Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-03-06
THE WAR IN EGYPT.
El Mathis First Defeat by the
British Troops
The Arabs Routed With Great Loss in
a Pitched Battle.


battle began near Trinkitat, the city on the
Red Sea from which General Grahamis ex-
petition started, and lasted all day. The
following is graphic account of the battle:
On Thursday night General Grahams ex-
petition encamped near Fort Baker, the in
iantry in front and the cavalry in the rear.
On Friday morning, after breakfast, the
troops were formed in an 0blOng. tie front
and rear Of which were longer than the
sides owing to the different strength Of the
regiments. The Gordon Highlanders in line
formed the advance with two Gatling guns
and one Gardiner in the right corner and
two Gsrdiners and one Gatling in the left
corner. The Eighty ninth regiment in line
formed the right-hand side Of the square, the
Black Watch reg eiment the rear. The whole
strength of the British force was something
less than 4, 1000 men. The length of the front
was $50 yards The Hussars acted as scouts
and advanced in a semicircle q thousand
yards ahead, covering the front and fianks
OF the main force. The troops advanced
over sand knobs and scrub for a mile from
Fort Baker, along the Teb road when the
rebels opened fire with their Remington rifles.
but the range was too long and their shots
proved Ineffective The rebels in swarms oc-
cupled the high ground in front and on the
flank OF the British army. They retired
slowly as the English advanced keeping
of the English forces. The British cavalry
followed, covering the rear, upon the left,
formed in three lines and distant 900 yards
from the main army.
At $3.50 the gunboat Sphinx fired four
rounds from Trinkitat narbor, but the range
was too great. The shells burst a mile short
of the enemy's position. The firing was
stopped, as the shells were dangerous to the
English. The cavalry and mounted infantry
advanced on the left to touch the
rebels, who moved obstinately, though
they were not indisposed to fight.
The infantry continued to advance steadily.
Two or three times halt was made in order
to allow the sailors and artillery, who were
dragging the guns, to rest The lines were
well maintained but where the ground was
difficult the men marched by fours right in
columns Of companies. The road toward
Teb was studded with hundreds of corpses of
Baker Pasha's fugitives, which fllei
the air with pollution, and around which
swarms Of carrion flies lazily lowered.
After an advance of three miles had been
accomplished the earthworks of the rebels
came in sight. Guns were mounted and
standards were flying in the sultry air. The
rebel fire had now almost ceased except on
the extreme right and left. where it still con-
tinued to be directed at the scouts The
British stepped forth as if on a holiday pa
rade, the bagpipes playing and the Highland
ers marching cheerilY. They advanced until
they were within 500 yards of the rebels Do
sition, where an old sugar mill was standing.
surrounded by number of native huts, and
where also stood fort with two guns. Here
halt was ordered and the scouts rejoined
the cavalry. Neither fOrca seemed
disposed to open fire. At last attention
was called, whereupon the rebels, seeing the
British move, began the battle with shell
from Krupp gun captured from the
Egyptians The shell passed wide over the
greater accuracy, and the shells burst close
to the British, wounding several. The rebels
maintained a rattling fusillade with small
arms, sending hundreds of bullets which
whizzed around the ears of the British. A
man of the Gordon Highlanders was first to
fall badly wounded. As the shots increased
the ambulance surgeons were fully occupied.
The English advanced steadily in a square
without answering the rebel fire till they
passed the north face of the rebel works At
this point piece of shell wounded Baker
Pasha in the face, and twenty men were hit.
After an advance of 1000 yards halt was
ordered and the men were directed to Lie
down
1t was now noon. The day was clear, and
the wind dispersed the SMOKE of the rebel
fire, disclosing the rebels movements. Then
the British opened fire with guns and Mar
TIM rifles, causing the rebel fire rapidly to
slacken and almost to cease. At this
q
The troops rose wheeled around on the
center Of the square, and approached the
rebel works. The rebels were in no military
order, but were scattered here and there, 50
as to take advantage of the abundant cover
which the ground afforded. They clung
to their position with desperate tenacity.
There were 1000 rebels directly in front,
while many hundreds hung around the two
sides of the square. As. the British moved
forward, firing as they advanced, the rebels,
armed with spears and huge croSs-hilted
swords, rose within 200 yards OF the ad-
vancing lines and rushed against the British
at breakneck speed, needless aad fearless of
death. The rebels fell right and left, though
some of the brave fellows reached within
five PAGES or the square. None Of them
bolted; they only fell back sullenly when
they were forced.
Having cleared the ground in front with
their Martini rifles, the British attacked the
fort. Colonel Burnaby was the first to
mount the paraoet, firing a double-barrelled
shot gun into the enemy. Around the works
the rebels fought with furious energy, and
there was frightful melee of bayunets and
spears. At length the British gained pos
session OF the fort They captured two
Krupp guns. and at once turned them against
the enemy, but the Arabs still contested
every inch. They would not submit to be
driven of; they could only be killed. The
British next directed their attention to the
old sugar mill, brick building containing
an iron boiler. This they stormsd, and sue
ceeded in dislodging 20 rebels. who leapel
forth and charged from every opening.
At P. NJ, after an hour Of intense fight
ing, the rebels gave way and bolted outright.
Gattling guns and Martini rifles had caused
great havoc. The British pursued them as
they fell back, and advanced as far as ths
fresh water wells OF Teb, where the rebels
made their last stand. Sheiks, who advanced
1.I 20 Tto+ %he-r ho~.a
charmed lives, were stricken down with bay
onet thrusts The Highlanders carried the
next earthwork, capturing three guns. At
the end of four hours Of arduous fighting
the British gained possession OF the
rebel camps, of the huts and the
charged the retreating rebels, who did not
bolt, but struck the troopers who rode among
them, giving blow for blow. A splendid dis
play of heroism was made by three mounted
rebels They reSolurely maintained their
ground against the shock of two cavalry
regiments before being cut down. They con-
tinued to fight after the third charge, killing
several soldiers and wounded Colonel Bar
row with their spears The enemy retired
slowly. and in consequence OF this the British
kept up their firing for long time after the
fortunes of the day had been decided.
Ali reports commend the steadiness with
which the British moved on Teb. The square
In which they advanced to the battle was
never broken. The determination and
bravery of the rebels were shown in the ia t
that when they were charged by the cavalry
great numbers of them threw themselves
upon their backs on the ground and speared
the horses Of the troopers as they dashed over
them.
General Graham decided to remain at the
wells of Teb Friday night The intention
was to continue the advance to Tokar on
Saturday morning The spoils taken from
Baker Pasha were in large measure re
covered The losses Of the British in the fight
were twenty-four killed and one hundred
and fortv-two wounded. The British forces
captured four Krupp guns, two howitzers,
and one machine gun.
The British troops entered Tokar at noon
on Saturday. The garrison there numbered
,~-a,,t 4f,sa ,.a~,,ois,Flay. harif.rr i4,raa tn