone for that
night There, within twenty feet of where
| had been sleeping, big hole had been
dug in the sand. ready to receive seven
bodies wrapped in great coats which were
lying side by side on the ground. Around
them stood their comrades of the House
hold cavalry healthy, handsome but sad,
each man thinking, feel certain, that his
Town turn might come tomorrow, and by
the dim light of single lantern could see
the tears, of which no man there need be
ashamed, rolling down their manly faces.
The scene reminded me so forcibly of
Wolfe's Burial of Sir John Moore" that,
although had not thought of it for years,
ever word came back to me, and every
officer with whom have spoken about it
since has assured me that he had felt ex-
aetly as did / walked under the trees
till morning witnessing eight similar
burials. This spot had evidently been
selected by the men for their comrades on
account of their palms, and if pretty
background is any comfort to the dead
or their friends, this they certainly have at
Ell Magphar. Shortly after a. m. the
British forces divided into three divisions,
one taking up position north of the rail
way track at Magphar, consisting of
the Household cavalry, the Fourth and
Seventh Dragons and the A and n battery
of artillery. Between the railway and the
canal were the Scots, Grenadier and Cold
stream guards. the marine battalion and
the Duke of Cornwall's regiment. And
south of the canal were the Royal Marine
artillery, the mounted infantry, the West
Kent regiment, the York and Lancaster,
the Sixtieth rifles, the Seventh. Eighth,
Eighteenth and Twenty companies
r. E., the whole of the British cavalry
brigade and the Indian division. consisting
of the Second, Sixth and Thirteenth Ben
gal cavalry. Each division was further
supported by battery of horse artillery
and two Calling guns worked by sailors.
Lare bodies of Bedouins came silently
round the British positions, often within
100 yards of the outposts, and having made
themselves acquainted with the invaders
movements galloped off in the dark before
a shower of British bullets. The Bedouins
must have explained matters 10 the
Egyptians, who, not caring to meet a
force of II 900 men with 1900 horses,
twenty two guns and six Gatlings. left a
body of infantry with four guns TO cover
the withdrawal of their forces to their
fortified position behind Lake Masameth
The Egyptians withdrew in great order,
and so well were their movements managed
that we, on this side. thought they were
still IN front of us. They not only with
drew their men but pulled down every
hut in Ramses and Mahuta and
cut down all the trees along the
canal They further tore up the
railway track, and actually took down the
telegraph wires, which they carried away
with them. But the Egyptian infantry
and artillery left to cover the retreat suf-
fered terribly. This small body was at
tackled on three sides by overwhelming
forces of all arms, and if ever men behaved
bravely. they did. Their little body of
artillery kept the English at bay for three
hours, and when daylight appeared they
were still at their guns firing with the |
greatest precision and GOODNESS. The |
Household cavalry was driven back by |
them time after time, nor did they abandon |
their charge until more than half their |
number had been sabred by the troopers |
and they knew that those whose retreat |
they were covering had withdrawn. The |
formed squares and defended i
themselves against the heavy cavalry glo |
riously. The English attack was terrible, |
I thought nothing could resist it, and look
ing on through my powerful glass could
see, as could Sir Garnet Wolseley, who
was within twenty feet of me, that those
men were not to be despised. / could see
one Arab priest, in flowing white robes
and green turban, using a short battle axe
with deadly effect. He appeared to lead
life, now to the right, then to- the
left and then to the centre, and | was
afterwards told that on his corpse were
found wounds enough to kill five men
Sir Baker Rassell, whom / consider the
bravest man in the British service, led this
charge. and he has since told
me che had job to cut down those plucky
niggers." And cut down they were, indeed.
more than one hundred of them virtually
slashed to pieces by the long sabres of the
troopers No flesh could stand such an
attack, especially as fresh troops were per-
petually taking the places of the wornout
Britishers, and when forced to retreat the
Arabs did so pluckily to the end, taking
their wounded comrades with them and
leaving only eighteen prisoners behind
them Had these heroes been supported
the day would have been theirs; as it is,
the honor and glory certainly theirs.
What remained of them got back to the
railway station at Mahuta, whence they
were immediately taken by trains to Masa- |