the 24th Sir Garnet Wolseley advanced with 3
squadrons of cavalry, 2 guns, and about 1000 infantry, placed under the
orders of Lieutenant-General Willis. The enemy showed in force,
estimated at 7000 with 12 guns, and a somewhat desultory action ensued.
Reinforcements from Ismailia were ordered up, and the British cavalry,
operating on the right, helped to check the enemy's attack, which showed
little vigour. At night the troops, now reinforced by the Guards
Brigade, an infantry battalion, 2 cavalry regiments and 10 guns,
bivouacked on the ground. Early on the morning of the 25th the advance
was continued to Tell-el-Mahuta, which the enemy evacuated, while the
mounted troops and horse artillery pressed on to Mahsama, capturing the
Egyptian camp, with 7 guns and large quantities of ammunition and
supplies. On the same evening Major-General Graham, with about 1200
marines (artillery and light infantry), reached Mahsama, and on the
following day he occupied Kassassin without opposition. The advance
guard had now outrun its communications and was actually short of food,
while a considerable force was distributed at intervals along the line
Ismailia-Kassassin. The situation on the 27th tempted attack by an
enterprising enemy, and Major-General Graham's force, consisting of a
squadron of the 19th Hussars, the York and Lancaster Regiment, the duke
of Cornwall's Light Infantry, the Marine Artillery Battalion and two
R.H.A. guns, short of ammunition, was in danger of being overwhelmed by
vastly superior numbers from Tell-el-Kebir. On the 28th Major-General
Graham's troops were attacked, and after repulsing the enemy, made a
general advance about 6.45 P.M. The cavalry, summoned by heliograph from
Mahsama, co-operated, and in a moonlight charge inflicted considerable
loss. The British casualties amounted to 14 killed and 83 wounded.
During the lull which followed the first action of Kassassin, strenuous
efforts were made to bring up supplies and troops and to open up railway
communication to the front. On the 9th of September the Egyptians again
attacked Kassassin, but were completely repulsed by 9 A.M., with a loss
of 4 guns, and were pursued to within extreme range of the guns of
Tell-el-Kebir. The British casualties were 3 killed and 78 wounded. The
three following days were occupied in concentrating troops at Kassassin
for the attack on Tell-el-Kebir, held by about 38,000 men with 60 guns.
The Egyptian defences consisted of a lo