BATTLE OF ADUA 397 



columns, the enemy gathered round him in ever-increas- 

 ing numbers. After a stubborn fight lasting well into 

 the afternoon, during which nearly half his division had 

 fallen, he himself was shot, and the remainder surrendered. 

 General Albertone on the left was the first to get into 

 touch with large bodies of the enemy, his artillery doing 

 considerable execution among them, as they advanced to 

 the attack. However, he also was gradually surrounded 

 by overwhelming numbers, the ammunition began to give 

 out, and to avoid a useless sacrifice of life, the few un- 

 wounded survivors surrendered shortly before noon. 

 Meanwhile the centre, under the command of General 

 Arimondi, had halted in a narrow, confined valley in 

 which they could not extend, General Ellena with the 

 reserves being in the same valley some distance to the 

 rear. There the two divisions remained, till they were 

 attacked by hordes of Abyssinians on three sides, when 

 they began a desperate attempt to cut their way back, 

 before they were completely surrounded. General 

 Baratieri, seeing the straits his forces w^ere in, had already 

 retired on the base camp at Enticho. Soon the retreat 

 became a rout, guns were abandoned and rifles thrown 

 away, as the utterly disorganised troops made their way 

 back to Enticho, hotly pressedby the pursuing Abyssinians. 

 After the battle was over, the latter found they had taken 

 2000 Italian prisoners and rather more than that number 

 of native soldiers. It was then the order was given, 

 that every Abyssinian who had been taken fighting 

 against his king should have his right hand and left foot 

 struck off This sentence was carried out on the spot 

 by their captors, by far the greater number of the poor 



