The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-01-23
MEDICINE FOR MAHDI.
DETAILS OF THE RECENT BATTLE in
THE DESERT.
A Hand-to-Rand Combat with Men WHO
Had no Fear in Them--Death of
Rurnaby-ForeiSn News
Items,

gram to The Morning Journal says; Ths
city is ringing with the news Of victory by
the advance guard of Lord Wolseiey's
troops, under Gen. Sir Herbert Stewart,
over the forces of the nahdi The detail
are as follows:
Gen Stewards column, ,l0) strong with
1900 camels had advanced from the wells
Of GakduJ Reports from scouts aad prisoners
captured brought word that large f,rce Of
the enemy was blocking the way to M3t.n
neb The forces Of tie Arabs was vari pusty
stated at from 1000 to 10000 men Til, ad-
vance was, therefore, continued with great
caution TIE troops were in better cJndi-
ton than during their first five days III tie
desert, the improvdenoe regarding the water
supply having been sternly dealt with.
When the column was twenty three miles
north of Metemneh the enemy was discOs-
cred in heavy force, occupying some ris,ns
ground on the right of Gen. Stewards line OF
advance. Darkness was coming on and the
column was halted aud formed in a hollow
square, with the husSars and engineers in
front A strict watch was set. Fires were
forbidden, and the picket line was cautiously
EXTENDED in the direction OF the troops.
There was great Impotence during thu
night, but nothing broke the stiffness of the
camp.
At daybreak ths enemy could be dis
tnctly seen. Their numbers were calcu-
lated at I4,091 men They were for the
most part poorly armed, spearnen and
swordsmen predominating. This enc5ur-
aged the troops, who gladly obeyed the
signal to advance in a hollow square
They had not long to wait. The black
soldiers, not to be restrained, dashed
at the column, hut were met with
storm Of bullets from the breech- leaders
| that moved them down before hey could
reach the lines The advance continued, a
terrible fire being kept up all the time. 1t
| was necessary to move slowly. This gave
| the spearmen time to form again. 1t was
observed that a heavy body of the enemy
hung upon the rising ground on the right be-
hind q pretty long line of rude intrench-
ments, which had evidently been thrown up
| during the night
Gen. Stewart detached body OF 800 men
| to take this work on the flank, seeing which
the main body Of the Arabs came on again
with tremendous rush, firing and yelling
| like demons, 1t seemed as if nothing could
| stop them They dashed on regardless of
the fire that was laying them low in scores.
| With magnificent courage they flung them
selves upon the line of the dis
/ mounted camel corps, and terrific hand
to-hand combat followed The terrible
spears dealt death right and left. Gal
| liant Fred Burnahy, hero of "The Ride to
khiva, received a spaar-thrust in the neck
| and Tell dead from his horse Gen. Stewards
! horse was shot under Linn, and in his fall the
| general barely escaped. He was soon re-
| mounted, and led the advance. The hussars
who now came up, suffered many losses. The
young earl of Airlie, a veteran of the
| Afghan campaign, received a spear wound
! in the breast rs he led on his troops of hus-
sars Young Lord ST Vincent, one Of the
most dashing officers in the service, WAo has
been through half dozen campaigns,
was also badly wounded So deter.
minei had been the onset that
the mahiis men broke clear into
the hollow square 1t was in the work OF
! disodging them them that most of the cas-
| ualities happened But they could not stanl
the rain Of bullets followed up with sword
and bayonet, and at last they gave way ant
fed pursued by the troops Meanwhile b;
| inJrenchment had been carried with a rush
and by nightfall tie position was captured
During the entire day the troops were with
out water or rations Of any kind, tn,
British losses were 90 killed and / Is wounded
eight Of the latter being officers. The rebe
loss Is set down at 500 dead and 100i
wounded, Gen Stewart on the followin;
day resumed his advance upon Metemneh
The Arab newspaper The Nusret, pub
li,hes FL Mahiis letter to Lieut.. Shendy, or
deriug him to take all his troops to Berber
where, with 5000 warriors, he shall attacl
the English forces at Mount Hamund. nortl
Of Barber. The paper publishes another let
ter from I'll Mahdi 20 Osnan Digma urging
him to capture Suaisu and thereby ena0
FL Mahdt to procure aid from Arabia b,
way Of that port.
LONDON, Jan. , All the morning paper
contain columns OF descriptions and com
merts regarding Gen. Stewards battle. Tn
papers unanimously eXtol in glowing term
the heroism Of the troops, aud unite in eulo
giving Col Burnaby, who is describe a
dying like a true British "bull-dog" with hi
right hand clenched in death about tn
throat Of the Arab whose spear was thru.
through the colOue's neck