The Cavalry And The Camel Corps, Instead Of Cutting At The Flank,
Contented Themselves With Making A Direct Pursuit After The Enemy Had
Crossed Their Front, And In Consequence Several Hundred Arabs Made Good
Their Escape To The South.
Others swam the river and fled by the west bank.
The wicked Osman Azrak, his authority now no longer disputed, for his rival
was a corpse, galloped from the field and reached Suarda.
The rest of the
Dervish force held to the houses, and variously prepared to fight to
the death or surrender to their conquerors.
The three brigades now closed upon the village and, clearing it
step by step, advanced to the water's edge. MacDonald's brigade did not
indeed stop until they had crossed the swampy isthmus and occupied
the island. The Arabs, many of whom refused quarter, resisted desperately,
though without much effect, and more than eighty corpses were afterwards
found in one group of buildings. By 7.20 o'clock all firing had ceased;
the entire Dervish camp was in the hands of the Egyptian troops,
and the engagement of Firket was over.
The Sirdar now busied himself with the pursuit, and proceeded with
the mounted troops as far as Mograka, five miles south of Firket.
The whole cavalry force, with the Camel Corps and Horse Artillery,
pressed the retreat vigorously to Suarda. Osman Azrak, however, succeeded
in transporting the women and children and some stores, with a sufficient
escort, to the west bank before the arrival of the troops.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 180 of 476
Words from 47725 to 47975
of 127807
