THE BATTLE IN THE SOUDAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10751, 12 May 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE BATTLE IN THE SOUDAN.

■: - BRILLIANT BRITISH VICTORY. SPLENDID BEHAVIOUR OF THE MEN. SOME HEROIC INCIDENTS. Cairo, April 8, The Anglo-Egyptian forces, under the Sirdar, General Sir Herbert Kitchener, attacked the dervish position at a-quarter to eight this morning, and rushed upon Mahmoud's zaraba, the centre of his fortification, without check. The attack was entirely successful, and the dervishes lost very heavily. The Anglo-Egyptian force, after a night march, arrived at dawn before the enemy's camp. When the trenches of the dervishes had been bombarded, the whole AngloEgyptian force made a brilliant rush for the zaraba and the trenches. The dervishes stood their ground bravely, and reserved their fire until the attacking force was quite close to them. Mahmoud, the dervish general, was among the prisoners captured. Tho losses of the Anglo-Egyptian force include Captain Urquhart, of the Cameron Highlanders, and Lieutenant Gore, of the Seaforth Highlanders, killed; and 10 officers of the British brigade, and four British officers in the Egyptian service wounded. r AN OBSTINATE RESISTANCE. A correspondent states: "The Sirdar's force numbered 13,000 men, with 24 guns, under Colonel Tong, and 12 Maxims. The enemy left Shendy with 19,000 men, but they "have suffered a good deal from desertions. Since the enemy was at first practically concealed underground in a strong zaraba running round the whole position, we left yesterdays camp at six o'clock and bivouacked in the desert. We reached Mahmoud's position at six o'clock this morning. The enemy was evidently aware of our approach. After an hour of heavy bombardment the brigades were formed up and carried the position at the point of the bayonet under a tremendous firo from the enemy. " Tho zaraba was torn Sway, but the enemy clung obstinately to the trenches, and were bayonetted in them. "Curing the admirable bombardment by Colonel Tong not a single dervish was visible. The cavalry was now in full pursuit, and nothing could have been finer than the behaviour of the troops. The Sirdar (Sir Herbert Kitchener) received a tremendous ovation after the position was taken. "Mahmoud was captured by the Tenth Soudanese Battalion. He was under ground tho whole time his men were fighting. Osman Digna fled, as usual. The prisoners say that tho Mahmoud's force was deserting in large numbers before the battle. The enemy's guns, baggage, animals, and standards were captured. " Our loss would have been much heavier 'if tho enemy had not fired high. This will be called the battle of Atbara.

" BRITISH TROOPS CHEERING. " The British and Egyptian troops are still cheering each other this evening, The river bed and the thick bush down to the river are full of dervish dead.

" Late last night the Sirdar issued orders saying that lie was sure every man in the force would do his duty, but he hoped thoy would all remember God.

"The dervish fire was very heavy, hut too high, the British loss was mostly before , reaching the zaraba. Colonel Murray had his horse shot under him, and was wounded in the arm. The enemy certainly behaved with the greatest valour. The prisoners say they lost heavily by the bombardment before the advance. Somo of the enemy tried to break across the river at an early stage, but were beaten back by the dervish horsemen. ."The rocket under Captain Beatty set the enemy's camp on fire in many places. The enemy were in deep trenches in rows behind tho zaraba. Bisliari Redi fell at the head of his men. -* Ten guns were captured. ' The prisoners say Osman Digna fled early during the engagement. The authorities call to-day's battle tho most brilliant ever fought in the Soudan, everything having been carried straight through without a hitch or check. " DERVISHES MADE NO RESISTANCE.

"I have been all over the dervish position and estimate their dead at more than 2000. The night march was as weird as that of Tel-el-Kebir. Our troops observed a funereal silence on nearing the enemy's zaraba at Makheiba, No smoking was permitted. Egyptians, Soudanese, and British troops strove to be first in the glorious race, and to be first in:tlie attack. As usual, several brigades claim the honour.

" The enemy opened with such a terrific fire that our men were dropping on all sides. It was as venomous a fusillade as the troops wero ever called upon to face. Mahmoud's army was practically wiped out. A thousand of his followers have been taken prisoners and ho himself has been caught hiding in a hole under a bed. He is a tall, dignified, sensuous-looking black beggar, about 35 years of age, with a shaved head. When taken lie was dressed in a richly-embroidered robe." BRITISH LOSSES. " Cairo, April 9. The British brigade lost, in addition to the officers killed, 10 rank arid file killed, and had 90 men wounded. The Egyptians lost 51 men killed, and had 14 officers and 319 ■ wounded. The force of Mahmoud Pasha is completely broken up. Part of them are fleeing toward Atbara, and' others in the direction of the Nile. _ The thickness of the brush rendered pursuit of them by the Egyptian cavalry and horse battery difficult. , TWELVE EMIRS KILLED. The bodies of 2000 dervishes, including those of 12 important emirs, have been counted.' Notable among the number of emirs who were slain is Wadboshara, formerly emir of Dongola. It is believed that 1000 other members of Mahmoud's amy were killed. Ten guns and a. quantity of rifles were captured. Mahmoud says his army consisted of 12,000 infantry and 4000 cavalry. A despatch from Atbara camp says:— "Mahmoud's zaraba, rifle-pits, and entrenchments are literally chockful of dead, while the ground outside the zaraba on the south side is covered with hundreds of bodies.

" 'The most striking feature of the engagement was the picturesque storming of the zaraba. General Hunter himself, cheering, and with helmet in hand, led the Soudanese and Egyptian troops to the zaraba. They lost heavily in the rush. '■• In recognition of their signal gallantry, the Sirdar, General Sir Herbert Kitchener, provisionally promoted on the field, at the close of the battle, the sergeant-major of each native battalion which crossed the zaraba to a subaltern rank. ' " / " GENERAL GATACRE LED THE CHABGS.' " Major-General 1 Gatacre led the British brigade, and accompanied by Private Cross, of the Cameron Highlanders, was the first to reach the zaraba. ; Private Cross bayonetted a big dervish who was aiming point-blank at General Gatacre. Piper Stewart, while leading the Cameron Highlanders, was killed, seven bullets . passing* through ' his body. Piper Mackenzie, of - the' Seaforth Highlanders, bears the marks, of six bullets, but is practically unwounded. 1 Numbers of officers, among them Colonel Money, of the Cameron Highlanders, had bullets through their helmets. ' ■is " The' last. words of Captain ' Urquhart, of the ■ Cameron Highlanders, who was among the killed, were •'Never mind me, lads; go on." ' , "The f- Sirdar, after the battle, said to Colonel Money, referring to. the slow, steady advance of the Cameron Highlanders under the withering dervish fire, 'It was one of the finest feats performed for many years. You ought to be proud of such a regiment.' ;> "There was an impressive scene this afternoon when three British officers and 18 men were buried in front of the zaraba, where they fell. All the available officers and detachments from the various battalions were present The Soudanese band and the Highland pipers played a lament. i The Soudanese troops : celebrated • the victory' by, singing, dancing, and drum-beating." •'