KHARTOUM CAMPAIGN.

“\ CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.—REVIEW OF FIELD.

IT is an easier and kindlier duty to set forth facts than

to proclaim opinions and pronounce judgments. Before Tel-el-Kebir was fought in September 1882 and the Egyptian army beaten and disbanded, the

insurrection headed by the Mahdi or False Prophet had begun. In the disrupted condition of affairs which succeeded Arabi Pasha’s defeat by British arms the

dervish movement made further rapid progress. To Sir Evelyn Wood, V.C., at the close of 1882, was assigned the task, as Sirdar or Commander-in-Chief of the Khedivial troops, of forming a real native army.

It was that distinguished soldier, aided by an exception- ally able staff, who first took in hand the re-organisa- tion and proper training of the fellaheen recruits. By dint of drill, discipline and stiffening with British commissioned and non-commissioned officers he soon made passable soldiers of the ‘Gippies.” The new army was at first restricted to eight battalions of

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