The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-03-20
The Battle of Tamai Walls.

forces. under Gen. Graham, and the Arabs
of Osman Digna
The British troops, under command Of
| General Graham, gained great victory
| to-day about thirteen miles from here over
the Arabs under Osman Digna. The loss
of the British is about 20 killed and up
wards Of 100 wounded. Osman Digna's
loss is estimated at 2,400. General Ora
hams command encamped last night with
in short distance of Osman Digna's ad-
vance guard. The reports brought in by
spies and scouts seemed topointto night
attack, and every precaution was taken to
guard against surprise. The troops were
formed in a square and the artillery and
wagons parked in the center. Detach
ments of the Tenth and Nineteenth Hus-
sars were deployed as a close skirmish line
on all sides of the camp, the yidetteS being
within ten yards of each other, and the
troops laid down to rest in the positions as
signed them i'll the square. The moon
shone brightly, and the positions of the
combatants were plainly visible to each
other. During the early part of the night
there was perfect quiet, but about one
O'Clock this morning a restless movement
Was noticed along the Arabfront, and sud-
denly rattling fire was opened on the Vi
dettes, who fell back rapidly upon the main
1 ".
| in line to repel an onslaught of the Arabs,
but the latter, apparently content with the
scare they had given the outposts, did not
advance, but kept up a desultory fire during
the remainder of the night. The firing
did very little actual damage, one man
| being killed, and an officer and two men
wounded. but it had the effect of seriously
worrying the men, and keeping the camp
in continual state of alarm. Most of
theshooting appeared to be directed against
| the ambulance wagons, which were pr0ml-
nent marks in the center of the encamp-
ment, and they were riddled with balls.
General Graham and his staff were COM,
PEELED to change their quarters a number
of times before daybreak, and more than
once narrowly escaped the shower Of
bullets. After the first alarm had subsidized
the men were ordered to lie down, but
there was no more sleep, and the troops
impatiently awaited the dawn.
| About daybreak the British were formed
| in line of battle, the formation consisting
of two squares. The square on the right
was.made up Of the Gordon Highlanders
and Y ork and Lancaster regiments, with
while the Black Watch, the SiXty-ffth and
the Fusileers composed the other, with
the dismounted cavalry and marines in
side.
At sunrise Gardiner gun and nine
FOUNDER were run out and opened on the
Arab advance, which at that time was
| about 1000 yards from the British front.
The undisciplined tribes were unable to
withstand long the storm of shot and shell,
and sullenly fell back upon the main body
OF Osman Digna's troops, which were
massed near the Tamai walls. About half
past 6 O'Clock, Colonel Stewart, i'll COM
mand of the cavalry, joined Gen. Graham,
and was placed on the left of the line COW
ering the side and rear of the second
square, thus being in position to move on
the enemy's right flank should opportunity
offer. The advance movement was now
begun, the troops marching in echelon, the
square to the right being in front, and the
second square within easy supporting dis
lance in rear and to the left. The ground
over which the British marched was I'M
even, and the square in front was thrown
into slight confusion shortly after the adj |
vance was begun. The Arabs quickly noted |
the apparent disorder and swooped down |
upon the British in swarms, firing their |
pieces as they approached, and placing |
their spears in rest. The outer angle of |
the front square was completely exposed, |
and the Arab horSemen dashed upon it |
with savage impetuosity. For moment |
fortune seemed to favor these brave fanat- |
les. They speared the men of the Eighty |
Ninth and York and Lancaster regiments, |
and the compact line of the British weak |
ened, and in some places yielded but the |
sailors in the center closed up the gap, and |
a deadly fire from the Winchesters and |
Gatling guns was poured into them, now
ing them down in great numbers. With |
drawing from the right, they fell back only
to attack the other square in greater num-
bers. A few moments later, the cavalry, |
under General Stewart, was in the act of
making detour for the purpose of turn |
ing the flank Of the Arabs, when the at
tack began and the outer angle Of the rear
square was unsupported The Arabs lit |
orally enveloped it. Their charge was re- |
sistless. and before the British couldsre- !
cover from the confusion into which their |
ranks were thrown, the Gatling and Gardi-
ner guns were seized and borne off in
triumph. The rebels, under cover of the |
smoke, crept close up to the British lines
and dashed against the marines and the |
Sixty-tifth and Black Watch regiments, |
throwing themselves upon the bayonetS of |
the British, and giving and receiving fear
full wounds. The rebels entered the second |
square upon their hands and knees beneath |
the muzzles of the Gatling guns. They
then commenced slashing with their weap-
OnS, doing terrible execution. The British |
were no match for the rebels at close quar-
tiers. Great confusion ensued. The Sixty
fifth began to retreat. crowding upon the |
marines, when all became inextricably |
mixed. General Graham and his staff did |
their utmost to rally the men, retreating
eight hundred yards to enable them to re-
form. Assistance from the other brigade |
prevented a serious disaster. There were
many narrow escapes among the officers. |
The horse of General Butler was shot from
under him. A forward movement Of the
British was ordered as soon as order was
restored but before it could be executed. |
Osman Digna's soldiers were on them
again, charging from all sides, and appear
ing utterly regardless of the terrific fire |
which rained upon them and thinned their
ranks by hundreds. The Hussars now bore
down on the Arabs in compact lines. pis-
toling and Sabrlng them as they passed
rapidly through their irregular ranks and
joined the main body of the British. Over
and over again the advance of the English
troops was checked by the stubborn charges
OF the rebels, but finally their losses began
to tell even on them, and they slowly with
drew to rising ground near the Tamai
wells. The British now charged with
great spirit and with ringing cheers, the
HusSarS at the same time making for the
rear of the Arab position. The Arabs wa
vered moment, and then gave way. sour
rying over the bare hillocks in punches of
fifties and hundreds, and leaving in the
possession of their enemies the Gatlings
and GARDENERS captured but an hour before.
and all their own guns and camp equipage
The Arabs were brave to desperation. and
had they been well disciplined and properly
armed with improved weapons, would have
been irresistible, as the British did not
number more than 1900 all told, while
there must have been at least 10000 of the
enemy.
The HuSsars made q forward movement
and cut off the rebels retreat to Sinkat.
1t is hoped that they will save there the
families of the massacred garrison.
LONDON, March 14.-A despatch from
Suakim to Reuters Telegram Company
says that the enemy was enabled to pene-
trate the second square and capture the
guns by the movements of the Black
Watch Regiment, which advanced impet-
uously and broke the ranks. Numbers of
rebels still hover around the camp. and
fire when cattle are being watered. The
native guides bolted when the square was
broken. Further fighting is improbable.
The battle ragged two -and-a-half hours.
1t is well respected maxim Accept
y