Gregory had accompanied Colonel Wingate and acted as one of his staff-officers. He had of course brought his horse with him. It was an excellent animal, and had been used by him in all his excursions from Omdurman. " That is rather a different affair from the fight on the Atbara, Zaki," he said, when the force gathered in Fadil's camp after the pursuit was relinquished; "the Dervishes fought just as bravely, but in one case they had a strong position to defend, while to-day they took the offensive; it makes all the difference."
" I am glad to have seen some fighting again, master, for it has been dull work stopping ten months in Omdurman with nothing to do but ride about the country and decide upon the villagers' quarrels."
" It has been useful work, Zaki, and I consider nryself very fortunate in being so constantly employed. I was desperately afraid that Colonel Wingate would leave me there, and I was greatly relieved when he told me that I was to come with him. It is a fortunate thing that we have beaten our old enemy, Fadil, here; in the first place, because if the three or four thousand men he had with him had joined the Khalifa it would have given us harder work in to-morrow's fight, and in the next place his arrival, with his followers who have escaped, at the Khalifa's camp is not likely to inspirit the Dervishes there."
Gregory was occupied all the afternoon in examining the prisoners. They affirmed that they had left the former camp three days before with the intention of proceeding to Gedid, where Fadil was to join the Khalifa with captured grain, when the whole Dervish force was to march north. The troops slept during the afternoon, and in the evening set out for Gedid, which they reached at ten o'clock the next morning. A Dervish deserter reported that the Khalifa was encamped seven miles to the south-east. Fortunately, a pool with sufficient water for the whole force was found at Gedid, which was a matter of great importance, for otherwise the expedition must have fallen back.
It was hoped that the Khalifa would now stand at bay, as our occupation of Gedid barred his advance north. Behind him was a waterless and densely-wooded district. The capture of the grain on which he had relied would render it impossible for him to remain long in his present position, and his only chance of extricating himself was to stand and fight.
After twelve hours' rest the troops were roused, and started a few minutes after midnight. The transport was left under a strong guard near the water, with orders to follow four hours later. The cavalry, with two Maxims, moved in advance, and the camel corps on the flanks. The ground was thickly wooded; in many places a way had to be cut for the guns. At three o'clock news was received from the cavalry that the enemy's camp was but three miles distant from the point which the infantry had reached, and that they and the Maxims had halted two miles ahead at the foot of some slightly rising ground, beyond which the scouts had on the previous day discovered the main force of the enemy to be stationed. The infantry continued to advance slowly and cautiously, making as little noise as possible.
It was soon evident, however, that in spite of their caution the enemy were aware of their approach, as there was an outburst of the beating of drums and the blowing of war-horns. This did not last long, but it was enough to show that the Dervishes were not to be taken by surprise. When the infantry reached the spot where the cavalry were halted, the latter's scouts were withdrawn and the infantry pickets thrown out, and the troops then lay down to await daybreak. The officers chatted together in low tones; there were but two hours till dawn, and with the prospect of heavy fighting before them none were inclined to sleep. The question Avas, whether the Dervishes would defend their camp or attack. The result of the battle of Omdurman should have taught them that it was impossible to come to close quarters in the face of the terrible fire of our rifles. Fadil could give his experience at Gedareh, which would teach the same lesson. On the other hand, the storming of the Dervish camp on the Atbara and the fight at Rosaires would both seem to show them that the assault of the Egyptian force was irresistible. As Gregory had been present at all four of these battles he was asked to give his opinion.
" I think that they will attack," he said. " The Dervish leaders rely upon the enthusiasm of their followers, and in almost all the battles we have fought here they have rushed forward to the assault. It was so in all the fights down by the Red Sea; it was so in the attacks on Lord "Wolseley's desert column; it succeeded against Hicks and Baker's forces; and even now they do not seem to have recognized that the Egyptians, whom they once despised, have quite got over their dread of them, and are able to face them steadily."
There was only the faintest light in the sky when firing broke out in front. Everyone leapt to his feet and stood listening intently. Was it merely some Dervish scouts who had come in contact with our pickets, or was it an attacking force? The firing increased in volume, and was evidently approaching. The pickets, then, were being driven in, and the Dervishes were going to attack. The men were ordered to lie down in the position in which they were to fight. In five minutes after the first shot all were ready for action, the pickets had run in, and in the dim light numbers of dark figures could be made out. The guns and Maxims at once spoke out, while the infantry fired volleys. It was still too dark to make out the movements of the enemy, but their reply to our fire came louder and louder on our left, and it was apparent that the intention of the Dervishes was to turn that flank of our position.
Colonel Wingate sent Gregory to order the guns to turn their fire more in that direction, and other officers ordered our right to advance somewhat, while the left were slightly thrown back and pushed farther out. The light was now getting brighter, and heavy bodies of Dervishes, shouting and firing, rushed forward, but they were mown down by grape from our guns, a storm of Maxim bullets, and the steady volleys, of the infantry. They wavered for a moment, and then gradually fell back. The bugles sounded the advance, and with a cheer our whole line moved forward down the gentle slope, quickening their pace as the enemy retired before them, and still keeping up a heavy fire towards the clump of trees that concealed the Dervish camp from sight. The enemy's fire had now died out; at twenty-five minutes past six the "cease fire" was sounded, and as the troops advanced it was evident that resistance was at an end.
As they issued through the trees many Dervishes ran forward and surrendered, and thousands of women and children were found in the camp. Happily none of these had been injured, as a slight swell in the ground had prevented our bullets from falling among them. Numbers of Dervishes who had passed through now turned and surrendered, and the cavalry and camel corps started in pursuit. Gregory had learned from the women that the Emir El Khatim, with a number of his trained men from El Obeid, had passed through the camp in good order, but that none of the other emirs had been seen, and the 9th Soudanese stated that as they advanced they had come upon a number of chiefs lying together, a few hundred yards in advance of our first position. One of the Arab sheiks of the irregulars was sent to examine the spot, and reported that the Khalifa himself and almost all his great emirs lay there dead.
With the Khalifa were AH Wad, Helu, Fadil, two of his brothers, the Mahdi's son, and many other leaders. Behind them lay their dead horses, and one of the men still alive said that the Khalifa, having failed in his attempt to advance over the crest, had endeavoured to turn our position, but seeing his followers crushed by our fire and retiring, and after making an ineffectual attempt to rally them, he recognized that the day was lost, and calling on his emirs to dismount, seated himself on his sheep-skin, as is the custom of Arab chiefs who disdain to surrender. The emirs seated themselves round him, and all met their death unflinchingly, the greater part being mowed down by the volleys fired by our troops as they advanced.