178 Fall of Khartum.

1885.

Klea, 17th January, 1885.

Fall of Khartu Battle of Kirbekan Korti to occupy Gakdul Wells, over halfway to Metemma. This done, Sir Herbert Stewart (in command) sent back for more troops and supplies, and the column, increased to about 1,800 fighting men, left Gakdul on the 14th January, 1885. On the 17th, a force of about 11,000 of the enemy, under Abu Sana (or Abd el Mejid ?) was Battle of Abu encountered and heavily defeated near Abu Klea Wells, and the column pushed on to the Nile, which it reached, after another stiff fight near Abu Kru, on the evening of the 19th. On this day Sir H. Stewart was mortally wounded.

On the 21st, a reconnaissance in force of Metemma was carried out. Gordon's four steamers arrived during the action, and, Colonel Sir C. Wilson now in command, after proceeding next day on a reconnaissance towards Shendi, left Gubat on the morning of the 24th with two steamers for Khartum.

On arriving there at noon on the 28th, Khartum was found to have fallen 2 J days previously, the town having been taken by assault, and Gordon having been killed, just before dawn on the 26th. The two steamers were both wrecked in the Sixth Cataract on the way back, and Sir C. Wilson and his party were only extricated by Lord C. Beresford (on a third steamer) after a hard fight with a shore battery* near the mouth of the cataract.

The desert column, now under Sir R. Buller, short in transport and in numbers, retired to Abu Klea, at which point they beat off the pursuing enemy (16th February), and eventually reached Korti during March.

The river column had meanwhile ascended the Fourth Cataract with extreme difficulty, and met the enemy near Kirbekan. Here a decisive action was fought (10th March), in which the Mahdists were thoroughly beaten, but General Earle was killed. The command devolved on Brigadier-General H. Brackenbury, and the column leached Huella (or Khulla), within 30 miles of Abu Hamed, on the 23rd February, having destroyed the village of Stewart's murderers on the way.

Here orders were received to turn back, and the column i etired, reaching Merowe on the 5th March.

One of whose shots burst the boiler of the steamer.