The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-02
THE BATTLE OF TA1ANIEB.
How Osmnn Dirnn's Forces Were Defeated
by the British Troops-Iiow the Black
Watch and Marines Fought Back TO
Rack

ptuCh, anu suItIlOI NAapOnS cUdDlCu uS 10
defeat the enemy, who fell back among the
rough rcd granite ranges OF the Soudan,
where it was impossible 10 follow them.
PREPARATIONS.
Our troops LETT the scene OF the byouac
at O'Clock, marching in the same fOrma-
ton as yesterday, by brigades To-day,
however, the brigades were separated by
an interval OF thousands yards. They
moved in echelon, the Second brigade lead
ing. This brigade was composed OF the
Forty-second. SiXty-fith, Royal Marines
aud Naval Brigade, with Gardncrs and
Gat,ings. The First brigade comprised
the Eighty.ninth, Gordon Highland
ers, SXtieth Rifles, with Royal Ar
tillerv nine and Seven-pounder bat
teries, and Royal Marines. As the
second brigade moved off to the left
or southerly direction, led by General
Davis, it was joined by General Graham
and staff. We could plainly see the enemy
ranged all along the hills on our front and
right. Their black skins stood ont boldly
against the glare of day. Some were
within twelve hun red yards. The main
body, however. appeared 10 be about a
mile away. Our route lay across dry water
courses towards a deep nuliah full OF bOvl-
ders and huge detaccd rocks.
The CAVALRY ENGAGE.
Meanwhile the cavalry, which bad taken
UP position on our left rear, sent forward
two Squadrons, together with the AbySsi-
mans. to SkirmiSh. These were quickly
engaged, and hot fire was soon raging.
The enemy coming on, the skiimisherS fcll
back. and the Second brigade went for
ward 700 wards, firing rs they went. The
troops had opened out nearly into line.
their rear TO great extent being
covered by the First brigade, which
was hali 4 mile away on our right.
As we gained the edge of the nullah the
fire became very hot from our side, the
enemy mostly contenting themselves by
attempting 20 rush at Us with their spears
and swords. Cur men could not easily be
got, despite trumpet-calls and officers
shouts. to reserve their fire and aim care
fully. In a few minutes our line was
obscured by dense smoke from our own
rifles, and under cover OF this the enemy
cTept up the sides OF the nullah, and a
succession of rusheS by our brave
and rcsolute fees was made at the
troops. The SiXty-tifth, who were on our
right. marines on their left, and Forty
second on extreme left, were nearest to the
brink Of the nulla. which. on theIr front,
made a bend inward toward them. The
enemy appear TO have gathered there LOCO
strong. Creeping up under cover OF the
smoke and sloping ground. they dashed at
the marines and SiXty-ffth. \ hundred
sWarthy Arabs came bounding over the
rocks up the plain, spear and sword in
hand. Hall were instantly shot down,
but thirty or forty were able TO throw
themselves upon our bayOnets, giving and
receiving fearful wounds.
THE BRITISH RETREAT.
Quick as lightning the rush increased.
and i'm less time than it takes to tell the
Sixtv-fifth gave way, falling back upon the
marines. To their credit be il ever said.
many men disdained to run. but went back
with their faces to the foe, firing and
striking with the bayonet. The bulk Of
the regiment crowded in upon the ma
rineS, throwing them in disorder, and back
eVerybO was borne in 4 confused mass,
men and regiments being lneXtricably
mixed up. General Graham and his staff
tried their best to hold and rally the men,
and General Davis and all the officers Ia
bored to get the troops to stand their ground
in an orderly way. Even the FOrty-second
confusion, but here and there the marines
and Highllnders retired slowly, firing
steadily at the rushing Arabs. whom they
bowled over like ninepins, though, truth
TO tell. they were instantly replaced by
others. The Naval brigade, VINO had been
sent TO the front with their macbine-gunS,
during the rush lost three OF their officers
and many OF their men. The machine
4 l. 10. IL -it,rr
10 the hurried retreat and partly because
of the nature of the ground. The blue
Jackets, despite the misadventurc, man
aged TO remove the sights and otherwise
temporarily disable the weapons, which all
fell into the hands OF the rebels.
ARALLY.
We came back about eight hundred
wards. moving i'm . more easterly direction
than the line of advance. BY this time the
fire from the First brigade on our right as
well as front, and the cavalry on our left,
held the Arabs. and the officers succeeded
i'm checking the retreat, the Black Watch,
who were fairly in hand, and a portion Of
the marines largely assisting in stopping
what might have been much more serious
disaster 90 the brigade. The brigade was
reformed, and the men who had got out Of
fheIr regiment; were sent into their own
lines again. | must revert to the way
in which several hundred of ma
rines and Highlanders fought back
TO back, firing and retiring in excellent
order, They were over two hundred
wards 10 the brigade front when IT was
halted and reformed, and to their great
coolncss and steadiness is largely due The
final success of the day. Ten minutes
after the rally was effected Tour marines
brought in a wounded comrade on
stretcher and apryate OF the Black Watch
came limping up TO the square OUT OF tue
laws OF death. In that single struggle
we lost over seventy men Gl''ed.
counted the bodies OF over thirty OF the
Sixty-ffth and about an equal number OF
the Forty-second within RADIUS OF hity |
wards, all shocking'y mangied ana heWn
with sword cuts and spear WOUNDS Ihe
Arabs lay dead in hundreds.
ARAB PLUCK.
rode over to the SiXty-fifth corner, as
they were driven in and had ample Qppor-
tInity OF seeiug how the enemy did their
work. Fearless and daring, they ran
a.muck, so 10 speak, at our men, bltting !
r,oht and left. Even when themselves |
badly wounded, IL was this very reckless !
ness Of death on their part which made
them so dreaded. / think, all the same,
many OF our fellows soon realized that
with the bayonet and Martini and GOODNESS
they had nothing TO fear from the rudely-
armed and nearly TAXED savages. IL was9
o'clock by the time when the Second Drl-
eade was reformed and once more read
yanced in lines, ,going 100 0paces whena quar-
fer OF an hours halt was called. The enemy !
mean time kept up dropping rifle-nre,
which, fortunately, did little damage. Inc