The fighting around Suakin in 1884, though successful as to its
immediate result, namely, the defeat of local levies of the Mahdi, had
no beneficial effect upon the position of Gordon in Khartoum; rather, it
would appear, the contrary. The defeat and terrible slaughter of the
Arabs at El-Teb and Tamai seem to have been taken as an earnest of the
intention of the British to reconquer the Soudan, and so to have decided
many hitherto friendly, or at least neutral, Sheikhs to throw in their
lot with the Mahdi. Whether this view is correct or not, the fact
remains that up to March Khartoum was open, and by the end of the
operations it was besieged. Our purpose being rather to relate
achievements of "Our Soldiers" than a history of the events which
preceded them, we will not attempt to state the cause which led to the
seclusion of Khartoum and the isolation of the heroic Gordon and his
companions, Colonel Stewart and Consul Power, nor the causes which
rendered the splendid engagements at Suakin fruitless, and led to the
fall of Berber. It is enough to say that at length the people of Great
Britain could bear the spectacle no longer, and the force of public
opinion compelled the Government to take steps in the summer of 1884 to
achieve, if it were not too late, the relief of Khartoum. What was a
possible task a few months before had now become an exceedingly
difficult, if not impossible, one, and it was thought that, under the
circumstances, the route which was the most feasible would be by the
Nile.
In the early part of October news arrived that Colonel Stewart and Mr
Power, the special correspondent of the _Times_, who had also acted as
Vice-Consul at Khartoum, had been murdered on their way to Dongola.
They were proceeding down the Nile in one of Gordon's steamers in order
to open communications with the British expedition under Lord Wolseley,
which was then advancing up the river, and with them were some
forty-five other people, including the French Consul at Khartoum. The
steamer struck on a rock, and the whole party had to disembark. They
were hospitably received by the Sheikh, who promised no harm should
happen to them if they came unarmed. This they accordingly did; but no
sooner had Colonel Stewart and the Consul entered the Arab's house than
they were attacked, and having no weapons but their fists, were
eventually overcome and killed. General Gordon was now absolutely
alone, and still holding Khartoum against the Mahdi, and no time was to
be lost if he was to be released. Strenuous efforts were made to push
on the expedition, and by the middle of December a strong force had
assembled at Korti, on the Nile, 1400 miles by the Nile from the sea.
Here Lord Wolseley arrived on the 16th of December. The latest news
from General Gordon was dated 14th November, saying that his steamers
awaited the expedition at Metammeh, and that he could hold out for forty
days, but that after that the defence would be difficult. Upon this
news Lord Wolseley decided to send a flying column as soon as possible
across the desert to Metammeh, with instructions to send a detachment by
the steamers up to Khartoum. The desert route to Metammeh direct from
Korti is 176 miles, but the distance is very much greater by the river,
which between these two places makes a bend of three parts of a circle.
The command of the force selected was given to General Sir Herbert
Stewart, with Sir Charles Wilson as second in command. A strong depot
having previously been established at the wells of Jakdul, about 100
miles towards Metammeh, the expedition started on the 8th January. It
consisted of 5 naval officers and 53 bluejackets under Lord Charles
Beresford (sent for service on the steamers), a battery of artillery, 9
officers and 120 men of the 19th Hussars under Colonel Barron, the
Guards Camel Regiment under Colonel Boscawen, the Heavy Camel Regiment,
consisting of Household troops and cavalry, under Major Gough, infantry
mounted also on camels, 400 men of the Royal Sussex, some transport
engineers and hospital details--in all 114 officers and 1687 men, with
153 horses and 2888 camels, and some 350 native drivers, etcetera.