THE BATTLE OF TAMAIL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 124, 6 May 1884, Page 2

THE BATTLE OF TAMAIL.

English files of latest date bring details of the desperate fighting in the Soudan which took place on the 13th of March, when Osman Digna was defeated and his troops routed. The following thrilling details are compiled from various reports, and cannot fail to prove most interesting:— THE ADVANCE. Our troops left the scene of the bivouac at eight o’clock, marching by brigades, the brigades being separated, however, by an interval of 1,000 yards. They moved on echelon, the second brigade leading. This brigade was composed of the 42nd, 65th, Royal Marines and Naval Brigade, with Gardeners and Gatlings. The first Brigade comprised the 89th, Gordon Highlanders, and 60th Rifles, with Royal Artillery nine and seven pounder batteries and Royal Marines. As the second Brigade moved off to the left or southerly direction, led by General Davis, it was joined by General Graham and staff. We could plainly see the enemy ranged all along the hill on our front and right. The main body appeared to be about a mile away. Our route lay across dry water courses to a deep nulla full of boulders and huge detached rocks. Meanwhile the cavalry, which had taken up a position on our left rear, sent forward two squadrons, together with the Abyssinians, to skirmish. These were quickly engaged, and a hot fire was soon raging. Theenemy coming on, the skirmishers fell back, and the 2nd Brigade went forward 700 yards, firing as they went. The troops had opened out nearly into line, their rear to a great extent being covered by the Ist Brigade, which was half-a-mile away on our right. As we gained the edge of the nulla, the fire became very hot from our side, the enemy mostly contenting themselves by attempt!ug to rush at us with their swords and spears. In a few minutes our line was obscured by dense smoke from our own rifles, and under cover of this the enemy crept up the sides of the nulla. THE ARABS CHARGE THE LEADING BRIGADE. As the front line approached the foe the men began to cheer and with fixed bayonets advanced at the double, thereby increasing the gap already existing between them and their companions forming the sides. The 65th, who, as usual, were on the right, marines on their left, and 42nd on extreme left, were nearest the brink of the nulla, which on their front, made a bend inwards towards them. As the first companies reached the edge of the incline the rebels suddenly appeared in great numbers, leaping from behind the rocks, and made a wild charge upon the square. Our men could not see their enemy for the smoke; and so a species of momentary panic arose. The rebels were quick to profit by the confusion in our ranks. They crawled on tneir hands and knees beneath the bayonets and beneath the muzzles of the Gardners and (ratlings, and thus got into the square, when they commenced stabbing and slashing over men, doing terrible execution among them. At close quarters with the cold steel our men were no match for these powerful savages, who dodge the bayonets or catch them on their shields and deliver two or three spear thrusts before the man armed with the bayonet can recover. PANIC AND RETREAT. The 65th wavered and began to fall back on the marines and 42nd, opening great gaps in the square. Through the smoke the dark figures could be seen rushing on, unchecked even for an instant by the hail of bullets, and in another minute they were upon us, and the fight became hand to hand. The breaking up of the square by the recoil of the 65th threw the marines and the Black Watch also into confusion, and the square no longer existed. The enemy pressed upon the front as well as on the right flank, dashing in upon what was now a confused mass of troops, spearing many and dying themselves on our bayonets or by our bullets. The machine guns had to be abandoned, partly owing to the hurried retreat, and partly because of the nature of the ground. The blue-jackets, despite the misadventure, managed to remove the sights and otherwise temporarily disable the weapons, which all fell into the hands of the rebels. To their credit be it ever said, many men disdained to run, but went back with their faces to the foe, firing and striking with the bayonet. Several hundred of marines and Highlanders fought back to back, firing and retiring in excellent order. They were over 200 yards to the brigade front, when it was halted and reformed, and to their great coolness and steadfastness is largely due the final success of the day. General Graham and his staff tried their best to hold and rally the men, and General Davis and all the officers labored to get the troops to stand their ground in an orderly way. We came back about 800 yards, moving in a more easterly direction than the line of advance. By this time the fire from the Ist Brigade, on our right as well as front, and the cavalry on our left, held the Arabs, and the officers succeeded in checking the retreat. In that single struggle we lost over seventy men killed. The bodies of over thirty of the 65th and about an equal number of the 42nd lay within a radius of fifty yards, all shockingly mangled and hewn with sword cuts and spear wounds. The Arabs lay dead in hundreds.

RALLYING OF THE BROKEN BRIGADE. All this time Buller’s brigade, 500 yards on our right rear, were moving forward in perfect order, and advancing to our assistance with the steadiness of troops on a parade ground. In front of them were the guns of the Marine Artillery, and these opened fire upon the enemy, hut without checking them. Upon getting back in line with Buller’s steady brigade, and covered by their fire, Davis’s brigade rallied at once, and the men very speedily resumed their formation, and, as if determined to retrieve the disorder into which they had been thrown, they now advanced manfully side by side with Buller’s square. So terrible was the fire which the united brigades poured into the enemy, that their advance was at length checked; but there was no retioat, fox* few of the impetuous Arabs who had surged down upon us turned face to the rear, nearly the whole being swept away hy our file. On reaching the point where the Arabs had charged down upon the leading bi’i the gnus, which had been abandoned when Davis’s square was broken, were recovered. Short as was the time, the Arabs had run ali the Gatlings down into the nulla, and set fire to an ammunition limber belonging to some gun. The gun was recovered, but the limber blazed, hissed and fired shots for half an hour after. (To be continued.)