ieri ▁had ▁his ▁forces ▁d ug ▁in ▁at ▁strong ▁positions ▁at ▁Sa uria , ▁ ▁from ▁Men el ik ' s ▁camp . ▁By ▁ 2 7 ▁February , ▁the ▁army ▁had ▁only ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁supply ▁left ▁and ▁the ▁intelligence ▁wrong ly ▁reported ▁that ▁the ▁Eth iop ians ▁were ▁scattered ▁across ▁the ▁hills ▁of ▁Ad wa , ▁for aging . ▁Unable ▁or ▁unw illing ▁to ▁decide ▁between ▁a ▁temporary ▁withdraw al ▁or ▁a ▁small ▁advance , ▁the ▁Governor ▁asked ▁for ▁the ▁advice ▁of ▁his ▁brig ade ▁command ers : ▁Giuseppe ▁Ar im ond i , ▁Mat te o ▁Albert one , ▁D ab orm ida ▁and ▁the ▁newly ▁appointed ▁Giuseppe ▁Ell ena . ▁ ▁D ab orm ida ▁joined ▁Ar im ond i ▁and ▁Albert one ▁in ▁their ▁call ▁for ▁an ▁ag gress ive ▁approach , ▁reported ly ▁arg uing ▁that , ▁since ▁the ▁troops ▁mor ale ▁was ▁high , ▁a ▁retre at ▁would ▁only ▁bring ▁it ▁down . ▁He ▁declared ▁that ▁Italy ▁would ▁prefer ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁two ▁to ▁three ▁thousand ▁men ▁to ▁a ▁d ish on or able ▁retre at . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁February , ▁Bar at ieri ▁resolved ▁to ▁advance ▁towards ▁the ▁Eth iop ian ▁camp ▁at ▁Ad wa . ▁His ▁orders ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁February ▁called ▁for ▁an ▁off ensive ▁thrust ▁to ▁occup y ▁a ▁solid ▁position ▁on ▁the ▁hill ▁east ▁of ▁Ad wa . ▁From ▁there ▁on ▁he ▁could ▁react ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁moves ▁of ▁the ▁A by ss ini ans ; ▁defend