The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-03-07
THE WAR IN EGYPT.
Ell Mah5i's First Defeat by the
British Troops,
The AratS Routed with Great Loss in
q Pitched Battle.

and the forces of Osman Digna, the False
PROPHETS general, are full of interest The
battle began near Trinktat, the city on the
Red Sea from which General Graham's ex.
petition started, and lasted all day. The
following is a graphic account of the battle:
On Thursday night General Graham's OK.
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 oblong the front
and rear of which were longer than the
sides, owing to the different strength of the
regiments. The Gordon High'a1ders in limo
formed the advance with two Calling guns
and one Gardiner in the right corner and
two { ordiners and one eating in the left
corner. The Eighty ninth regiment in line
formed the Iighthand side of the square, the
Black Watch reeiment the rear. The whole
strength of the British force was something
less than 1000 men. The length of the front
was ). 0 yards. The liussals acted as scouts,
and advanced in a semcrcle a thousand
yards ahead, covering the front and hanks
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-
eupled the high ground in front and on the
flank of the British army. They retired
slowly as the English advanced keeping
within about 200 yards of the main body
OF the English forces. The British cavalry
followed, covering the rear, upon the left,
formed III three lines and distant 500 yards
from the main army.
At $3.50 the gunboat Sphinx fired four
rounds from Trinidtat harbor, but the range
was too great. The shells burst mile short
of the enenIy's position. The firing was
stopped, as the shells were dangerous to the
English. HE cavalry and mounted infantry
advanced on the left to touch the
rebels who moved obstinately, though
they We're 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 wa:
difficult the men marched by tours right IN
columns of companies. The road toward
Teb was studded with hundreds of corr SEES OF
ljaAer ashas iuGitives,, which fillcI
the air with pollution, and around which
swamns of carrion flies 'azily lowered.
After an advance of three miles hal been
accomplished the earthworks of the rebels
came in sight. Guns were mounted and
andards were flying in the sultry air. The
rebel fire had now almost ceased except ON
the extreme right and left, whore it still con-
t.nued to b. directed at tie scouts. The
British stepped forth as if on holiday pa
rad, the Lagpipes playing and the Highland
ers marching cheerily. they advanced until
they were with II 500 yards OF the rebels D.
slton, where an Old sugar mill was standing
Surruunued by number of native huts, AMI
wA"ie 0l,O stood q fort with two guns. Here
IA halt was ordered and the scouts rejoined
the cavalry. Neither force seemed
dlsro'el to open fire. At last attention
was ca led. whereulon the rebels, seeing the
british move, began the hattie with a shell
from n ,ytnrpI from tlN
Egll tians. Tie shell pasSe wide oyer the
Quare. The next two shots were aimed with
greater accuracy, and TIE shells burst close
u the Britt Ii, wounding several. The rebels
maintained a rafting Iusilade with small
arms, sending hundreds OF bullets which
whzzod around the ears of the British. \
man of the Gordon Highlanders was first to
ali badly wounded. As the shots increa ell
the al bulance surgeons were iuiiy occupied.
The English advanced steaiiiy in S luare
with nut answering the rel cl lire till they
Vas.ed the nor til face OF the rebel work Al
this point piece of Shell wOunde Iaker
IaSha in the lace and twenty men were hit.
Alter an a,lvdns, of 900 yard, halt was
ordered and tine men We're directed to lie
down.
1t was now noon. The cay was clear, and
the wind dispersed the SMOKE OF the rebel
fire. disc osing the rebels movements. Then
the British opened fire with guns and Mar
tim rifles, causing the rebel fire rapidly to
slachen and almost to cease. At this
the bugles sounded a fresh advance.
The troops rose, wheeled around on the
center OF the square, and approached the
rebel Ks, The rebels were in no military
order, but were scattered here and there, so
as to take Advantage of TIE abundant cover
which the ground afforded They chung
to their position with desperate tenacity.
There We're 300 rebels directly i'll front,
while many hundreds hung around the two
SIDES of the square. As the British moved
forward, firing as they advanced, the rebels
almel with spears and huge crosS-hiltel
swIrls, rose within .0) yards of the adj
vaucing lines AMI rushed against the British
at brcakneck speed, needless aud 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
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 Ia"aDet, firing 4 double-barrellei
shot gun into the enemy. Around the works
the rebels fought with furious energy, aud
there was frightful melee of baycnets and
spears. AT length the British gained pos
session OF the fort. They captured two
Nrupp guns, ard at once turned them against
the enemy but the Arabs still contested
every inch. They would not submit t. be
driven Off; they could only be killed. Tie
British next directed their attention to the
old sugar mill, brick building containing
an iron boiler. This they stormed, aud sue
ceeded in dislOdging 200 rebels, who lear |
forth and charged from every opening.
At | p. NJ, after an hour Of intense fight
ing, the rebels gave way and bolted outright
Cattling gus and Martini rifles had caus d
great havoc. The British pursued them as
they fell back, and advanced as far as the
fresh water wells of Teb, where the rebels
made their last stand. Sheiks, who advanced
empty handed TO show that they bore
charmed lives, were stricken down with bay
onet thrusts. The HighlanGers 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
wells. The cavalry on the right flank
charged the retreating rebels, who did not
bolt, but struck the troopers who rode among
them, giving blow for blow. a splendil dis,
play of heroism was made by three mounte |
rebels. They resoutely maintained their
ground against the shock of two cavalry
regiment 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 th eir firing for a long time after the