Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-02-04
WAR In AFRICA.
The British Have the Following Report
Of the Late Battle in Which Their
Forces Were Victorious.

The point where the battle of the
10Th occurred is in the desert, about
five miles south of Metemneh. When
General Stewart reached that point
he found the enemy were hevering
about his little army on all sides, and
skirting it often within uncomforta-
bly, short range. Tbs rebels had
evidently stationed themselves IL the
vicinity to await his arrival and give
him battle When they began to
surround him he ordered his men TO
dismount and form q zelsba This
was made mainly with saddles a8d
baggage, and during its construction
the rebel rihemen drew nearer and
maintained a hot FIRE from behind
ambushes and such hiding places as
they could find among bushes and
high grass. This fire was very well
directed, and Was most disastrous IN
its effect upon the British troops.
Twelve men were soon shot dead, and
forty Others were stricken down with
ugly wounds. Among the first kill
ed were Mr. Cameron, the special cor
respondent of the London Standard.
and Mr.. Herbert, the special CORES
pondent Of the London Post. Gen
eral Stewart WAS one OF the very first
to be wounded. He was shot in the
thigh. When he WAS struck the work
Of making the zareba was about com
pleted, and the army had been put
in motion t. form its battle array.
This was a hollow square The square
was formed IN the following order:
In front the Naval Brigade aud the
Grsuadier Guards; on right flank,
the Coldstream Guards aud and the
Scots Guards; on the left flank, the
mounted infantry, and on the rear
the Sussex Regiment and the heavy
Camel Corps. As soon as completed
the square advanced under g steady
ambush fire distance of two miles.
At TINS point the enemy began to
move on the square in two large
echeIons. These were directed s.
gainst the British right front, which
stood unmoved. During the rebel
charge the English troops forming
the assailel front delivered terrific
fire aimed right aL the enemys mid
die. moving down men in such heaps
taas they formed actual oAA!scles,
aod inserfered SO seriously pa TIE
evennass necessary TO the success OF
the onslaught that its centre line was
brought to standstiii abou! sixty
yards from the British front tine
The force of the general Increment
threw the unimpeded parts Of the
line Ike the ends of broken timber
around the corners of the square.
and the rebels so Displaced were
simply cut to pieces From lhis on
the warfare was as disastrous - the
rebels as it was irregular o. their
side.
When the enemy's line was broken
the Arubs seemed to break MP in
bands, each OF when waged war on
its own account 4 large detachment
mostly On horseback. went heck to
attack the zersba. This was ga.ri-
soned by a body of English spldiers
made up Of little detachmer.ts left
behind by each corps which had gone
forward in the square. Lord Char
les Beresford was IN command. and
the attack for two hours.
when the enemy was compelled to
During the general attack upon
the square only six men were killed
and twenty three wounded en- the
English side. Captain Norton work
ed the guns during the fight, and his
firing did awful execution.
The square reached the Nile ut
sunset Monday evening, and encamp
ed for the night. Early Tuesd y
scouting parties made
reconnaissance and destroyed some
empty villages. the recent inha aitants
Of which watched the operations
from q distance and Afterwards re-
to Mstemneh The British
then advanced through the qllases
around Metemneh.
On Wednesday they made a recon
noissance and found Metemneh fairly
well fortified. Shots were exciang-
ed, but the rebels kept Cut of sight
the ground around is sandy, with de
pressions full of grass and bushes,
affordiug good cover.
The prisoners state that the enemy
came from khartoum. and that the
force which attacked the British at
h-- 4 loln ,,-n., L. - lrn.,,.. II