Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-01-29
STEWARDS VICTORY.

STEWARDS VICTORY.
The Recent Battle Near Metemneh In tn,
soudan The British Victorious Agains
Overwhelming Odds Serious LOSS or On
eers-Colonel Burnaby Among the Slab
Unsatisfactory News Service.
LONDON, January q.
The recent battle in the Soudan Satur
day, was for the possession of the Abu
Klea wells, twenty three miles northwest
of Metamneh. The rebels comprised only
part of the Mahdi's forces and wert
drawn from Khartoum, Kordofan and
Berber. They numbered from 5000 to
10000, overwhelmingly superior to the
British, who were under General Stewart
and numbered but 1900. When the En-.
gllsh column came in sight of the wells
Friday evening
THE REBELS BEGAN DEsULToRY FIRING,
keeping it up all night. Saturday fore
noon the Arabs, in two divisions number
| ing about 5000 men each, waving fags
and beating drums, swept down upon tn e
| European columns. General Stewart
had formed his troops into hollow
square, the artillery, provisions and in
valids being in the center. Upon this the
rebels charged with such fury that at the
onset the line held by the hnssars was
broken. Some of the camels got burned
| and became SO unruly that some
confusion was caused, and this added to
| the weakening of the line. The Arabs took
advantage of the disorder and penetrated
to the center. The fate of the entire
British army was settled in the those few
| moments. Most of the Arabs were armed
with spears and protected by spiked
shields, and with great ferocity
| swARMED OVER THE BODIES OF THE DEAD,
engaging the British in hand to hand con-
fiict. The Hussars quickly ceased their
firing, and with their swords forced the
! Arabs back, and managed to reform the
line. The discipline of the troops was
admirable, the other three sides of the
square maintaining an unhinching fire
upon the swarthy lines
STRUGGLING TO ovERPowER THE HUs-
SARS.
After this first assault was repulsed,
the artillery became so effective that the
Arabs slowly fell back, leaving 500 killed
on the field and carrying off about 1000
wounded. The British loss was seventy
four killed, including nine commissioned
officers and ninety-four wounded. The
space in front of the right flank was
thickly strewn with the enemy's dead,
where they had been moved down in
whole lines. In the interior of the square
where the brief fight at close quarters
/ took Y,laeo ho Rpifi nSf ilx
BURNABY's DEATH.
1t was there that Lieutenant-C Colonel
Frederick Burnaby, the famous member
of the Royal Horse Guards, met his death
from an Arabs spear thrust, which sew
cred his jugular vein. He was found
with his hand tightly clutched
around the Arabs throat. Burnaby
was the pride of the British army,
standing six feet six inches, and being
noted for his immense strength and dar-
ing deeds. General Stewards horse was
killed under him. One of the immediate
effects of the victory is the submission of
a number of wandering tribes. The
British column held the wells, and is now
marching on Metamneh.
HELPING WOLsELEY.
KoRTI, January p.
The Sheikh of the Kabbabish tribe came
to Korti to-day. He heard of the British
victory. He promised Wolseley to pro-
vide him with plenty of camels.
- LONDON, January %.
In view of the anxiety of the public foI
details of General Stewards engage
ment at AbuKlea wells, the news service
in the London papers is exceedingly slow
and incomplete. Neither the Times, Daily
I'll, hoc
Its special report of the battle, although
it is known that they all had special
correspondents in the field, and it is
undoubted that the reports have been
sent, but have been interrupted and de-
layed for revision by the military censors
of press dispatches. The general be-
lief is that the special correspondents
have INDUCED in structures upon the
breaking of the British square by
the Arabs, and they may have
given some additional facts that would
show the British troops to be in a more
dangerous plight than is now supposed.
In this case the dispatches would GER
tainly be held back for revision, in pur-
surance of the long-established usage of
the War Office of Withholding disagree
hOlC AC"S dt A1St, 6A0 dl1OWluS III ~
leak out slowly, SO as to weaken its eff
feet. Some of the blunders made by the
papers in presenting news are remark
able. The condensation of General
Wolseley's report contal ms discrepancies
which no soldier Of. General Wolse-
Iey's literary skill could have
been guilty of in the original
dispatch. The STANDARD has its
lists of killed and wounded badly mixed,
and publishes number of names under
the astonishing head line, ssslightly
killed. The Pail Nall Gazette this
evening publishes a portrait purporting
to be that of Colonel Fred Burnaby, but
which is really of Baker Pasha.
METEMNEH OCCUPIED BY THE BRITISH.
LONDON. January q.
General Stewart is said to have occu.
pied Metemneh. This lacks confirma.
ton, but is generally believed, as Stew
art pushed forward with the greater part |
of his forces Immediately after the VIC
tory on Saturday near Abu-Klea
wells. It is highly probable |
also, that all the rebels who had been |
at Metemneh had left that point |
to take part In Saturdays engagement, |
and it is thought unlikely that they |
rallied and made a station at Metemneh |
SO soon after the decisive defeat. The |
Government has telegraphed public con-
gratulations to Wolseley and Stewart.
-<-e-%
A Break In the Ranks.
SHAWNEE, o., January q.
1Errh dsSccf,cforf;o,, ox;etc ay,,,,, -.