Khartoum Campaign, 1898; or the Re-Conquest of the Soudan

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

25504

Title

Khartoum Campaign, 1898; or the Re-Conquest of the Soudan

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Khartoum Campaign, 1898; or the Re-Conquest of the Soudan is a historical account by Bennet Burleigh of the British reconquest of Sudan in 1898. The book describes the events leading up to the Battle of Omdurman and the subsequent occupation of Fashoda and Sobat. It provides detailed descriptions of battles, military strategies, and the experiences of soldiers during the campaign.

Summary up to 500 words

The Khartoum Campaign, 1898; or the Re-Conquest of the Soudan is a historical account by Bennet Burleigh of the British reconquest of Sudan in 1898. The book begins with an introduction to the region and its history, including the rise of the Mahdi and his rebellion against the Egyptian government. It then describes the events leading up to the Battle of Omdurman, including the battles at Tel-el-Kebir and Abu Klea. Burleigh provides detailed descriptions of the battles, military strategies, and the experiences of soldiers during the campaign. He also discusses the aftermath of the battle, including the occupation of Fashoda and Sobat. Throughout the book, Burleigh draws on his own experiences as a war correspondent and provides vivid descriptions of the people, places, and events he encountered during the campaign. The book covers the re-organisation and increase of the Coast Guard into an army of 8000 men, which was formed and equipped without international queries or interference. Mohammed Achmed, also known as the Mahdi, was a native of Dongola who claimed to be the last of the prophets and sought to convert the world to Islamism. He acquired a great reputation for sanctity and had many followers, but his death in 1885 led to the collapse of his movement. The British division's cross-fire smote the dervishes, and the guns and Maxims knocked all cohesion out of their ranks. The battle of Omdurman was full of incident and Homeric combats, with the two regiments of Egyptian cavalry and the Camel Corps opposing the dervish advance. The 21st Lancers charged a large number of Mahdists lying concealed in a khor, but were outnumbered and suffered casualties. Mr Bennett's accusations against British troops are refuted by Burleigh, who states that there was no wholesale slaughter of wounded dervishes, nor any orders to kill them. The book is a faithful record by a highly skilled observer of the day-by-day life of an Anglo-Egyptian Army engaged in desert warfare.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25504.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg25504.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-07-04 22:08 UTC

Categories

• History
• Military