28 August, 7:00 P.M., near Kassassin; Lt. A. G. Perie (Gordon Highlanders) was not having a good evening. At 5:20 that evening he had been sent to General Drury Lowe, commanding the British cavalry, with the message from General Graham. The British cavalry was deployed on the right of the army as it advanced down the North bank of the Sweetwater canal. The order the Lieutenant was to convey to Gen. Drury Lowe was that the cavalry was to demonstrate against the Egyptian left so as to distract that part of their army. Graham knew the cavalry had been in the saddle all day and had made it clear to Perie that they were not to actually engage the enemy unless the situation turned critical.

Unfortunately, the cavalry was not where Perie had been told to expect it to be. He wore out his horse trying to find them and had to mount another from an artillery battery he encountered. By the time he did find Drury Lowe, he seems to have lost his composure and to have garbled the order he was supposed to deliver. The message he, in fact, delivered, was that the main force was very hard pressed and it was imperative that the cavalry attack the Egyptian left flack at once. Based on this message, and using the forces at hand, Drury Lowe ordered the attack just as the sun was setting.

Terrain: There is a low hill along the South edge of the playing area, otherwise clear.

British forces (deploy on North edge) 4 guns, Royal Horse Artillery on the left, 3 squadrons Household Cavalry on the right, 4 squadrons 7th Dragoon Guards in reserve.

Egyptian forces (deploy on South edge) 2 batteries field artillery, 4 guns each behind 3 companies of infantry deployed in line. 3 cavalry squadrons in reserve Special point: This action took place in growing darkness, the effectiveness of fire, especially artillery was adversely affected and movement was slowed as visibility lessened.

Aftermath: The Egyptian infantry were ridden down and effectively destroyed by the initial British charge. At the same time, the opposing artillery had gotten into an exchange of fire, which accomplished nothing, substantial. Seeing the rout of their infantry cover, the Egyptian artillery prepared to withdraw. At that time, however, the Egyptian cavalry moved forward to engage and the British were forced to withdraw, leaving the field to the Egyptians. Lt. Pirie was mortally wounded later in the campaign.

More The Egyptian War

Introduction
Preliminary Considerations
Keeping the Water Flowing
The Messenger Blunders
The Marines Have Their Day