and transport were at once
concentrated, and Colonel Wingate was sent up to take command. The
force consisted of a brigade of infantry, under Colonel Lewis, with the
9th and 13th Soudanese, an irregular Soudanese battalion, a company of
the 2nd Egyptians, six companies of camel corps, a squadron of cavalry,
a field battery, six Maxims, and detachments of medical and supply
departments, with a camel transport train to carry rations and three
days' water--in all, three thousand seven hundred men.

On the afternoon of the 21st of November, the column moved forward and,
favoured by a bright moonlight, made a march of fifteen miles; the
cavalry scouting two miles in front, the flanks and rear being covered
by the camel corps. Native reports had brought in information that
Fadil, who had been raiding the country, was now in the neighbourhood,
on his way to rejoin the main Dervish army, which was lying near Gadi.

The cavalry pushed forward at dawn, and found that Fadil had retreated,
leaving a quantity of grain behind. A sick Dervish who had remained
there said that the Dervishes had moved to a point seven miles away.
The cavalry, camel corps, and some of the guns advanced, and seized a
position within three hundred yards of the Dervish encampment, on which
they immediately opened fire.

The rest of the guns were at once pushed forward, to reinforce them,
and arrived in time to assist them in repulsing a fierce attack of the
Dervishes. Owing to the nature of the ground, these were able to
approach to within sixty yards of the guns, before coming under their
fire. They were then mowed down by the guns and Maxims, and the
musketry fire of the camel corps; to which was added that of the
infantry brigade, when they arrived. This was too much even for Dervish
valour to withstand, and they fled back to their camp.

The British force then advanced. They met with but little opposition
and, as they entered the camp, they saw the enemy in full flight. The
infantry followed them for a mile and a half, while the cavalry and
camel corps kept up the pursuit for five miles.

Fadil's camp, containing a large amount of grain and other stores, fell
into the hands of the captors; with a number of prisoners, including
women and children, and animals. Four hundred Dervishes had fallen,
great numbers had been wounded, while the British casualties amounted
to a native officer of the camel corps dangerously wounded, one man
killed, and three w