Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-22
THE IRISH SAVE THE DAY,
THE RATTLE NEAR HASREEM
rur,her Particular = imesrsans Pss'''eS
r.e,ared-rae Repssi,se fissked-pespe-
,s,, tharxs Of the srssh Laneers.


s.s,ared-rhe Repssi.se Fisaksd--oesse-
rat. rharss Of the irish Laneers.
A London special gives the following
particulars of the battle which took
plsce Friday near Hasheen between
General Graham's forces and the Arabs
under Osman Digna:
General Graham telegraphs as follows
from Hasheen 4" We moved out from
camp at 6:l5 o'clock this morning,
leaving the Shropshire regiment TO guard
il. On reaching the first hill at $3.50
A. NJ. we found that the enemy had
retired, and occupied another hili
sailc and a quarter distant. After
short halt the Berkshire and marines
were ordered TO clear the hill, the
Indian contingent and the Guards
supporting. This was done very
cfectually, the enemy being driven OIL
the ridge. and. streaming south toward
Tamai, were charged by squadronS
of Indian lancers in the bush. The
cavalry then retired toward the Guards
Many of the enemy passed the Guards
si the foot Of the hill and made for the
hill west of Hssheen. In the valley
these were shelled by the Royal Horse
Artillery, while other parties moving
round our right were engaged in the
bush by the Fifth Lancers. Meanwhile
zareba with four entrenched posts on
hill commanding it is being formed.
The advanced troops have all returned
TO this position and will return TO our
camp, leaving the EaSt-Surry regiment,
with two Krupp guns and four Gard
ners and water-tanks and signal appli-
auces at the entrenohed position. Our
killed are two officers and two
men of the British and five Sepoys.
The wounded are two officers and
swenty-six men Of the British and one
officer and ten men Of the Indian con-
tingent. The infantry behaved with
great sttadiness. The number OF the
rebels is estimated at ! ZOO. The rebel
loss is not known, but it is heavy. |
The engagement lasted five hours. The |
Arabs carried of all their dead and |
wounded. Natives report that NUM-
bers Of Osman Digna's men are desert
ing. having become dishesrtened. To- |
days fighting was Of noticesbly diff
ferent character from that of any pre-
ceding engagement. The Arabs main
tanned a steady rifle fire, retiring slowly |
from each position held by them and
avoiding close quarters
Another account Of to-day's battle |
from Suakim is as follows The bat
tie between the British troops and Os-
man Digna's forces lasted five hours.
The marines were first sent TO the front |
to drive the Arabs from the hills west |
OF Hasheen. As soon as possible they |
were reinforced by batteries Of Gardner |
and Krupp guns and by cavalry. There
was a hot engagement for few hours. |
during which the British cavalry !
charged repeatedly upon the Arabs. |
while the machine-gunS were worked !
with deadly effect whenever their fire
could be made available. Great bravery |
was displayed OF both sides. At the |
end Of the engagement the Arabs re- 1
treated slowly toward Tamai. The
Arab loss in killed and wounded is eSti-
mated at COO The loss of the British |
Is 40. The Arabs displayed desperate
bravery. The marines drove the Arabs |
from the hills and forced them to retire |
to the plain. Then the Indian troops /
charged upon the Arab position, but
were outhanGd. and an unsupported {
body Of Arabs succeeded IN getting be-
hind their line. The Indians found !
themselves between two fires and they
He'd. During tins retreat they were
closely pressed by the Arabs. who ham
strung the horses and Spearcd the riders.
The Bengalese fell back in confu-
sion upon the English infantry and
Guards, who had been formed in
hollow square, and the square lei
surely retired, while the Arabs were
yelling THAI they had regained their lost
position. At this juncture the artillery
came TO the rescue, and brisk fire of
small shot from the machine-guns and
shells from the krupp field-mortars
drove the Arabs from their position.
The marines maintained a steady firing
throughout the engagement, but the
honOrS of the dsy are probably due to
the Irish Lancers. who changed the tide
Of battle by desperate charge and re-
trieyed the fortunes Of General Ora
hams command when they seemed
almost hopeless. The British troops
have returned to their former camp
near Suakim."
OPERATIONS ~ UONGOLA.
Dispatches from Korti state that the
Nudir of Dongola Is at point twelve
miles above Meraw with 500 Egyptian
troops, three fcld-pieces, and one Cat
linz gun. lie is also supported by the
kabbabish and Shayikeh tribes. He is
about 10 attack the rebels at IlaSSaniyet,
md if successful in overpowering them
il Is his intention to move against Bcr-
Der with the hope ct Wrestling that i'm
'ortant centre from the Mahdi's forces.
There are reports that the followers of
he Mahdi are deserving in large nnm-
iCrS.
The ADVANCE ON THE ARABS.