The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-09-18
THE FIGHTING IN EGYPT.
The Worlds" Correspondent at Ismailia Re
cites the Story OF the Action Be-
fore TeI-eI-Kebir.


fore TeI-eI-Kebir.
IsMAILIA, Aug. 26.-Hadji Tzafer, my
host came to my room at o'clock day
before yesterday morning, and informed
me that the British troops were leaving
their camp at this place in all secresy.
Immediately dressed, and, having filled my
oriental saddle bags, mounted a native
horse and was soon at the camp / must
here say that everything of late has been
done so quickly that none of the Europeans
know what the troops have been doing.
Correspondents, above all others, are de
MED all official information, and have to
be perpetually on the alert. Those, how
ever, who know the language and have ma
tive servants are always well informed by
the latter, who somehow become acquaint-
ed with all the English plans and move
ments as web as SiI Garnet Wolseley him
self. 1t is even asse, ted that the natives
communicate with the Egyptian camp, and
/ don't blame them if they do.
took the direct road. TO Nelfish over the
sands. where arrived at four o'clock, and
found that a general move was being made
to the front. 1t must have been about
O'Clock when arrived at Nelfish, and the
artillery could be distinctly heard in the
direction of RamseS,. The morning was
beautifully clear and cool, and the damp
Egyptian night had laid the sand, so that
the troops were not obliged to march
through dense cloud of dust which no
body but born Bedouin can support. /
admired the quiet and orderly appearance
of the men, whose conduct since their ar
rival here has been exemplary under the
most trying circumstances. | galloped
past the West Kent regiment, the Scotch
artillery, company of Royal Engineers,
the Royal Marine artillery, and mounted
Bengal regiment of lancers, to within
mile of Ell Magphar, where knew Arab to
be entrenched; but finding all quiet there /
went straight up to the earthworks, which
/ afterwards discovered had been aban-
doned by the Egyptians in the night for
better positions to the south of RamSes.
Here dismOunted, and after securing nay
exhausted horse assembled the earthworks
to get better view. The country about
here is as fiat as a sheet of water, and the
advantage gained by an elevation is easily
understood | found that was not alone
here, aas the correspondent of the Figaro
perched on his camp stool, was busily en-
gagged taking notes. and on another eleva-
Jion about 100 yards to our left was the
Times correspondent who is better known
about here as the fsWelseley trumpet blow
err and who is the only newspaper man
who enjoys the confidence of the staff,
number of whom were with him then. The
Frenchman told me that he had been there
before daylight, and explained the position
of affairs, which was briefly as follows:
At 800 the British had advanced upon the
very earthworks ON which then stood, the
force consisting of about fifty men of the
mounted infantry under Captain Parr; all
of the Household cavalry. sixty men of the,
Royal Marine Artillery, with two Gatling
guns; the York and Lancaster regiment
and the M battery of artillery, with three
guns-in all about 1.700 men, commanded
by General Willis, who was personally at
the head of the infantry and directed their
operations. Half the cavalry, with the
Marine artillery and Calling guns, moved
between the railway track and the fresh
water canal toward the palm trees, the
infantry and artillery marching directly on
the earthw orksssouth of the canal, while
the remaining half of the cavalry made
detour to the south of the same works. 1t
was dark when the advance was made, the
British intention being to surprise the
Arabs, take FL Magphaf and then follow
up the canal until they found and destroy
ed the dam supposed to have been CON
structed by the defenders in order to cut
off the water supply. The plan was a
good one and was very well executed.
The invaders advanced slowly to within
800 yards of the place, when they made a
rush, to find that they had been advancing
on an imaginary enemy for the Egyptians
had abandoned the position at midnight
for better fighting ground, as / have al
ready stated. The moment they halted,
however, and while General Willis was
crossing the canal to examine the railway,
the Egyptian artillery opened vigorous
fire on them from two batteries of Krupp
guns stationed under Ramses, between the
canal and the railway track. The English
soon got their guns in position and the
artillery duel commenced. The Arabs,
who had been expecting this attack, had
not only selected good positions but had
the English range weH in hand. While
the artillery was thus engaged the British.
infantry. with the two Calling guns of
mounted infantry, pushed on toward
Ramses, when body OF Egyptian infantry