After the English had broken up the Egyptian army, and had, for a time
at least, practically assumed the direction of affairs there, they found
themselves face to face with an insurrection under a fanatic who assumed
the title of the Mahdi. The followers of this man had overrun the whole
of the Soudan, shutting up the various Egyptian garrisons in the towns
they occupied. One of the chiefs of the Mahdi, named Osman Digma, was
threatening the port of Suakim, on the Red Sea, and had besieged the
Egyptian garrisons in the towns of Sinkat and Tokar. Admiral Hewett was
ordered to protect Suakim, and with the _Ranger, Sphinx, Euryalus_, and
_Decoy_ took his station off that town.
Several times Osman Digma's followers came close up to the place, but,
whenever they did so, the bluejackets and marines from the four English
ships were landed, and the men-of-war opened a fire over the town upon
the ground which the rebels must cross to reach it. Thus they succeeded
in defending Suakim from any serious attack until Baker Pasha, who was
in command of a miscellaneous force known as the Egyptian Police, came
down with some thousands of newly-raised troops. These men had received
but little drill, and were scarce worthy the name of soldiers; but, as
the garrisons of Sinkat and Tokar still held out, although sorely
pressed by hunger, Baker Pasha determined to make an effort to relieve
them, although he and his officers were well aware of the wholly
untrustworthy nature of the force at his command. There were plenty of
English troops doing nothing in Egypt, and had but one regiment been
sent down to Baker Pasha it would have been worth all the armed rabble
he had under him; but the English Government could not at the time bring
itself to acknowledge its responsibility for the safety of the Egyptian
garrisons.
Baker's force was conveyed down the coast to Trinkatat; Admiral Hewett
with some of the ships going down with him. The force was landed and
marched towards Tokar; on the way it was attacked by the tribesmen who
had embraced the cause of Osman Digma. The undisciplined levies of
Baker broke at once when attacked; their English officers fought
gallantly; many were killed, and the greater portion of the Egyptians
massacred almost unresistingly; the rest fled to Trinkatat. The rebels,
fearing to come within range of the guns of the English ships, ceased
from their pursuit, and the survivors of Baker's force were able to get
on board the vessels in safety.
The result of this defeat was that the garrison of Sinkat, who had held
out heroically, finding themselves without a hope of relief, and their
provisions being wholly exhausted, marched out and tried to cut their
way through the besieged town to the coast. They were, however,
exterminated, not a man making his way through to tell the tale.
Tokar also fell into the Mahdists' hands, its garrison having accepted
terms of surrender; and thus Osman Digma was left free to attack Suakim
itself, which but for the presence of the fleet must have fallen into
his hands.