mdurman. It was a brilliant but a costly mistake. The bravery shown
was superb, and the manner in which officers and men rode back into the
struggling mass, to rescue comrades, beyond all praise; but the charge
should never have been made, and the lives were uselessly sacrificed.

As yet, all was quiet at other points. Bodies of the enemy could be
seen, making their way towards Omdurman. The battery opposite the town
had, from early morning, been keeping up a fire from its heavy guns
upon it; but, save for the occasional shot of a lurking Dervish, all
was quiet elsewhere.

While the cavalry charge was in progress, Gregory had moved along the
line of the Egyptian brigades with General Hunter. Suddenly, from
behind the hills where the Khalifa had fallen back with his defeated
army, a column of fully twelve thousand men, led by the banner bearers
and emirs, poured out again. A strong body sprang forward from another
valley, and made for the southeastern corner of Macdonald's brigade,
which had moved almost due west from the position it had occupied in
the zareba; while the large force that had chased away the Egyptian
cavalry were seen, returning to attack him in the rear.

General Hunter, who was riding between Macdonald's and Lewis's
brigades, which were now a good mile apart, exclaimed to Gregory, who
happened to be the nearest officer to him:

"Ride to Macdonald, and tell him to fall back, if possible!"

Then he turned, and galloped off to fetch up reinforcements. But the
need was already seen. The sudden uproar had attracted the attention of
the whole army, and the Sirdar instantly grasped the situation. The
moment was indeed critical. If Macdonald's brigade were overwhelmed, it
might have meant a general disaster; and the Sirdar at once sent orders
to Wauchope's brigade, to go, at the double, to Macdonald's aid.

Fortunately Colonel Long, who commanded the artillery, had sent three
batteries with Macdonald's brigade. Collinson's brigade were far away
near the river, Lewis's were themselves threatened. It was evident, at
once, that no assistance could reach Macdonald in time. When Gregory
reached him, the Dervishes were already approaching.

"It cannot be done," Macdonald said sternly, when Gregory delivered the
message. "We must fight!"

Indeed, to retreat would have meant destruction. The fire would have
been ineffective, and the thirty thousand fierce foes would have been
among them. There was nothing to do