The Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder. — 1885-02-14 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

THE BRITPH TROOPS MAINTADI THEIR PRESTIGE. HEAVY LOSS OF THE ENEMY. _ _ _  On .Mon lay we. published an. &meant 1 of an engagement whith the force under the command of General Earle hid had with the enemy. Now we have to announce the painful fact that the follant General is no more, but, unlike the valiant Gordon, who fell by the hand of treachery, Earle has died a soldier's bon°, rod death. He fell fighting on the field of battle in one of the moet hotly-centeatod engagements that our brave troops have yet had on the plain. of the Soudan. For four anxioua hour. the battle lasted, nosiest the end of that time glitish prowess had vanquished the enemy, but at what cost! Many of our n ablest soldier, fell during the fight, and amongst them the brave commander ,of the force. General Earle'a expedition,. it will be remembered, was numerically thestrongest we had in the Soudan. Some few weeks ago' while Stewart's heroic band marched across the desert to Matemmeh, Earle', column we, dispatched along the Nile to visit retribution on the treacherous cowards whomurdered Oolong Stewart, Gordon', gallant lieutenant. When our troupe neared the spot where Stewart fell, the heathen hordes fell back before them. Thsy declined an engagement and retreated towards Berber. But after two or three brushes with de'ached groups, our men at last sighted a strongly entrenched camp of the rebels, and the tea rific battle detailed below took place. No war 1 since the Crimean has been so fetal in it consequences to our officers as this Soudan Campaign. Nobler names there are not on the scroll of England's military fame than some of those on the list of killed and wounded in the present war. Burnaby, Earle, Stewart and the rest, not to mention Cameron and St. Leger Herbert, and last but certainly not least Gordon, whose death admits orcarcely the shadow of a doubt. While this gloomy view will impress itself on the public mind in considering the campaign. A feeling of pride will also arise when a recontre of the deeds of our soldier, are read. The British bayonet in the hands of the Black Watch has again proved the arm of victory Under a withering fire the general ordered them to advance, which ;he gallant fellowa did carrying ridge after ridge befor them at the bayonet's point. Proving, if there were any need of such proof, that valour and heroism is still as characteristic of the sons of Albion as in the days of yore. The 'Standard of Thursday speaking of the fight says "Almost at the moment of going to press we have moment sus news of great fightinge in the Soudan, in which, after four hours' hard fighting, and at the coat of gallant General Earle himself, the British troops proved worthy of their ancient renown. Meanwhile, the death of General Gordon is not yet officially confirmed, and what right has anyone to conclude for certain that Gordon is no more until proved by irresistible facts. The bare idea of Gordon still holding out in the heart of Khartoum iro enough to lend fresh ardour to the most impotent aetion Lees prudence and more daring is what the English look for."  The "Standard" correspondent gives the fol lowing, dated Dulkaisland, Tuesday:—.' While our troops were forming the zareba here, 'yesterday, the enemy, who holds a strong position on the hills in front of us fired several shots. Our pickets advanced, and drove back the Arabs, who had descended the hills to attack. This morning our troops formed up, advancing towards the enemy's position in two parallel columns. At 8 o'clock our guns opened, and for some time a desultory fire was kept up. In the meantime the main body of the troops was advancing steadily, pushing the enemy t. fore them, and seizing each successive ridge by short, determined rushes. This continued until the advance troops reached the right rear of the enemy, which rested on the river, thus surrounding the Arabs. The position of the enemy was strong., ronai.ating of rooky, broken ground, and loop-holed walls. General Earle ordered the Black Watch to carry the position at the point of the bayonet. The pipers struck up, and the British advanced, despite the enemy's Insilade, and succeeded in routing the rebels. Unhappily, General Earle fell while gallantly leading the troops forward to this attadr. Meanwhile the cavalry pnehel on, and captured the enemy's camp three miles in the rear, before the Black Watch had captured the main position. After General Earle'. fall, General Brackenbury assumed the command.