THE BATTLE AT SUAKIN. A GALLANT CHARGE. SLAUGHTER OF 500 MEN.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 340, 6 February 1889, Page 5

THE BATTLE AT SU AKIN. A GALLANT CHARGE. SLAUGHTER OF 500 MEN.

The London correspondent of the Melbourne "Argus." \viiling on December 2lsb, supplies Llie following account of bhe fighb at Suakin :—: — General Gtrenfell made his attack on the dervish entrenchments outside Sua!<in in the early morning of December 20th. The babble wa 5 ? excellently planned and carried out, and half an hour sufficed foi the allied British, Egyptian, and Soudanese forco to drive the enemy from ' their trenches in headlong flight. On the preceding night the gunboat SGarling and \ two other sceamers proceeded to Kandcub to deal with the enemy's forces there, and prevent their junction with those at Suakin. At 4.30 o'clock in the morning, H.M.s. Racer opened the engagement by shelling the enemy'h entrenchments, while the sound of firing up the coast showed that the Starling was similarly employed. All tho ships in Suakin harbour, "and also the foits, soon took up the firing, and for an hour there was a tremendous can nonado. Under cover of the artillery fire the troops prepared for the attack, and the whole foice marched out from the camp towards tho enemy. On the left flank the naval brigade with some machine guns accompanied the infantry. The mounted force, consisting ot iJO hussars and mounted infantry, scouted in front, and protected the flank and rear from a sudden rush by the dervishes. Having I'eached the point indicated by the geneial, bhe^ halted unbil the artillery had done its work. The post of honour in the attack was given to tho black tioop, who advanced in two linss composed of battalions in double companies, while the British and Egyptian troops were held in reserve. The Scottish Borderers and the Iris>h regiment lined the trenches connecting the quarter forfcs, Avhile the general and his staff took up a position on the left of the water fort. At 5 o'clock the fire increased in intensity, and as daylight began to break a greab storm of shot and shell was ; poured upon the enemy's trenches, the ! mortars and cannon in the forts firing salvoes, whiah must have been very destructive, as the exacb range of the trenches had now been obtained. At half-past 7 o'clock the order was given for the advance, and after a terriffie fire for a few minutes from tho black regiments and white troops in our trenches, the former rushed for ward upon the left flank of the enemy's entrenchments. Tho dervishes stood their ground bravely, bub the charge of the black bi oops was irresistible. With wild shouts they rushed foiward, suffering but slightly fiom the hasty fire the enemy opened upon them as they advanced. The moment they reached the redoubt the battle was virtually won. The dervishes, spears in hand, ran to meet them, and a good many of the Soudanese were more or or less wounded by the speai'S, bub their fire swept away the I'ebels before they could come to close quarters, and the bayonets finished the few who came up for a hand-to-hand fight. In half an hour fiom the order being given for the advance the babble was at an end, and all tho works throw n up with so much labour by the enemy were in our possession. Tho dervishes, driven from the works, fled bo bho bu&h, wheie large numbers of their friends were lurking. The cavalry and mounted infantry at oncestaited in pursuit, dashing among the bushes and cutting down those who tried to make a stand, while tho guns of the forts and ships sent their shells far overhead into the bush beyondj sweeping it in every diiection, and sending the dervishes flj ing at top speed towaids Handoub and Hasheen. A body of their mounted men made a gallant effort to cover the retreat by charging boldly at the 20 hussar?. The latter gathered as the enemy n eared them, and charging in splendid style, riding tlnough and over them, killing many and driving the rest in headlong flight 1 after their companions. This feab was nob, however, unaccompanied by loss on our side, as four hussais were killed. Two of our troopers' swords weie broken clean off close to the hilts by the Arabs' swords. As soon as the fighting was over our troops advanced tocaptuic the position and began to demolish the face looking towavds SuaUin, and construct a bieastwcrk on the side facing the bush, in case the enemy should rally and attempt after ' nightfall to regain possession of the entrench merits. The general opinion of those best able to judge is that the enemy's force amounted to about 3,000 men, of whom about half were in the entrenchments and the remainder in reserve- in the bush behind. The dash and rapidity with which the black troops rushed at the \\ oiks and turned the enemy out gave tho ie&er\es no time to come up and take part in bhe defence. Their exacb loss is nol yeb known, as so many f^M in the bush from the fire of the artillery and infantry and the swords of the ca\ aky. Ibis probably nob far shoib of 500 men. Our loss was not severe, bhe only Englishmen killed being the four hussars mentioned above. Several were wounded, including two officers attached to the Egyptian troops. The Soudanese lost two killed and about 50 wounded. Among the prisoners taken were Osman Digna's nephew and 12 der\ishes. No one surrendered, however, for all weie disabled from either fighb or flight by wounds. Osman Naib, the leader from Handoub, ■was wounded by bhe Egyptian cavalry in bhe lasb reconnaissance. The prisoneis all tell bhe same story of privation and cruelty suffered from the Khalifa and Osman Digna. None of them wished to figlifc, bub all of them were forced to do so, with the added promise of loot in Suakin and a further reward. The trenches wore bare, no food, clothing, or money having been found. The prisoners knew nothing of bhe reportod capture of Emm Pasha and bho Equatorial Provinces. Some Snider riflo3 and ammunition were found in the trenches.