The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-03-21
OSMAN DIGNA ROUTED,
Another Vi3tory FIR the British
Troops in Egypt.
HordeS of Arabs Charging the Brit
iSh with Fierce Bravery.

Another victory has been won by General
Grahams advancing army in the Soudan,
the rebels under Os!nan Digna being routed
only after n determined resistance. The
rebels opened fire at o'clock in the morning
The British forces were formed to repel q
charge, but no attack came. The men were
thereupon ordered to lie down again The
rebels kept up persistent fusillade until just
before davbreak. The bright moonlight rem
dered objects distinctly visible at a long dis
lance. but prevented the enemy from at
tempting a sudden onset. The rebels directed
their fire especially toward the hospital
wagons, which were conspicuous in the
moonlight The surgeons and General Ora.
hams stat officers had many narrow es.
capes An officer and two IN N were wounded
and one man was killed.
The fighting began at daybreak. At q
o'clock Gardiner gun and a nne-pounder
were turned against the rebels, who were
within 300 yards OF the British position and
afforded a most excellent target. The Arabs
were soon compelled to retire to their main
position, near the Tamai Wells Colonel
Stewards cavalry arrived at 81 o'clock
and took position on the British left,
50 as to turn the enemy's right.
The British forces advanced in TIVE brgades,
which were thrown into the form of squares.
A series of encounters followed. Soon after
leaving Sariba the great body of the rebels
charged the leading square spearing many
of the British. The sailors, who were inside
the square, Immediately closed up and the
rebels were repused with great Slaughter.
The advance was again resumed, when i'm
mense hordes rushed upon the British from
both sides. A terrible struggle ensued The
Arabs fought with the greatest pluck and
bravado, but nearly all were killed. The sec
ond brigade met with obstinate resistance,
and was at one time repulsed. The Gatling
and Gardiner guns fell into the hands of
the rebels, and were only recovered after a
severe fl hit when the British likewise
gained p OsseSsion of the rebel camp.
The infantry and artillery completely routed
the enemy from their pits and trenches. The
battle had not lasted more than half hour
when the victory of the British was made
certain. The enemy fought most stubbornly,
and the battle was much heavier than the
engagement at Tab. The snilors, thu Black
Watch regiment and the FORK and Lancas q.
ter regiment suffered the heaviest losses.
The rebels, under cover of the smoke, crept
close up to the British lines, and dashed
against the marines and the Sixty-ffth and
Black Watch regiments throwing themselves
upon the bayonets of the British, and giving
and receiving fearful wounds. Great con-
fusion ensued. The Sixty-flfth began to re-
treat, crowding upon the marines, when all
became inextricably mixed. General era
ham and his staff did their utmost to rally
the men, retreating 800 yards to enable them
to reform.
A dispatch from Suakim says that the
ene.ny was enable | to penetrate the sec ond
square and capture the guns by the move
ments of the Black Watch regiment, which
advanced impetuously 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. The battle ragged two
and half hours. The rebel loss is estimated
at 1000 killed and 5000 wounded.
General Graham sent dispatch dated Os-
man Dignas camp, in which he said: The
camp CT the enemy has been taken after hard
fighting since o'clock this morning. Over
10 of the British were killed AMI 100
wounded