The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-03-19
ABRITISHVICqORY.
Gen. Graham's Costly
Capture of 0snan
Digna's Camp.
2,4OO Rebel Dead.
Many Savage Charges on the English
Squares Which Strike Down the
Brave Blacks by Hundreds
and Achieve a Com
plete Success.

PISsS SuCCSsS.
SUAKIN, March 12.-The decisive
battle has been fought, and, although
several contested, the British victory
over Osman Digna is complete
After a desultory picket fire, which
the bright moonlight rendered very
the rebels opened fire OH
General Graham's forces at o'clock
this morning. The British forces
were at once formed to repel a charge,
but no attack came and the men
were thereupon ordered to lie down
again. The fire of the rebels contin-
ued all night, but the British did
not reply, though an officer and two
men were wounded and one man
killed.
The real fighting began at day
break, the infantry and artillery
completely routing the enemy from
their pits and trenches, and the bat
tie had not lasted more than half an
hour when the victory of the British
was made certain.
THE STAFF AND SURGEONS EXPOSED
At first Osman Digna's forces di-
rected their fire especially towards
the hospital wagons, which were
conspicuous in the moonlight, the
surgeons and General Graham s staff
officers having many narrow escapes.
At 6 clock, sunrise, a Gardiner gun
and a nine-pounder were turned
against the rebels, who were within
1900 yards Of the British position,
and afforded a most excellent tar
get, and the Arabs were soon com
PEELED to retire to their main posi-
ton.
THE BRITISH ADVANCE IN SQUARES.
The British forces then advanced
in two brigades, which were thrown
into the form of squares, and series
of encounters followed. Soon after
leaving Saribs the great body of the
rebels charged the leading square,
spearing many of the British, but
the sailors, who were inside, imme-
diately closing up, the rebels who
were inside, Immediately closing up,
the rebels were repulsed with great
slaughter. The advance was again
resumed, when immense hordes
rushed upon the British from both
sides, a terrible struggle ensuing.
The Arabs fought with the greatest
pluck and bravado, but nearly all
were killed.
BRIGADE PARTIALLY ROUTED.
The second brigade met with OBJ
stinate resistance and was at one
time repulsed, the Gatling and Grid
iner guns falling into the hands of
the rebels and being only recovered
after a severe fight, when the Brit
ish gained possession of the rebel
camp.
The rebels, under cover of the
smoke, crept close up to the british
lines and dashed against the mari
mes and the 65th and Black Watch
Regiments, throwing themselves up
on the bayonets OF the British and
giving and receiving fearful wounds.
Great confusion ensued, the 65th
began to retreat, crOwding the mar
ines, when all became inextricably
mixed.
A DESPERATE ATTEMPT AT a RALLEY.
General Graham and his staff did
their uttermost to rally the men,
retreating 800 yards TO enable them
to reform. Assistance for the other
brigade prevented a serious disaster
There were many narrow escapes
ameng the officers. The horse of
General Butler was shot from under
him. The pluck shown by the reb
els is unexampled.
THE REBELS STILL ACTIVE.
LONDON, March IA despatch
from Suakin to Reuters Telegram
Company says that the enemy was
enabled to penetrate the second
square and capture the guns by the
movement of the Black Watch Regi-
ment, which advanced impetuously
and broke the ranks. Numbers of
rebels still hover around the camp
and fire when cattle are being water
ed. The native guides bolted when
the square was broken. Further
fighting is improbable. The battle
ragged two and a half hours. The
rebel loss is estimated at 1000 killed
and 5000 wounded.
THE REBELS sTTBBoRN FIGHT.
General Graham has taken up his
quarters for the present in the camp
from which Osman Digan and the
rebels hosts We're driven. All the
English leaders agree that the enemy
fought most stubbornly, and that
the battle was severer than the
engagement at Teb. The sailors, the
Black Watch Regiment and the
York and Lancaster Regiments suf-
fering the heaviest loss. The rebels
are supposed to have lost 2,4O0
men.
GENERAL GRAHAM's DISPATCH.
The following dispatch has been
received from General Graham
dated.
OsMAN DIGNA's CAMP, March 13,
11.40 A. M.-"The camp of the enc
my has been taken after hard fight
ing since s o'clock this morning.
Over seventy of the British were
killed and hundred wounded"
High Water.
NEu Oprr,Nc March II The