ng line of trench (2-1/2 m.)
approximately at right angles to the railway and the sweet-water canal.
At 11 P.M. on the 12th of September the advance of about 15,000 men
commenced; the 1st division, under Lieutenant-General Willis, was on the
right, and the 2nd division, under Lieutenant-General Hamley, was on the
left. Seven batteries of artillery, under Brigadier-General Goodenough,
were placed in the centre. The cavalry, under Major-General Drury Lowe,
was on the right flank, and the Indian contingent, under Major-General
Macpherson, starting one hour later, was ordered to move south of the
sweet-water canal. The night was moonless, and the distance to be
covered about 6-1/4 m. The ground was perfectly open, slightly
undulating, and generally firm gravel. The conditions for a night march
were thus ideal; but during the movement the wings closed towards each
other, causing great risk of an outbreak of firing. The line was,
however, rectified, and after a halt the final advance began. By a
fortunate accident the isolated outwork was just missed in the darkness
by the left flank of the 2nd Division; otherwise a premature alarm would
have been given, which must have changed all the conditions of the
operation. At dawn the Highland Brigade of the 2nd Division struck the
enemy's trenches, and carried them after a brief struggle. The 1st
Division attacked a few minutes later, and the cavalry swept round the
left of the line of entrenchments, cutting down any fugitives who
attempted resistance and reaching the enemy's camp in rear. The Indian
contingent, on the south of the canal, co-operated, intercepting the
Egyptians at the canal bridge. The opposition encountered at some points
was severe, but by 6 A.M. all resistance was at an end. The British loss
amounted to 58 killed, 379 wounded and 22 missing; nearly 2000 Egyptians
were killed, and more than 500 wounded were treated in hospital. An
immediate pursuit was ordered, and the Indian contingent, under
Major-General Macpherson, reached Zagazig, while the cavalry, under
Major-General Drury Lowe, occupied Belbeis and pushed on to Cairo, 65 m.
from Tell-el-Kebir, next day. On the evening of the 14th the 10,000
troops occupying Abbasia barracks, and 5000 in the citadel of Cairo,
surrendered. On the 15th General Sir Garnet Wolseley, with the brigade
of Guards under H.R.H. the duke of Connaught, entered the city.

The prompt following up of the victory at Tell-el-Kebir saved Cairo