ot had
been previously formed at Nasri Island.

BRITISH TROOPS.--21st Lancers; 32nd Field Battery, Royal
Artillery; 37th Howitzer Battery, Royal Artillery; 2 40-prs.,
Royal Artillery. Infantry Division:--1st Brigade: 1st Battalion
Warwickshire Regiment, 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, 1st
Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, 1st Battalion Cameron Highlanders,
6 Maxims, Detachment Royal Engineers. 2nd Brigade: 1st Battalion
Grenadier Guards, 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, 2nd
Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, 4
Maxims, Detachment Royal Engineers.

EGYPTIAN TROOPS.--9 Squadrons, Cavalry; 1 Battery, Horse
Artillery; 4 Field Batteries; 10 Maxims; 8 Companies, Camel Corps.
1st Brigade: 2nd Egyptian Battalion; 9th, 10th, and 11th
Soudanese Battalions. 2nd Brigade: 8th Egyptian Battalion; 12th,
13th, and 14th Soudanese Battalions. 3rd Brigade: 3rd, 4th, 7th,
and 15th Egyptian Battalions. 4th Brigade: 1st, 5th, 17th, and
18th Egyptian Battalions. Camel Transport.

On 24th August the troops began moving by successive divisions to
Jebel Royan, where a depot of supplies and a British communication
hospital of two hundred beds were established.

On 28th August, the army marched to Wadi el Abid, and on the
following day proceeded to Sayal, from whence I despatched a
letter to the Khalifa, warning him to remove his women and
children, as I intended to bombard Omdurman unless he surrendered.

Next day the army marched to Sururab, and on September 1 reached
the village of Egeiga, two miles south of the Kerreri hills, and
within six miles of Omdurman. Patrols of the enemy's horsemen were
frequently seen during the march falling back before our cavalry,
and their outposts being driven in beyond Egeiga, our advanced
scouts came in full view of Omdurman, from which large bodies of
the enemy were seen streaming out and marching north.

At noon, from the slopes of Jebel Surgham, I saw the entire
dervish army some three miles off advancing towards us, the
Khalifa's black flag surrounded by his Mulazimin (body-guard)
being plainly discernible. I estimated their numbers at 35,000
men, though, from subsequent investigation, this figure was
probably under-estimated, their actual strength being between
forty and fifty thousand. From information received, I