Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-01-29
WAR IN THE DESERT.

Ton Thousand Arabs Dash Into Storm
OF British shot and sheli-General stew
arts Command Fiercely Attacked while
Struggling TO Relieve "ChInsse Gordon
The False Prophets Dead Piled Up In
Heaps-The Survivors F1se-BrItish Loss
scventy-Four.
LONDON, Jan. ga battle between
General Stewards troops, numbering 1900,
and 5000 to 10000 Arabs has been fought
at point in the Passanlyeh desert, twenty
three miles northwest from Metemneh, and
near the caravan station of Shebacat, In
which the rebels were routed. Among
those who fell under the enemy's fire
was Lieutenant Colonel Burnaby. Be-
sides Colonel Burnaby, the following
were killed: Major Carmichael, Fifth Lam
GERS; Major Anterior, Fifth Dragons; Cap
tain barley and Lieutenant Shaw, Fourth
Dragons; Lieutenant Wolfe, Scots Greys,
and Lieutenants Pigott and De Leslie, OF
the Naval Brigade Lord ST. Vincent and
Lord Alrlie were wounded.
A dispatch has been received at the War
Office from General iVolseley, dated Korti.
Jan. 81, p. M, which reads substantially
as follows:
General Stewart has had a heavy engage
ment with portion OF FL Mehdi's forces nedr
the Abu-Klea wells, about twenty-three miles
this side OF Metemneh. The rebels had col
lected from Berber. Metemneh and Omdura-
man. This last place, i regret to say, SO pris-
oners report, was recently captured By FL
Mehdi, and thus men were released from
there to fight General Stewart. On the after
noon of January 10 General Stewards cavalry
reported that the enemy were In position
some few miles this side of the wells.
As IL was too late TN the day TO allow of an
advance and successful encounter, General
Stewart bivouackcd where he was for the
night The enemy kept up u harmless fire all
night and erected works on General Stewards
right flank. On Saturday General Stewart
endeavored to draw the enemy on to make an
attack, but the rebels hesitated. I'm conse-
quence, General Stewart left all his impede
ments, also his camels with guard of the
Sussex regiment and some mounted infantry,
and moved forward, keeping his forces
IN the form of Il square. Ali the men were on
foot The British army passed. around the
enemys Hank forcing them TO make an at
tack or be subject to an enfilade fire. The
enemy wheeled to the left and made a well.
organized charge under whitening fire from
our men. The square was unfortunate
~ penetrated about It's left roar,
when heavy cavalry and camel req
ment were IN possession, by sheer weight OF
numbers. The admirable steadiness of our
men enabled them To maintain hand to-
hand tight with the opposing force, while
severe punishment was being inflicted upon
the enemy by all other parts of tho square.
The enemy was finally driven back upder
heavy fire from all sides. The Nineteenth
Hussars then pushed forward 10 the wells,
which were I'm our possession by five in the
evening; The enemy left not less than eight
hundred slain around the works. The number
Of their ARle r. NJ M rs farE. led
prisoners taken while the enemy was retiring
report the number of the encmys wounded is
quite exceptional One immediate effect OF
the battle Is that many of the rebels are sub
uniting. 1t was necessary for the army to re-
main at the wells some hours to obtain water
As soon as practicable the intention was to
nIsh on W tn all expedition to Metemneh
The English wounded are doing well.
General Wolseley adds;
General stgwart's operations have boon
most ercditabl6to him as commander, ana
Inc Nation has every reason to le proud of
the gailantry and splendid spirit or hcr AIales-
u soldiers on this occ lsion. Our losses were
nine commissioned officers killed aud nine
wounded and sixty-tive non-cOmmissiOn ii
officers aud men killed and e.ghty-nVe
wounded; General stewarts force CONS SIS
OF about l,5'O men all told.
Later dispatches say that the British had
no idea that the enemy was so near. The
native reports had led them TO suppose that
only q few rebels held Abu-Klea. Inc rebels
biOuPhN NsA bilCAl Otol llOODS W llt IA.
The assault on the rightof the British sauars
was led by Abusaleh, Emir of Metcmueh,
and the attack on the left was under Mo-
h"''.aaaod LShair.- Enir of Rarher who was
wounded, and who retired during the early
part of the engagement. Abusalell adj
yanced fiercely with hundred fanatics UNI
Ill shot down in the square. Burnaby fell,
pierced By a spear which severed the lug
ular vein, and his right hand clinched in
death about the throat of the Arab who
killed him while CALAMITY fighting
with his comrades. The enemy S firing tbs
night before the fight prevented sleep. The
rebels came Oh in good order from the right |
and left front at eight o'clock in the morn |
ing. a screw-gun battery checked their |
advance for some time. Though the Brit |
ish position was we'll protected the rifles of |
the rebels made accurate fire. At ten |
o'clock General Stewart determined to make |
q cOunter-attac!S.
The medical staff under Surgeon Fergu-
son worked splend!dly under the heaviest |
lire. The stOppages to attend to tho /
delayed the advance. The in
LeTiOr Of the square presented to the view q
mass of falling camels and struggling Arabs
md English soldiers. Three hearty cheers
we're given when the square was
i neq5ge AruusS on huvrr fresh gIognd MI
low rose from the field and rushed past the
quare to join the retreating enemy. The
ebels consisted OF forces from Khartoum,
<ordofan and Berber During the night
ieneral Stewart sent a portion of the guards
Jack to bring everything from the in
renched post in the rear. They returned in
afety on the morning of the Sth, when the
roops partook of their first food and water
or twenty-four hours. The Hussars buried
ixty men where the square was attacked.
The rebels had nine hundred special negro
ihemen, all good shots.
LONDON, Jan. % Frederick Burnaby Lieu.
Colonel commanding Horse Guards,
on OF tho late Rev. q. Burnaby, was born at |
'edford March 3, 1872, and received his educa-
On AT Harrow School and In Germany. He
Inferred the Royal Horse Guards, blues, Sep |
.mber 30, 1859. He has for the most part of
is lie since then been pl ominently connected
18th the British army. Ecutena .t-C colonel Bur. |
ably was member of the Council of tho Aero
auto Society of Great Britain and has made
tneteen balloon ascents, being on several occ,l |
ons unaccompanied by any professional aero |
uut. In March, lSc2 he assembled alone i'm
ne Eclipse balloon from Dover, and, after
Dme vicissitudes IN mid air, descended near
hateau de Montigny, near Envermu, I'm Nor.
landy. His works are: "A Ride to Khya:"
Travels and Adventures I'm Central Asia"
On Horseback Through Asia Minor" and
A Ride Across the Channel, and Other Adj
entures in the Air."