Milford chronicle., 1885-01-30
NEWS NOTES.
Happenings Of Interest to All,
At Home and Abroad.
FIGHTING IN THE sOUDAN.
General stewards Troops Encounter
Part Of the BiahdPs Army.


A dispatch from Lord Woiseiey says: "Gen.
Stewart has had a heavy engagement with
portion Of the Mahdi's forces near The Abu-
klea wells, about tWenty-three miles this side
Of Metemneh The rebels had collected from
Berber, Metemneh, and OmduTaman. This
last place, regret to say, the prisoners report,
was recently captured by the Mahdi, and thus
themen were released from there to fight Gen.
Stewart. On the afternoon Of Jan. 16 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 a successful encoun-
ter, Gen. Stewart bivoucked where he was FOR
the night. The enemy kept up harmless fire
all night and erected works on Gen. Stewards
right flank On Saturday Gen. Stewart en-
deayored to draw the enemy on to make
an attack, but the rebels hesitated. In
consequence Of this, Gen. Stewart let
all his impedimenta and camels under guard
Of the Sussex regiment and some mounted
infantry and moved forward, keeping his
forces in the form Of square. All the men
we're on foot. The British army passed round
the enemy's left flank, forcing them TO make
an attack or be subject to an entilade bre. Ihe
enemy wheeled to the left and delivered we'll
organized charge under a whitening fire from
our men. The square was, unfortunately, pen
etrated about its left rear, where heavy cav
airy and camel regiment were in position, by
sheer weight Of numbers. The admirable
steadiness Of our men enabled them to main
tain a hand to hand fight with the opposing
force, while severe punishment was being in
hicted upon the enemy by ell other paris OF the
square. The enemy we're finally driven back
under heavy fire from all sides The Nine
teenth Hussars then pushed forward to the
wells, which we're N our possession by IN the
evening. The enemy left not less than 500
slain around the square. Prisoners who we're
taken while the enemy were retiring, report
that the number Of the enemy who were
wounded was quite exceptional One immedi-
ate effect of the battle is that many Of the
rebels are submitting. 1t was necessary for
the army to remain at the wells some hours TO
obtain water. As soon as practicable the IN
tention was to push on to Metemneh.
Gen. Lord Wolseley says "Gen. Stewards
operations have been most creditable TO him
as a commander, and the nation has every rea-
son to be proud Of the gallantry and splendid
spirit Of her Maiesty's soldiers on this occasion.
Our losses were nine commissioned officers
killed and nine wounded, and sixty-hve non
commissioned officers and men killed and
eighty-iye wounded. Gen. Stewards force
consists Of about 500 men all told
Among the number Of the British who fell
was Lieut-C5L Burnaby, who made the famous
ride to Khiva.
The battle was fought at a point in the Has
saniyeh desert, tWenty-three miles northwest
from Metemneh and near the caravan station
of Shebacas. The Arabs were estimated TO
number between 5000 and 1000. They made
their attack in a tumultuous rush, directed
principally upon the side of the hollow square
held bv the Hussars which was broken az one
time during the fight. The officers attribute
this disaster to the QnEEy Ss9ndUct 0f eai9lssll
WHICH got powder burned and became uncon-
trollabie steady and deadly fire was kept up
by the Hussars and the mounted infantry,
while the artillery maintained an enfiladlnS
fire. which piled dead Arabs up in heaps. The
space in front Of the British right flank was
a yeritable slaughter pen, and when the
Arabs were finally repulsed they left $50 OF
their number dead upon tue field. The num-
ber of their wounded who we're able to march or
be carried from the field is estimated at 1900.
Most OF the casualties on the British side oc-
Cured during the break in the line Of the
Hussars. The British took their own and the
Arabs wounded to the wells at Shebacas. Gen.
Stewart, with the remainder Of his troops, is
progressing toward MetemneE.
The battle was a fearful hand-to-hand fight.
Most of the Arabs were armed with spears and
protected by spiked shields Of OK hide. They
rushed to close quarters, and sWarmed over
the bodies of their dead and wounded COM
rades. The English troops, after the first few
rounds had been fired, fought with shortened
sabres and with sword bayonets, welded at
half-am length.
Col Burnaby was killed by thrust Of an
Arabs spear, which entered his neck and sew
cred the iugular vein. When Gen. Stewards
horse was shot the rider fell to the ground
and was badly shaken, but he soon recovered
and obtained another mount
The English soldiers bad had neither food
nor water since the night b,fOre the battle.