_Lieut.-Colonel Richardson, D.S.O._--“On the 24th of February we left camp about an hour before daylight, reached Shumran, where a pontoon had been thrown across the Tigris the previous day by the Sappers and Infantry, crossed the river about 9 A.M., and gradually moved up to behind the Dahra Ridge, which at that time was the most advanced point held by our infantry. At noon we found what we thought was an opening in the Turkish line, went through it, and made a big left-handed sweep, until we were brought to a standstill by the Turkish rearguard, strongly intrenched. We were engaged with this till after dark, when we returned to bivouac, which we reached about 1 A.M. We were in the saddle again at daybreak on the 25th, and took up the pursuit of the Turks, who had left their intrenchments. At about midday we located their rearguard in position about Imam Mahdi, on the north bank of the Tigris, and the Regiment was ordered to attack dismounted, with the 14th Lancers on our left. We were closely engaged with the Turks until about 5 P.M., when orders were received to withdraw. Then we found that our casualties had been heavy, but mostly in wounded, the numbers being approximately one officer, Lieutenant Lord, and thirty-six men wounded. That night again we reached our bivouac after midnight, and were again on the move at daylight. “On this day, 26th February, the Regiment was in reserve and not engaged. We bivouacked where we stood that night, and at daybreak took up the pursuit of the Turks, who were now in full retreat. Before midday we had taken some 300 prisoners, and had found six field-guns of large calibre, which had been left by the Turks. After that we replenished our nose-bags from a captured barge well stocked with barley, and followed the road taken by the retreating Turks, which was strewn with rifles, bayonets, small-arm ammunition, trench-mortars, to which the draft cattle were still harnessed, hundreds of 5.9 shells, carts full of implements, and even a motor-car. We bivouacked at dark some six miles from Azizieh.” In General Maude’s despatch giving a summary of these operations is the following passage:-- “Our gunboats were in touch with and shelled the retreating enemy during most of the 27th, and his retirement was harassed by the Cavalry until after dark, when his troops were streaming through Azizieh in great confusion.” General Maude adds that since crossing the Tigris his force had captured 4000 prisoners, of whom 188 were officers, and great quantities of guns and stores. But now the pursuit, in which the Navy and the Cavalry had co-operated in an unusual way, was broken off. The Turkish army had made good its hasty retreat, and was for the moment free to get away unmolested.