The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-03-03
Chat With a War Correspondent
From The Seldal.
WAS APPOINTED BY KITCHENER
Represented the London Post-vi.
via Description OF a Battle
Measuring Up the Els htsrs.


Soudan campaign. and narrowly es-
capped with his life AZ the battle of
Atbara, was a through passenger on
the Alameda from the Colonies yes
terday en- route to the States. He is
interested In tea plantations situated
near Colombo. lie Is a fine aunletic
man in the prime OF manhood. ana an
intimate friend of Arab Pasha. For
door neighbor In Ceylon, Mr.. Webster
was travelling around the world ia the
interest of his company, and had just
been in Russia. when he reached Egypt
and hearL OF Kitchener's SOudan 2x-
petition being fitted OUT. Having held
~ commission for some time in the
Ceylon Mounted Infantry. he applied
for service in the Egyptian Mounted
Infantry, then starting for the Soudan.
and got an appointment in charge Of
the Civil Transport, at once proceed
ing to the front
Whilst he was at Berber with the
British Brigade the order came to ad-
vance towards Atbara. to meet Nah
moud. the Khalifa's general. He was
then appointed assistant on the field
TO the officer commanding the Army
Service Corps. and was appointed spe-
clal correspondent to the Morning Post,
which appointment came through Kit
chener himself. In the battle OF At
bara ne had two narrow escapes. Two
horses he was riding on that day were
wounded one after the other. A bullet
whilst he was riding penetrated his
left boot.
Speaking Of the battle, he said: we
left a place called Muttras at p. m
on April Z, marching out into the des-
ert. Perfect silence had to be main
tanned. and no lights were allowed, not
even a pipe. At 4 a. m. we approached
the Dervishes zareba, and then waited
unti! day began to dawn. At o'clock
the glow OF the rising sun began to ap-
pear on the desert horizon, and we
could just discern a countless number
Of the enemy running to and fro on
the top of their stockade. evidently in
a great state OF excitement. Our Brit
ish brigade numbered 5000 men, under
General Gattacre, and the Egyptian
division, under General Hunter, about
1000. We afterwards found that the
enemy numbered about $4,000. At BIS
We advanced TO within 800 yards Of the
zareba. 1t was a beautifully clear
morning, the blue sky overhead being
without cloud. At 6:l5 we approach
ed TO within 900 yards wnen the order
was given for the Egyptian artillery
to open fire, and then indeed We be-
gan to realize that the long expected
battle was imminent. The first shell
exploded within the zareba. II was a
wonderful sight. At the same instant
the Dervishes disappeared from view
into their dug-out trenches. For an
hour and 20 minutes the Egyptian ar
tillery kept up a tremendous roar of
cannon, discharging in that time 400
rounds. At 1885 the general advance
was sounded, the buglers began to call,
the bagpipes to skreel, and the kettle
drains to beat, and the enemy was ap-
preached In most imposing order.
When within 400 yards our infantry
opened fire. Up to this few shots were
fired by the enemy, and none took eff
feet; Tut the moment our infantry
opened nre we were met with hail Of
bullets, which at first were discharged
too high. but in a few minutes began
to find their marks, telling heavily in
our ranks as We advanced. The first
man to fall always produces thrilling
effect In an engagement, and SO 1t did
here. 1t raised the heat OF our British
blood, and the advance was dashingly
made to the edge Of the zareba, which
consisted OF a thick, thorny hedge For
a moment we were checked in making
way through it, but as soon as this
was effected there was a tremendous
dash made for the stockade, and a
shocking hand to hand fight ensued.
Inc carnage vas aWIul. several OH
GERS, as well as men, fell; but in 10
minutes the enemy was in full flight
across the Atbara River, and at $3.50
a. m. the cease firing was sounded.
Three thousand fallen Dervishes
were counted within the zareba. and
1900 more were wounded or taken
prisoners. The Anglo-Egyptian forces
lost 700 in killed and wounded
Did the Anglo-Brltish army surprise
them. them"
mo, l cannot say that, for we learn
ed from Marmoud, whom we captur-
ed, that word was passed to them by
the old fashioped way Of lighted fires
and they the by knew within an hour
al oar advance having commenced.