BATTLE AT TOKAR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9093, 18 April 1891, Page 5 (Supplement)

BATTLE AT TOKAR.

DETAILS OF THE FIGHTING,

The correspondent at Tokar of a London paper furnishes the following detailed account of the fighting on the 19th February. It brings out clearly the dashing character of the engagement and the skilful manner in which the Egyptian troops were handled, Owing to intelligence, received on Wednesday last, that the enemy intended to attack

the Egyptian force while it was advancing to Tokar, Colonel Holled Smith resolved to lose no time, and accordingly started at daybreak on the following morning from El Teb, the cavalry leading the advance, under the command of Captain Beech. Major Wingate, as .staff officer, directed the march. The cavalry drove in the enemy's mounted scouts and reached Tokar at 10 o'clock in the morning. The infantry arrived 20 minutes later. At the same time the enemy was seen advancing rapidly in a semi-circle through the thick bush. Their presence was only shown by an occasional glimpse of moving men and by the large banners waving above the bush, while the hills a mile distant were covered with their reserves.

RACING FOX THE HOUSES. There was not a moment to be lost. Colonel Holled Smith, rapidly taking in the situation, disposed his troops in the following manner:—The 4th Battalion, under Captain Hackett Pain, lined the ruined buildings on the right; the 11th, commanded by Captain Macdonald, occupied the left of the position; while the 12th, under Captain Besant, had previously moved up to cover the front on the left of the 4th Battalion. The troops took up their positions at the double. The water and ammunition were borne by camels and mules, which, under the management of Captain Machell, of the staff, were massed together at the north end of the village, the cavalry being stationed near them. It was now a race between the troops and dervishes for the possession of the few houses lying outside the general line of defence. One company of the 12th, under Captain Martyr, dashing forward, seized a small house just in front. This momentarily checked the dervish advance, and the troops were able to pour a withering fire into the midst of the enemy, of whom upwards of 100 fell within a few yards of the building. This company then fell back slowly into the general line.

A CBITICAL MOMENT.'" The enemy were now enveloping our entire fighting line and gradually outflanking us, while their horsemen, under Osman Naib, dashing round the right flank, threatened our rear, an extended position weakly held and hampered by the transport animals. The 11th, bringing up their reserve company, checked the turning movement on the left, accounting for considerable numbers of the enemy. The situation was now for a moment ] critical, but this battalion advancing rapidly i some 500 yards, cleared the front, carried the ruined houses in succession, inflicting-great loss on the enemy, and then took up a position on rising ground. It was during this advance that Captain Barrow, who was with

the 12th Battalion, acting as brigade-major, fell. He was shot through the body, and died almost instantly. Captain Macdonald and Lieutenant Jackson both had their horses shot under them. During this operation the 12th Battalion was steadily beating back the enemy, who, with the greatest determination, were charging on the centre of the position, while the 4th by steady volleys from the ruined houses occupied by them on the right checked the turning movement in that direction. A FRESH DANGER. Meanwhile, the transport animals, which had been deserted by their Arab drivers, began a stampede. Fortunately, however, many were driven back by the staff, and not a moment too soon, for already some of the enemy's horsemen, seeing the weak point, had got among the animals. The cavalry at once charged out and dispersed the dervishes, but not until after some severe hand-to-hand fighting. It was during this mSIeV that Captain Beech, of the 20th Hussars, was wounded while saving the life of an Egyptian officer who had been unhorsed and severely wounded. Colonel Holled Smith, with Lieutenant-colonel Settle, his chief of the staff, directed these various operations with a cool promptitude which inspired the greatest confidence even at the most critical moments, while the Egyptian and Soudanese officers and men, by their good discipline and steady firing, contributed in no small degree to the successful result of the engagement.

THE ENEMY IN PULL BETREAT. After an hour and a-half's hard fighting, the enemy were utterly defeated and put to the rcufc. As the dervishes retreated they were charged by the Egyptian cavalry, .who captured all the rebels' standards and killed almost all their emirs. The troops now formed up on the rising ground held by the 11th Battalion, and after resting1, advanced in the direction of Afafite, leaving a small garrison, under Lieutenant-colonel Bundle, to hold Tokar and protect the transport and wounded, for whom Surgeons Miles and Graham had made every possible provision. The enemy's reserves were still visible on the hills to the left, and it was thought that another stand might be made by the dervishes in the thick intervening bush. But the cavalry, advancing rapidly, found both the hills and country clear, and soon reached Osman Digna's second position, from which they obtained their first view of the Arab commander's village.

OSMAN DIGNA'S VILLAGE. The sight was a,3 curious as unexpected. To the front lay several tents, and behind them in a crescent shape groups of thousands of straw huts, or tokuls, extending for some miles. The infantry now advanced in square to the north-east end of the village, and, believing that it would be held by the enemy, prepared for an attack, when numbers of Arabs suddenly poured out begging for aman, or pardon. The troops halted outside the village at i p.m., while Colonel Holled Smith and the staff entered and rode through the township. Not a dervish was to be seen, but the inhabitants hailed with delight the arrival of the troops. The dervishes' families had fled, taking with them the treasury money, but the majority lof the tokuls were found intact. Among

the most interesting sights were Osman Digna's prayer place and the place of execution, where, on the day previous to the fight, he had executed several important sheikhs who were suspected of leaning to the Government. In the arsenal were found

four guns, with quantities of ammunition, and in the Beit el Mai, or Treasury, masses of correspondence and account books were discovered.

osman digna's "vision." The natives say that on the night before the action Osman Digna had a vision, in which he was told that the lives of all the Egyptian force were in his hands. His plan was to occupy Tokar, and-fall on the Egyptian force as it was marching through the thick surrounding bush. Fortunately, however, we reached Tokar five minutes earlier then he anticipated. Osman Disna watched the fight from a distance, and when the dervishes were repulsed fled rapidly to the Tamarin, and thence up Khor Baraka. The Arabs of the surrounding distrists are bringing in cattle and milk, and a market has been established. AN AUSPICIOUS ANNIVERSABY.

General tranquility now prevails throughout the district, which is wonderfully fertile, with quantities of cotton and dhurra everywhere. The troops are comfortably hutted, and the wounded are doing well. Great gratification has been caused by the receipt of congiatulatory telegrams from Her Majesty the Queen and the Khedive. It is noted as a curious coincidence that Tokar was retaken and the Egyptian flag was again set flying over the ruined Government buildings on the anniversary ot the fall of Tokar seven years ago.