The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-03
The Arabs Makera Determined Resistance,
but Are Finally Defeated, with Il
Loss Of One Thousand Men.
General Graham Continues isAdvance
and Takes Possession Of T0kar.
The Rebel Forces Within Eight Miles of Sua.
kim, and Another Engagement Prob
able-Baker Pasha Wounded.
A DESPERATE FIGHT.


troops, Near Trinkitat.
TRINHTAT, March 1.-On Thursday night
General Grahams expedition encamped near
Fort Baker. The troops were all assembled be-
fore sunset except the Sixty-ifth regiment,
which arrived at night On Friday morning.
breakfast over, the force about four thousand
strong formed an oblong square, the front and
rear being longer than the sides owing to the
different strength of regiments. The Gordon
Hlghlanders formed in advance, with two Cat
ling guns and one Gardiner in the right corner.
and two GARDENERS and one Gatng in the left
corner The Eighty ninth regiment formed on
the right-hand side of the square, the Black
Watch regiment in the rear The length of the
front was $50 yards. The Hussars acted as
scouts, advancing in semi-cir one thousand
yards ahead, covering the front and fanks of
the main force The troops advanced over sand
knobs and scrub for a mile from
when the rebels opened fire with
Remington rifles but the range was so Tong tnat
the shots proved ineffective. The rebels in
swarms, occupied high ground in front and on
the hanks Of the British army. They retired
slowly as the British advanced keeping about
1,2O0 yards from the main body of the English
force. The British cavalry followed. covering
the rear upon the left and formed in three lines,
distant 900 yards from tke main army At $50
gunboat fred from Trinkitat but the shells
burst a mile short of the enemys position The
cavalry and mounted infantry advanced on the
left to touch the rebels, who moved obstinately,
though not ndisposed to fight The infantry
continued to advance steadily. Two or three
times a halt was made to allow the sailors and
artillerymen dragging the guns to rest The
road toward Teb was studded with hundreds of
corpses of Baker Pasha's fugtives, filling the
ar with pollution, and around which swarms
of carrion flies lowered. After ad-
vancng three miles the earthworks
of the rebels came in sight Guns were
mounted and standards were flying The rebel
fire had i1sw almost ceased, except on the ex-
treme right and left. The British stepped forth
as if on holiday parade, the bagpipes playing
and the Highlanders footing cheerly They ad-
vanced till within eight hundred yards of the
rebels position, where an old sugar-mirl sur
rounded by a number of huts, and fort with
two guns were situated. Here halt was OF
dered, and the scouts reioined the cavalry
Neither force seemed disposed to open fire
At last Attention was called, whereupon the
rebels, seeing the British move, began battle
with shot from Krupp gun, which passed
wide over the square The next shots were
aimed with greater accuracy, and shells burst
close to the British, wounding several. The
rebels maintained a rafting fusillade with small
arms. As the shots increased the ambulance
surgeons were fully occupied. The En-
gllsh advanced steadily in a square with
out answering the rebel fire till they
passed the north face of the rebel works At
this point piece of shell wounded Baker Pasha;
and twenty men were hit. After an echelon
nf nd Tra,a7- hole
the men directed to lie down. 1t was now noon
day, clear, and the wind dispersed the smoke Of
the rebel fire, disclosing the rebels movements.
Then the British opened fire with guns and
Martini rifles, causing the rebel fire to rapidly
slacken and almost cease. At this the bugles
again sounded the advance The troops rose,
wheeled on the center of the square and ap-
preached the rebel works. The rebels were in
no military order, but We're scattered here and
there 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 two
hundred yards of the advancing lines and rushed
against the British at breakneck speed, needless
and fearless of DEATH The rebels fell right and
left, though some of the brave fellows reached
within five PAGES of the square. None of them
boted. They only fell back sullenly when they
were forced.
Having cleared the ground in front with their
Martini rifles, the British attacked the fort. Col
onel Burnaby was the first to mount the para
pet firing his double -barreed shotgun into the
enemy. Around the works the rebels fought
with furious energy and a fIightful melee of
bayonets and spears took place Al last the
British gained possession of the fort
They captured four Krupp guns and at
once turned them against the enemy but the
Arabs still contested every inch. They would
not submit to be driven off They could only be
killed. The British next directed their attention
to the old sugar mill a brick building containing
one iron boiler. This they storned, and sue
ceeded in disodging two hundred rebels, who
leaped forth and charged from every opening
AT 10 o'clock, after an hour of intense fighting,
the rebels gave way and bolted outright The
Gatling guns and Martini rifles had caused great
havoc there. The British pursued the
rebels, as they fell back, and ad-
vanced as far as the fresh water
wells of Teb, where the rebels made their last
stand. The sheikhs, who advanced empty
handed to show they bore charmed lives, were
stricken down with bayonet thrusts The High
landers carried the next earthwork, capturing
three guns. AT the end of four hours arduous
fighting, the British gained possession of the
rebel camps, of the huts and wells The cavalry
on the right flank charged the retreating rebels,
who did not halt but met the troopers who rode
among them, giving blow for blow. A splendid
display of heroism was made by three mounted
rebels. They resolutely maintained their ground
against the shock of two cavalry charges. In
the third charge they were cut down, but not
before they had killed several men and wounded
Co lionel Barrow with their spears.
The enemy retired sullenly, and in conse-
quence the British kept up their firing for a
long time after the fortunes of the day had been
decided. General Graham decided to remain at
the wells Of Teb Friday night The intention
was to continue the advance to Tokar ON Satur-
day morning. The spoils taken from Baker
Pasha were in a large measure recovered
General Graham, after the capture of Tokar,
lnAnr Acrr IL -. -