▁his ▁forces , ▁that ▁started ▁a ▁massive ▁rif le - fire , ▁supported ▁by ▁an ▁art illery ▁piece . ▁▁ ▁After ▁three ▁hours ▁of ▁battle ▁had ▁passed ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁ 1 2 : 0 0 , ▁some ▁of ▁Rab ih ' s ▁men ▁started ▁yield ing ▁and ▁esc aping ; ▁and ▁this ▁amp li ated ▁when ▁one ▁of ▁Rab ih ' s ▁chief ▁lie uten ants , ▁O th man ▁Che iko , ▁governor ▁of ▁K ouss éri , ▁was ▁killed . ▁Gent il ▁ordered ▁now ▁to ▁attack ▁the ▁pal iss ade ▁with ▁a ▁bay on et ▁assault , ▁that ▁was ▁rep elled ▁after ▁hard ▁fighting ▁by ▁Rab ih ▁in ▁person ▁with ▁only ▁a ▁few ▁hundred ▁men ▁still ▁resist ing ▁around ▁him . ▁ ▁The ▁rif le - fire ▁continued , ▁but ▁at ▁ 1 6 : 3 0 ▁Gent il ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁admit ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁never ▁take ▁the ▁enemy ▁fort ▁that ▁day . ▁Gent il ▁had ▁suffered ▁heavy ▁cas ual ties : ▁ 4 6 ▁soldiers ▁were ▁dead , ▁while ▁ 1 0 6 ▁were ▁wounded , ▁almost ▁half ▁of ▁his ▁ 3 4 4 ▁men . ▁Among ▁the ▁dead ▁stood ▁the ▁mar éch al ▁de ▁log is ▁de ▁Poss el , ▁while ▁seriously ▁wounded ▁were ▁the ▁captain ▁Rob ill ot ▁and ▁the ▁lieutenant ▁K ief fer . ▁Also ▁Rab ih ▁had ▁suffered ▁important ▁losses , ▁and ▁some ▁of ▁his ▁b ann erm en ▁had ▁been ▁killed , ▁like ▁Bou b ak ar , ▁Rab ih ' s ▁chief