The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-09-15
A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF ARABI's
BATTLE.

1 of the rebels was very wild It came both
/ from infantry and artillery, and passed
1 over our heads, they being disconnected by
| the sudden attack. With daylight the en-
enny's fire improved, and became like q
hailstorm. Many men fell. but not for a
second did their advance stop. Our COW
/ ering parties, lying down. fired while those
| in front pressed on; Gen. Graham's brig
/ ade worked with gallantry. Nothing could
i surpass their cheer, which resembled a
wild yell, and could be heard above the din
of the musketry as they charged up the
steep slope of the trenches. The Egyp-
i tians were terror-stricken. Many hid in
| the corners of the works. while others fed
| at their utmost speed, throwing everything
| from them. Our work, however, was not
yet ended. The large inner redoubt on
| Arabs left, well manned and armed. still
| remains intact. but the British troops were
| not to be denied With another brilliant
rush they were among the enemy, bayonet-
| ing the gunners at the guns, and capturing
| the heavy artillery Thus we captured the
| key of the position. In fifteen minutes
| from its first rush we were its masters.
| The rattle of the enemy's musketry died
away, while our men forsook the bayonet
and picked off any rebels who showed fight
in their retreat.
On the south the enemy stood few mo
ments longer, perhaps aquarter of an hour.
but the appearance of our cavalry on their
right flank soon FASTENED their movements.
In a few minutes one rushing stream of
fugitives was making for Zagazig. flying
out of all their intrenchments. A little
later Gen. McPherson's Indian brigade
burst upon the flying foe from the south
and the route was complete The artillery
coming up at a gallop unlimbered and
sent their shot and shell after the rebels,
adding to thrir confusion. The cavalry
had got right around the enemy's TANKS
before the fight begun. My previous
estimates of the number Of rebels captured
was under rather than over the mark.
The Egyptian losses and number of guns
captured is also greater than at first men
toned. 1t is believed the bulk of the rebel
force win be CAPTURED, and that a death
blow has been given Arab. All the work
was done by our troops in the first
of the attack The principal Notifications
had been carried by the time the guards
and Fourth brigade came up.
THE TROOPS
The troops for the attack on Tel El-Ke
Dir were arranged in the following order
One troop of the Indian contingent with
battery of mountain guns on the extreme
left; the Fourth brigade under Gen Ash
burnham, the Highland brigade, and Gen.
Graham's brigade, in the order as named,
and a brigade of guards on the right to \
support Gen. Graham. A forty FOUNDER
was pushed three miles up the railway
The enemy fired the first shot For half
an hour the engagement was general along
the Egyptian line from four to five miles.
after which the enemy were partly driven
from their entertainments. The rifles, the
45th, and marines had then reached within
two hundred yards, and preparations were
being made to storm the entertainments.
The enemv's fire at $40 A. NJ. recommend
ed on the left but not vigorously. At $50
there was silence along the whole line.
The entertainments then already occupied
by British troops were between Tel-el-ke-
bir proper and Koren. Col. Richardson, |
of the 46th was wounded at the beginning
of the engagement. All our troops fought
well, the Indian contingent on the left
carefully reserving their fire.
THE OFFICIAL REPORT.
LONDON, Sept. 13.-The war Office has
received the following official dispatch |
from Gen. Wolseley, giving his report Of |
the battle at Tel ell Kebir:
eve struck camp at Kassassin locks |
last evening and bivouaced on the high |
ridge above camp until 1870 this morning. |
We then advanced upon very extensive |
and very strongly fortified position held by |
Arab Pasha with 90, 900 regulars. of whom |
2. 500 were cavalry, with 20 guns and 6. 900 |
Bedouins and irregulars. My force was
about II 900 bayonets, 1900 sabres, and |
60 guns. To have attacked so strong a |
position by daylight with the troops could /
place in the field would have entailed a |
great loss. | resolved, therefore to attack |
before daybreak, marching the six miles /
that interviewed between my camp and the |
enemys position in the darkness. The /
cavalry and two batteries of horse artillery
on the right had orders to sweep round the
cnemy's line at daybreak. The first divis
ion of the Second brigade, under Gen.
Graham, was supported by the Foot guards, /
under the duke of Connaught, and seven
batteries of artillery, numbering 42 guns,
with supporting brigade. Then came the
second division of the Highland brigade, |
leading the Indian contingent. These ON
the south side of the canal, with the
naval brigade on the railway and in
the interval, advanced. Great EMU
lation was evinced by the reg
Iments to be the first in the enemys works.
All went at them straight, the Royal Irish
particularly distinguished itself by its dash
and the manner in which it closed with the
enemy. All the enemy's works and camps
are now in our possession. | do not yet
know exactly the number of guns cap
tured, but it is considerable. Several
trains, with immense quantities of supplies,
were captllred The enemy ran away in |