General Graham, therefore, moved out on the 12th to a
stock- aded camp, and on the 13th to the actual attack, which was made in two oblong "squares," arranged in echelon. The foremost consisted of the 2nd Brigade, with which was General Graham ; and the rearmost of the 1st Brigade, under Sir Redvers Buller. On their reaching the edge of the incline -towards Osman Digna's valley, the enemy, favoured by the rocks, the brush, and the smoke from the cannon, made a desperate rash, and though mown down by the rifles, reached the Europeans. The 65th wavered for a moment, the Arabs -entered the square, the 42nd and the Marine Brigade were driven back, and for ten minutes there was a possibility of a rout. Indeed, news of disaster was heliographed to Suakim, and nearly reached London. A charge of cavalry, however, made the Arabs hesitate, the officers re-formed the 2nd Brigade, the Marines in particular recovering at once, and the 1st Brigade coming up, the two poured in a terrible fire, which drove the Arabs over the ridge, leaving, it is believed, 3,000 dead, besides a multitude of wounded. The troops then entered the valley, cleared the opposite slope, and burnt the village ; while the Arabs, who had throughout shown the most desperate courage— a single straggler, for instance, charging six Hussars—retired sullenly to the hills. The loss of the British was 70 killed and 100 wounded, -while the Arab loss exceeded 3,000 men.
