The daily gazette., 1882-09-14
ARABI'S ARMY ROUTED.
THE BRITISH ATTAckoN TEL
EL-kEBiR.
FULL REPORT oF THE BATTLE.
General Woiseley's Omcial Account of the
Engagement-The Killed and Wounded
--zagazig Captured by McPhersOn.

I'VE struck camp at Kassassin lock las
evening and bivouaeked on a high ridg
above the camp until 1.30 this morning. w
then advanced upon a very extensive an
very strongly fortified position held by Arat
Pasha, with 10000 regulars, of whom $50
were cavalry, with 20 guns and 600
Bedouins and irregulsrs My force wa
about II 90 bayonets, 1900 sabres and 6
guns. To have attacked SO strong
position by daylight with the troops
could place in the field would have entailet
very great loss. resolved, therefore. {,
attack before daybreak, marching the sil
miles that intervened between my camp ant
The enemy's position in the darkness. TIL
cavalry and two batteries of horse artiller,
on the right had orders to sweep round tn,
enemy's line at daybreak. The first diyi
sion the second brigade, under Genera
draham, supported by the foot guards
under the Duke of Connaught, sever
batteries of artillery, numbering forty-twC
guns, with a supporting brigade, the second
division of the Highland brigade leading the
Indian contingent and the naval brigade OF
the railway, advanced Great emulation
was evinced by the regiments to be the
| llrst iii the enemy's works. All went
at them straight, the Royal Irish particularly
distinguishing itself by Its dash and the man.
ner in which it closed with the enemy, All
| The enemy's works aud camps are now in
our possession. do not yet know exactly
the number OF guns captured, but it is CON
siderable Several trains with immense
quantities of supplies were captured. The
| enemy ran away in thousands throwing
| away their arms when oyertaken by our
cavalry. Their loss is very great.
General Willis is very slightly and Colo
mel Richardson severely wounded. Majors
Golyille, Underwood and Somerville, of the
nlghiand Light Infantry, were killed OF
the Black Watch Lieutenant MacNeill was
| killed and Captain Cumberland and Fox
were wounded. General Alison's aid-de-
camp, Captain Hutton, was wounded: Col
onel Stirling and the surgeon of the Cold
stream Guards were wounded, Colonel Bal
four, OF the Grenadier Guards, was wounded
III the leg, aud the color sergeant was killed
The cavalry is now on its march to Bilbeis
and the Indian contingent is on its way to
Iagazig, to be followed this evening by the
Highland brigade. Three lieutenants of the
Cameron lighlanders are wounded. The
canal is cut in some places, but the railway
is intact. 1t has been discovered that
Racheb Pafha and Ali Fehm Pasha were
wounded in the engagement OF last Satur-
day."
General Wolseey telegraphs that Arab
Fasha escaped ON horseback TO Zagazig.
AN EYEWITNESS STORY.
KAssAssTN, Sept. 13.-An eyewitness of
the battle gives the following account of It !:
The troops for the attack ON Tel-el-Kebir
were arranged in the following order One
troop of the Indian contingent, with bat
terry OF mountain guns on the extreme left,
the Fourth Brigade, under General Ash
burnham, the Highland Brigade and General
Graham's Brigade in the order as named,
and brigade of Guards on the right, In
support OF General Graham. A 40. 0.pounder
was posted three miles up the railway,
The enemy fired the first shot. For half
an hour the engagement was general along
the whole Egyptian line of from four to five
miles, after which the enemy 'were partly
driven from their intrenchments. The
RIFLES, the Forty sixth and the marines had
then reached within two hundred Yards and
preparations were being made to storm the
entrenchments. The enemy's fire at 5. 40 a.
IN. recommended on the left but not seri-
eusly. At $50 there was silence along the
whole line The entertainments then already
occupied by the British troops were between
Iel-el-Kebir proper and Karein. Colonel
Richardson, of the Forty sixth, was wounded
at the beginning of the engagement.
All our troops fought we'll, the Indian
contingent on the left carefully r,:seryinp
their fire. The first fire of the rebels was
very wild. 1t came from both infantry and
artillery and passed over our heads, they
being disconnected by the sudden attack.
With daylight the enemy's fire improved
and became like hailstorm. MANY men
fell, but not for second did our advance
stop. Our covering parties lying down, fired
while those in front pressed on. General
Graham's brigade worked with rallantry
Nothing could surpass their cheer, which
resembled wild yell and could be heard
above the din of musketry as they charged
up the steep slopes OF the trenches
large inner rcdoubt ON Arabi's left, t,well |
manned and armed, still remained intact. |
With another rush they We're among the |
enemy, bayonetting the gunners at their |
guns and capturing tile heavy artillery,
Thus we captured the key of the position. |
In 10 minutes from the first rush we were |
its masters The rattle of the eIlemy's |
away, while our men forsook |
the bayonet and picked OIL any rebels whe |
still showed fight In their retreat On the
south the enemy stood few minutes longer,
perhaps quarter of an hour, but the APP /
pearance OF our cavalry ON their right flank |
soon hastened their movements. In a few /
minutes one rushing stream of fugitiyes was
making for Iagazg, flying out of all their
A little later General Mac
Pherson's Indian brigade burst upon the
flying foe from the south and the rout was
complete. The artillery coming up at a
gallop unlimberGd ana sent their shot and
shell alter the rebels, adding to the CON
fusion.
THE EGYPTIANS SURPRISED.
The Egyptians were much surprised at the
attack. They expected 1t to
occur later in the day, but the British had
been marching all night and long before
sunrise were close upon Tel-el- -Kebir's out
posts. The appearance of the English at
such close quarters at such an hour SO took
the Egyptians by surprise that their resist
inee began in utmost confusion The
British were SO well organized and SO well
iirected that they realized every possible
advantage from this confusion. As soon as
ihe Egyptian outposts fired their alarms
several regiments from the Tel-el-Kebir en-
.renehments rushed down in disorder. The
Egyptian fire was then opened from the
The fire at first was very wild. When the
ight actually began the British were within
,ne mile of the Egyptian guns. 1t was still
ar from daylight and the Egyptian guns
we're OF little use at such close range. After
while the Egyptian fire became steady and
Precise. But by this time the British were
masters of the situation and quiekened their
IdVanee. The British cavalry rushed ahead.
,utting down the Egyptians with sabres.apd
he infantry, following close up with bayo
lets leVeled, advanced. The Egyptian forces
'eing yet uniformed could not Withstand
his manner of attack and broke and fled
'ack. They were followed close and eut
nd ridden down, and both the retreating
lhd the advancing forces reached the ram