OF THIS VOLUME. ix Macplierson with the Indian Contin<>-ent ; ^^ and at last — from the swift, dazzling use Wolseley made of his horse, guns, and foot — the victory so driven home that — with almost dramatic abruptness — it turned defeat into ruin, brought what was called ' war ' to an end, and invested- — nay, loaded — our Government with the virtual dominion of Egypt. These results too, we now see, were reached in despite of some very good fighting maintained by the hapless Egyptians, and maintained during many more minutes than any practised observer who saw them attacked by the Highlanders could well have believed to be possible. The enemy indeed was so batfied by Wolseley 's famous night - march, that, although made aware by his scouts of the calm, silent army approaching him, he did not tind him- self able to besjin cannonading his foes until they had come to close quarters ; and besides, in the latei stages of the action, he neither showed warlike prowess by the prompt bringing up of supports, nor Graham's brigade in their front. Yet some of them fell. Colonel Sterling of the Coldstreams was one of the wounded ; but with what gladness his friends saw in a supplementary Return the blessed word 'slightly,' which at first had been withheld! I have had the advantage of seeing Sterling's journal — a model of clear, soldierly narrative.
- Having on its right the two adjacent lines of the Canal and
the Railway on which the Naval Brigade was operating. Mao- pherson operated on our left, against the enemy's right, and the troops of his contingent, with which he led his attack, were the Seaforth Highlanders. VOL. VII. I
