THE SOUDAN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 98, 28 March 1885, Page 3

THE SOUDAN.

THE BATTLE OF KEKBEKAN. , A GALLANT CHARGE. Tho following particulars of the battle of Kerbekan, and the death of General Earle, appear m the. Sydney Morning Herald'. — "On February *9 General Earle found the Arabs strongly posted, oh the hills opposite Dulka Island. Concentrating the Black "Watch and the Staffordshire Regiment m a zareba, he reconnoitred the position, and the follow ing morning advanced to , the ; attack. The Standard correspondent thus de- : scribes the battle : — " Ourtroops march- ■■ ,ed m two parallel columns, consisting of two companies of the Staffordshire: Begitnent with two 1 gun's. Taking up the ground directly m front of the enemy ' to occupy their attention, at eight our gun£ opened fire, and for some time a desultory fire Was kept up between them and the enemy. . ,In the meantime, the, ' main, body , of troops were advancing ; steadily over almost impracticable ground . pushing the enemy before them, and ; seizing each successive ridge by short determined rushes: This continued until the advanced troops reached the right rear of the enemy, which rested On the river. This completed the movement by which the Arabs were entirely surrounded. The position occupied by the enemy was very strong* consisting of rocky "broken ground' strengthened by loopholed walls, behind which they kept up a heavy fusilade. Finding it impossible . toi dislodge them by .muketrv fire., General Earl ordered the 1 Black Watcn ,4)o' carry the: position with the bayonet. The regiment responded gallantly to the order; Tlie'pipors fetruck up, and cheering, the :■ Black- Watch moved forward' with steadiness and valour, which the enemy were unable to resist, 1 and. which -called forth tho admiration' of the General. From the lqophpled walls 'rifle pufts shot out continubtslyj but without check the Black Watch advanced scaled" the rocks, and at the point of the bay- ' dnef drove the enemy from their shelter Unhappily General Earl fell, while gallantly leading the troops forward to this attack. In tho meantime, the .cavalry ■pushed on. beyond the. scene of the conflict, and' captured the enemy's ■ catnpv 'three miles m the x # ear, before the Black Watch had captured the main position. While the mam attack was being de-' livered " two companies of the Staffordshire Regiment were directed to seize the" ' high" • rocky hill, which was stoutly defended by' 'Arab' riflemen 1 .- Aftefr General Earle's fall Colonel Bracken T 'bury assumed .command, ; land after the main' positidri' had been carried he ordered the remainder of the Staffordshire' Begitnent to join the two companies already engaged- to storm-the'hill at the point of the bayonet. The jenemy , clung ; to i the position desperately, and' disputed (he' ground inch" ]by inch, but the Staffordshire men were'n'ot to be denied, and at last they drove the enemy from the hill. This brought, the fight of Kerfcekan to & close; It had lasted five liours, and ■was,. a gallantly contested affair from first' to last. The enemy's force consisted of Monassir and Robatal tribesmen, with tiumbje' rs of dervishes from; Berber. It is impossible' to judge accurately of their number, as the position extended , over a % large range" "of rocky, 'broken ground.^ Their losses are very heavy, and the dead lay piled tip on the ridges they had ' so stubbornly defended. The leader of the rebels from Beber, and several Emirs were among the '.'killed.'. 1 !": (ELECTRIC . TELEGRAPH.r— COPYRIGHT.) » i, 1 , . (KEUTERS' TELEGRAMd;} '1 ■ ■•■■•• ' Aden, March 27. ' The tratfsport Iberia left here last' • evening for Suakim. All well. .