Guards at the end of the
campaign, "The march of the British Brigade to the Atbara, when in six
days--for one of which it was halted--it covered 140 miles in a most
trying climate, shows what British troops can do when called upon."

On the 20th of March the entire force marched to Ras-el-Hudi, a point on
the bend of the river which Mahmoud would have to pass if he decided to
attack Berber. But Mahmoud, finding now that he would have the British
as well as Egyptians to deal with, changed his plans, and instead of
advancing intrenched his position, hoping to receive assistance from the
Khalifa. On the 26th a raid was made on Shendy by the steamboats, under
command of Commander Keppel and Lieutenants Beatty and Hood, R.N.; the
troops being commanded by Majors Hickman and Sitwell, Captain Sloman,
and Lieutenant Graham. This was completely successful: the dervishes
fled; Shendy, where was Mahmoud's reserve depot, was occupied, and the
forts and depot destroyed, and a large number of female prisoners
released. Attempts to draw Mahmoud out of his cover were unsuccessful,
and the Sirdar decided to attack him.

On April 7th the force, with the British leading, made a night-march,
and after a short rest took up a position about one and a half miles
from the enemy's camp, and about 4:30 a.m. a general advance in attack
formation was made. The British brigade was on the left, Macdonald's in
the centre, Maxwell's on the right, and Lewis's Egyptians were held in
reserve. The enemy were in a large irregular enclosure, with its rear
on the now dry bed of the river. The position was defended by trenches,
and in part by palisades; and was surrounded by a strong zareba, the
inside being full of shelter trenches and pits. After a bombardment by
12 guns and the rocket detachment, at 7:10 the general advance was
sounded, and with pipes and bands playing the infantry bore down upon
the zareba. In front of the British were the Camerons in line, and
behind them the Warwicks on the left, Seaforths in the centre, and
Lincolns on the right; General Gatacre, the Staff, and Colonel Money in
front. The zareba was soon reached and torn aside, and in a few minutes
our men were in the enclosure. The enemy fought bravely, and, refusing
quarter, died fighting. In every hut and trench the dervishes were hid,
and slashed and fired at their enemy till bayoneted, or shot themselves.
There were many hand-to-hand fights and many narrow escapes, bu