202 KHARTOUM CAMPAIGN.

against us. Had they employed these in ‘sniping " as at Abu Kru, the Sirdar would have had to march out and attack them.

The victory of Omdurman owed much to the masterly serving of the artillery. Even in Macdonald’s severely contested action, the three batteries of Maxim-Nordenfelt 124-pounders did much to save the situation. These were Peake’s, Lawrie’s, and de Rougemont’s, with, in the latter part of the fight, three Krupp guns of the. horse artillery. The Camel Corps also brought up two Maxims to help at the close of the battle to repulse Sheikh Ed Din. Macdonald handled his guns as superbly as he did his infantry. At the Atbara against Mahmoud, the light powerful Maxim-Nordenfelts had proved that they could be successfully fought side by side with infantry. Between the battalion intervals, therefore, the dauntless gunners stood firing point-blank at the dervish columns. Throughout the battle Major Williams’ 32nd Field Battery, R.A., fired 420 rounds.

Three of the Maxim-Nordenfeldt batteries (all Egyptian) fired roo rounds per gun, whilst Major Lawrie'’s battery, No. 4 Egyptian, also Maxim-Nordenfeldt guns, fired over that number, or goo rounds in all.

All these batteries were of six guns each. Captain Smeaton fired from his six Maxims, stationed in the zereba south-east corner, 54,000 rounds. One of the wants much felt by the gunners was the need of more shrapnel during the action. Twice at least the allowance supply was temporarily exhausted. Yet it is not to be assumed on that account that the reserve ammunition was difficult to be got at or that the firing lines were