The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-27
The Advance on Tamanieb Begun-A Skir-
miSh with the ArabS-A General En-
gagement Expected To- Morrow
General GOrdOn's Situation at Khar.
toum Daily Growing More Critical.
The SlOop Alert Placed in Commission and
the Event Fittingly Celebrated
lister Wallace and the Sultan.
THE ADVANCE BEGUN.
The British Moving Forward to Attack Os-
man Digma at Tamanieb.

Ihe British Moving Forward to Attack Os-
man Digma at Tamanieb.
SUAKDi, March 2G-The British infantry is
encamped ninety-seven miles from Suakim,
where they will remain for the rest of to-day
OF the three hundred who fell out of ranks
yesterday overcome by heat and burdens of the
march only four are in the hospital The rest
have returned to duty. There is no doubt but
the sickness will be renewed when the march
continues. 1t is hoped the cavalry will be able
to accomplish the object in view without the
necessity of requiring the infantry to march to
Tamanieb. The cavalry, with fifty Arab scouts,
have gone to reconnoiter Tamanieb. The
troops bivouacked last night in an oblong
rectangle, and slept in their accoutrements
Captain Slade, of the reconnaissance party, gal
loped within three hundred yards of Tamanieb.
but he saw no rebels. If Tamanieb is deserted
it will be burned, and the troops will at once re-
turn to Suakim.
The advance to Tamanieb begun this morning
was delayed to give the troops days rest. The
| Tenth and Nineteenth Hussars and mounted
infantry advanced tonight to the wells of Tama-
nieb, whittier the whole force will advance early
in the morning. The cavalry reconnaissance to-
day ascertained that Osman Digmas force
number uncertain, holds the rugged and rising
ground at the end of the valley where the village
OF Tamaneib is situated. If Osman fights at all
1t is not expected the battle will take place until
Friday morning. Owing to the intense heat and
short supply of water, General Graham intends
to limit the march to clearing the valley to Tama-
nieb. The proposed cavalry expedition to Ber-
Der has been dropped. Three hundred Arabs
have joined the British camp but leading
sheiks, excepting Morghanie, keep aloof
The main part of anxiety has now been trans
ferred from the Red lttoral to the upper
Nile where General Gordons position is daily
becoming more critical and the prospect of an
attack by Ell Mahdi himself more imminent 1t
now appears that the government is planning a
combined military and naval expedition up the
Nile with base of operations at either Assouan
or korosko, but this enterprise will not Ge prac-
ticable until July or August, or even September
when the annual rise in the river will furnish
enough water for such flotlla as will be needed.
In the meantime General Gordon will be left tc
trust to his traditional luck aided by his diplo
matte powers unless his relief by way of Suakim
and Berber shall be found possible. IT, in the
interim, General Gordon should be crushed it is
probable that the projected fall campaign will be
abandoned altogether and the interior of the
Soudan left to take care of itself
The cavalry had two hours skirmish with the
rebels Tamanieb. Several rebels were
killed. The enemy retired.
Admiral Hewett telegraphs from Suakim to
London in answer to the inquiry of the Marquis
of Harrington. Secretary of State for War, in re-
gard to the disbandment of the Abyssinan
scouts that they We're disbanded because they
were outlaws and robbers