Note 225 — ABU KLEA. January 17th, 1885.

“Immediately I perceived the enemy coming down, I ran the gun to a position in the centre of the left flank, and commenced firing. After about thirty rounds the gun jammed. The enemy then were about two hundred yards from the muzzle of it. The captain of it, Will Rhoods, and myself, unscrewed the plate to clean the barrel, when the enemy were upon us. Rhoods was killed by a spear; Miller, drummer, I also saw killed at the same moment. I was knocked down in rear of gun, but uninjured, except a spear scratch on left hand. As I struggled up I was carried against the face of the square, which was literally pressed back by sheer weight of numbers. The crush was so great, that at the moment few on either side were killed, but fortunately this flank of the square was forced up a very steep little mound, which enabled the rear rank to open a tremendous fire over the heads of the front rank men. This relieved the pressure, and enabled the front rank to bayonet or shoot those of the enemy nearest them. The enemy then turned to the right and streamed away along the rear face of the square, where, I afterwards heard they effected an entrance. None of them got into the square at the place I indicated, where the crush was, which was held by the Mounted Infantry.”—Despatch of Lord Charles Beresford, R.N.