Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-01-23
ENENTSlN THE OLD WORLD
THE ENGLISH DEFEAT THE REBELS.


Gen. stewart Encounters a Portion of the
Nahdis Forcos-A Heavy Engagement
Eollows-The Rebels Finally Yield
Their Loss Heavy.
LOEDON, Jan. 2l.-A despatch has been
received at the war office from Cen VOL
sclry. dated Korfi, Janunry 81, 3 D. a..
which reads substantially a. follows
Gen. Stewart has had a heavy engagement
with a portion Of the Mahdi's forces near
Abu Kl"a wells. The rebels had collected
, from }rrbcr Mctcmuch and Omduraman.
This last place. the prisoners report. was
recently captured by the Nahdi and thus
the men were released from Their" to fight
Gen Stewart on the afternoon of Jan H.
/ Gen. stewards cavalry reported that the
enemy were in position some few miles this
side of the wells. As it was too late in the
day to allow an advance and II successful
encounter. Gen. Stewart bivOdac"d where
| he was for the might The enemy kept M
/ IL harmless fire al night and erected
works on Stewards right flank. On Sat
urday Gen. Stewart endcavored to draw
the enemy or to make an attack, but the
. rebels hcSitHted. In consequence Of this
Gen. Stewart left all his impedimcnts and
camels under guard of the Sussex regi-
mcnt and some mounted infantry, and
moved forward, keeping his forces in
the form of square All the men
were on foot. The British army
passed round the enemys left flank, fore
ing them to make an attack or be subject
to an enfilade fire. The enemy wheeled to
/ the left and delivered Il well organized
charge under Il whitening fire from orr
| men. The square was unfortunately penc-
| trated about its left rear, where IA heavy
/ cavalry and camel regiment were in posi-
J tion, by sheer weight of numbers. The
| admirable stcadineSS of our men enabled
| them to maintain hand to hand fight
with the opposing force, while severe pun
iShmcnt was being inflicted upon the
| enemy by all other parts of the square.
/ The enemy were finally driven back I'M
der heavy fire from all sides. The 10Th
Hussars then pushed forward to the wells
which were in our possession by O'Clock
in the evening
The enemy left not less than 500 slain
around the square The prisoners
who were taken while the enemy were
retiring report that the number of
the enemy who We're wounded was quite
exceptional one immediate effect of the
battle is that many of the rebels are sub
hitting 1t was necessary for the army to
remain at the wells some hours to obtain
. water. As soon as practicable the inten-
tion was to push on with all expedition to
Mctemneh. The English wounded are do
ing we'll
The report concludes rs follows at has
been my duty to commend force from
which exceptional WORK exceptional hard
ship and exceptional lighting have been
called for. 1t would be impossible to AIDE
. quatelV describe the admirable support
given to me by every officer and man of
the force. | regret to say that our loss
was severe, but our success has been 50
IL.
envy to such an extent that all their fu-
tlre fighting may be of a less obstinate
. character. Gen Stewart : operations have
been most creditable to him as Il com
mander and the nation has every reason
To be proud of the gallantry and splendid
spirit of the soldiers on this occasion. our
losses We're 9 commissioned officers killed
and wounded, and to nOn-COmmisSiOned
officers and men killed. and - wounded.
Gcn. stewart force consists of about 1900
! men all told.
Another account says The battle be
tween Gen. Stewards troops and the
Arabs was fought ut point in the Has
Sani Gch desert, % miles northwest from
Metamneh and near the caravan station
of ShebacaS. Gen. Stewart force consist.
ed Of about 1900 effective men On the
approach of the Arabs, who were esti-
mated to number between 5000 and 10 900,
Gen, Stewart formed his troops into a
hollow square with his field pieces
at the corners and with the in
valids and the provisions in the
centre. The Arabs made their attack
in "a tumultuouS rush directed principally
upon the side of the square held 10y the
HusSars This side of the square was
broken at one time during the fight and
the officers attribute this disaster to the
unruly conduct of the camels which got
powder burned and became uncomfortable.
The line was speedily reformed and the
discipline of the men was splendid through
ont the action. \ steady and deadly
fire was kept up by the Hussars
and the mounted infantry, while the artil-
lery maintained an cnlilading fire which
piled dead Arabs up in heaps. The space
in front of the British right flank was Il
veritable slaughter pen and when the
Arabs We're finally repulsed they left 500
of their number dead upon the field The
number of their wounded who were able
to march or he buried from the field is
timated at 2OO), Most of the casualties
on the British side occurred during the
break in the line of the IIussars. The
British took their own and the Arabs
wounded to the wells ut Shebecas. Gen.
Stewart with the remainder of his troop,
is progressing toward Metamneh.
BESIDES Col. Burnaby, the following
We're killed Major Carmichael of the
Fifth lanccrS Major Atherton of the
Fifth dragons, Major Gouge of the Royal
Dragons Captain barley and Lieut.. Law
of the Fourth dragons Lieut.. Wolfe of
the ScOtS-Grcys and Lieut.. Pgott and
DeI.isle oil the naval brigade. Lord st.
Vincent and Lord Airlie were wounded.