The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1882-10-26

SuStkxNA4 9cts1 ulAUe = feCOn0OlG6aNle OF
Aratl lBsys positions, and In order 10 do
this e6ectuatly tho general ordered two
batteries Of horse artillery to advance, on
tho Egyptian right and left tanks, and
while the Ara,s were engaged with
them ~ British generals advanced
qu+l doee to tho fearthworks and OBJ
aiqedastood klea OF the positions of
the edeienders. On their return TO camp
which lad yesterday tie look Of an Il;
cndfmGus tented town, covering nearly,
nineI square miles, it was understood
that an attack would shortly be made.
AE o'clock two days rations were
isft.ed to every man and beast and 100
rdpnds Of ammunition to the infantry..
TIE transport division was hastily formed
atsQ hthc Army Service Corps and
Amy Hospital Corps. At 6:15 the En-.
ellsh tents were struck and with the bag
g'y,c wore. loaded on camels, mules,
ddnkeys and wagons, only tic heavy mr.
ely 1e!y and :ponderous equipments being
!ep lcrc, where they have been guarded
b4GoD~ Nugent, who was very much
dgnaacd ut being left behind with two
st1adroaG Of the Nintcenth Hussars and
West Kent Regiment. Orders were is-
sqed thatStiic greatest silence he MAIN
ta!i et and that no bugle7 be sounded
atfor dark. At o'clock precisely!a gem
e4ladvence commenced in three divi-
si4ns. The advanced guard consisted of
tho Second, Sixth and Thirteenth Ben.
gal Cavalry, under. the terrible Macpher-
Son. Half . dozen batteries Of artillery
stArteI with the right and left wings.
AS an the regiments are complete, the
advancing forces could not be far short
oea0Qo0; this number Of rations was is
stedi This large body: of soldiers quiet.
~ marched on until ESQ o'clock in the
morning, when they bivouackcd on a
ridge distant only six miles from the
Egyptian advanced positions. The night
was beautiful and cool, not a. sound was
tobe: heard anywhere; for, although
many OF us were moving about, our foot
falls dtodin the sand. lean safely say that
few were there who did not consider
the whole as being awe inspiring, but
grand. At three o'clock precisely the ST.
lent order went round to advance and that
no shots were to be fired under any con-
sideration until within short range oi the
eatfhworks, and as the infantry, cspe-
ciaHv the Highlanders and Roval irish
rc.iments, were placed in front it be-
came known that the iayoncts was to be
ns1d:" sir Garnet Wolseley had decided.
after carefully examining Arab Bey's
positions. that his centre was too strong
to he attacked with safety in front. The
main attacks. were,. therefore. directed
towards.the hanks, which once turned
would render the Egy ptian centre near.
jy useless. do not believe that anv
other body Of men Of half this magnitude
c0fEQ have got under arms and have
marched more quietly. The orders were
whispered. and the dark divisions moved
silently on, the only audible noise being
made by the wheels Of the ammunition
carts and the occasional clashing of scab-
bards, which at the time appeared ter
rible loud although the contrary in real
hy:: Everything combined has so i'm
pressed this march upon the minds OF
those who shared in it that it cannot be
possibly forgotten by any of them.
Matching in the dark has, I believe, an
lnjlr1ons effect upon soldiers, rs they do
notiknow where they are going, or ifthey
aresnear the enemy or otherwise. They
haHe 70 depend entirely upon their Of
fice9s,, and should they have no conf
dcnce iiE them the men would soon be-
come, ,demoralized. As it was, I am sure
that there were few men marching upon
Tcl>el kebir who did not heartily wish
for daylight. ..-- -,
The cavalry and horse artillery having
orders to stliko ont due north ard then
fa9on:the Egyptian left flank, and thus
cut OF any retreat, now left the main
b.HYl0k tho advancing force and pro-
ceeded on their way ut brisk pace: Tho
Highland Brigade and Royal Irish Fusi-
liers had the place ofhonor and followed
bys Ahco Indian Infantry as suDnort.
moved on our left south Of. the canal
while General Grabam's brigade. snn.
ported hy the gaurds under Prince A.
thur, who'll must say, has proved him
good soldier all through: the cam
palgn, moved on our right north Of the
rNlwey.r-I forty -eight guns of the
Royal artillery moved between the ca
nal and the railway, and on the latter
was truck Carrying a forty-pounder.-
=, tAe'erOops halted ut 4:3O within Il
thousand yards Of the Egyptian works
TO el9Ra HM aslN1l'9 nheT Tto reform,
'm'nfan8tfly after which final word was
givc1< 1<pa1arcl,. Away, over. y the ! ..s,;,l Y
wenttthe men, the -death.l1ka~ silence
aud awtdls lssnxiety which ens,ietl l,ein~
unbeesab:e:~O On @:marched sthe, ,HiY}i;
yar.lsrsof Assbi's spsSsition. the a on;ef Fin in
wl,ich made the Situation still more no. O..
Onizink; on they stiii kept when fha
night was suddenly: lit up With line 81
Gre, fa@s1and smoke from the earth.
workA 44eerlys shewing thattl,ose behind
the'ae1alesnIt aslAep.s The Highlandas
staggered but one SECOND, and ON they
rushed again. The line of fire from the
trenches again lit up the darkness, but
with onb terrible cheer, aeheer of dextt
agony, 10y, hope and encouraeemen,
eombinyde rushed Son tho Irish fegi-
ments, 1tlib Black Watch. the. Gordon
Hixhlaf fGeIs and the Camero onians closely
followdf iy others, all with bayonets
fixed q hd firing not q shot in response 70
the DID kdl{ fire which met them, IThs,
bands btr6ek mp march, and, rs if 'by
one b9s1Mt;9the advancing men rushed
on tof6ie sand:heaps; spreading death
befoEe knowro of: nothingst that
co,t14 4esist such ran attack: Itwas.mar-
vcl0elelt dial tit now became q mat
terSfthe Individual weis 1t oftbe soldiers
anIt the Af1sl,peI \ and the Highland lers,
being by fur the heaviest and strongest;
tho i.t l., s,sf r,,,&,<, e,,n,, ~ ~..