Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-01-29
TIE SOUDAN WAR.
SAFETY OF STEWART AND HIS
TROOPS ASSURED.
Desperate Valor of the British-A
Succession of BattleS-Graphic
Descriptions.
SPECIAL BY rrlpeAru TO -ur Rrcorp-rxrox.I

General Stewards force is intrenChCd south
of Metemneh. The dispatch also gives the
gratifying information that Stewart is in
communication with General Gordon.
Stewart force had several fights with the
Arab rebels before it reached Metemnch
Stewart himself was badly wounded. Five
OF Mahdi's Emirs were killed in the fights.
General Wolseley in his dispatch reports
the capture of Mctemeh by the British
He also says that Sir Charles Wilson has
gone to Khartoum on board the steamer to
confer with Gordon. He is expected To re-
turn us soon as possible and report person
ally to Wolseiey.
GoEpoNs POSITION NOT DESPERATE.
LONDON. January 2Sth-l P M-Au Off
cial dispatch received this afternoon from
Gordon shows that his position at INhar-
toum was by no means as desperate rs was
supposed. He says he ecould hold out there
for years.
4 dispatch from Cairo declares that Lord
Charles BereStord. with small contiu-
gent, is pushing on from Meiemneh to
khartOum.
STEWART WoUNDED-IHGH WORDS OF PRAISE.
LoNDoN. january 2oth.-General Wolse-
ley reports Stewart seyeraly wounded, The
injuries. though not fatal, being 50 severe
! that he will be disabled tur the remainder
of the present campaign. General WolSe
ley considers the deprivation OF his services
a national loss. He characterizes Stewart
as the ablest soldier and most dashing
commander he ever knew and recon-
mends him to the Queens most favorable
consideration, Lord ST Vincent of the ar
tilery, was among the British slain. The
place where the battle occurred was 4 slight
distance beyond Shebacat Wells.
pr,r, ANS M. TUE MARCH
LoNpoN, January 2Sth-l:30 P. M.-Of-
| fetal dispatches indicate that the march Of
Stewart and his little army from Abuklea
| Wells to the present position was no easy
task. Almost every foot of the way APP
pears 10 have been sharply contested by a
rcsJlUte Arab foe. There was constant
succession of encounters from the action Of
the 18th till the Nile was reached, the
British troops steadily gaining fresh victor
les over impetuouS but easily demoraliZcd
rebels. On the morning of Monday, Jam
uary 18Th, two days after the fight at Abu-
klea, the enemy appeared in force in front
of the advancing British army, and Il short
fierce battle was fought. This occurred at
point about three miles from the Nile. The
British were compelled to sustain a heavy
fire for some time. Early III the engage
ment Stewart received his wound, and Sir
Charles Wilson thereupon assumed COM
mand. Works were hastily constructed
under the leaden rain which continued to
pour upon them from the enemvs rifles.
The wounded men and the baggage
train were left under guard, behind the
quickly built carIhWorkS, while the rest
of the force advanced in the face
of the hostile fire to a gravel ridge some
distance in front Here large force OF
rebels had established themselves in a
strong position. As soon as the British line
came near a fierce charge by several Emirs
was made against the British troops, ar
ranged. as usual, in the form of a square,
which steadily advanced 10 meet the wild
onset of the loudly-cheering enemy, who
were rushing upon them. At the same
time the rifles of the British were doing
bloody execution. The charge was checked,
and not an Arab came within thirty yards
of the British square. The rebels did not
long stand before the murderouS English
fire, but We're repulsed with heavy loss.
Five Emirs and $50 men were left dead
upon the field, and large numbers of
wounded. About the English losses few
details have vet been received. 1t is known,
however. that Cameron, special correspond
ent of the London Daily Staod'trd, and
Herbert special correspondent of the
NorHing Post, were killed.
STEWARDS POSITION.
The news of Stewards movements since
the battle of AbulIea Wells was broughtto
Korti by Captain Pigott He left Gubat
with dispatches Saturday last, and reached
KOrti this morning having encountered no
serious difficulty on the way.
Stewart now holds a strongly fortified
post at Gubat not far from Metemnch, 4
place on the Nile half way between Berber
and khartoum. Opposite Gubat is large
island on which plenty of forage for hoses
and camels can easily be obtained. So strong
is the position at Gubat that ii is confidently
asserted that it can be held by small gar
rison against any force the rebels send to
attack it. The route across the desert from
Gubat to hOrti is securely held by the Eng
lish. Colonel Sir Redycrs Butler will be in
command of this route. lie left korti to-
day to assume the position.
THE FIGHT IN WHICH srUwARTwAs WOUNDED.
LONDON, January 2StIl.-The point where
the battle OF the i9Jh occurred is III the
desert, about five miles south from Mc;en-
neh. When General Stewart reached that
point he found the enemy lowering about
his little army on all sides, and skirting it
often within uncomfortably short range
The rebels had evidently stationed them
selves in the vicinity to await his arrival
and give him battle, and when they began
to surround him and press i'll upon him, he
determined to abide the event. He ordered
his men TO dismount and form 4 Zareeba.
This was made mainly with saddles and
baggage, and during the construction the
rebel riHemen drew nearer and maintained
hot fire from behind ambushes and such
hiding-plGces as they could find among the
bushes and high grass. This fire was very
well directed, and was most disastrous in
IL ,l,.D,
men were soon shot dead and forty others
wounded Among the first killed We're
Mr.. Cameron. special correspondent OF the
London Stdadard, and Mr.. Herbert, special
correspondent of the London Post. General
Stewart was one of the very first To be
wounded He was shot in the thigh
When he was shot the work of making the
zareeba was about completed, and the army
had been put il motion to form its battle
array This was i hollow square. As soon
as completed the square advanced under
steady ambush ire q distance OF two
miles. At this point the enemy be-
gan to move to the square in two large
cchelonS. These We're directed against
the British right font, which stood I'M
moved during the rebel charge The Eng
lish troops forming the asSailed front de-
liyered a terrific fire. aimed right ut the
enemy's middle, moving down men in
such heaps that they formed actual obsta-
cles ana intcrtered 50 seriously with the
evenness necessary TO the success OF the on
slaught that its center line was brought TO
standstill about sixty yards from the
British front line. The force OF the general
movement threw the unimpeded parts of
the line, like the end of broken timber,
around the corners of the square, and the
rebels so displaced were simply cut To
pieces. From this on the warfare was dis
astrous TO the rebels, as the fighting was
irregular on their side. When the enemys
line was broken the army seemed TO break
UP into bands each of which waged
war on its own account. 4 large
detachment, mostly on horseback, went
back to attack the zareeba. This was gar
risoned by 4 body OF English soldiers,
made up of little detachments left behind
by each corps which had gone forward in
the square Lord Charles Beresford was
in command. He sustained the attack for
two hours, when the enemy was compelled
TO retreat During the general attack upon
the square only six men were killed and
twenty-three wounded on the British side.
Captain Norton worked the guns during
this fight, and his firing did awful eXecu-
ton Stewards force, on leaving Gakdul
Wells, consisted of 1000 picked fighting
men.
|, 20. w.