n addition to what
might be reasonably expected to arrive from the south, and then turned
back, halting for a while at Gubat, and finally reached the immediate
neighbourhood of Khartum, to find that all was over. It had fallen,
and Gordon had been killed; so, running the gauntlet of guns and
rifles, the small flotilla returned to Gubat, but both steamers were
sunk and a fresh one had to be sent up. The story of this adventure
well merited the telegram received by Sir Charles at Korti from the
Secretary of State for War: “Express warm recognition of Government of
brilliant services of Sir Charles Wilson and satisfaction at gallant
rescue of his party.”[70]

On his return from Khartum, he started for Korti, and on his report,
Sir R. Buller was despatched to take command of the desert column,
which was to be reinforced by the Royal Irish and West Kent Regiments;
but it was soon afterwards decided to abandon the effort to crush the
power of the Mahdi, and the small army withdrew by degrees to Korti,
with but little molestation on the way. During the march, however, Sir
Herbert Stewart succumbed to his wound, and was buried near Jakdul.
Like his namesake, who had been with Gordon and was murdered when going
down the river at Hebbeh, his loss to the army was serious. “What an
ill-fated expedition this has been!” writes Sir C. Wilson. “The whole
Sudan is not worth the lives of men like Gordon and the two Stewarts.”

In the meantime, the river column had been pushing on, and had its tale
to tell. Under the command of General Earle, it was made up of one
squadron 19th Hussars, the South Staffordshire Regiment, the Duke of
Cornwall’s Light Infantry, the Black Watch, and the Gordon Highlanders,
with some Egyptian artillery and Camel Corps, etc. The Essex Regiment
was, at first, to hold the line of communication of this force between
Merowi and Abu Hamed, but the idea had to be abandoned.

The force marched on the 24th, the mounted troops by land, the
remainder in the boats, and there was a small skirmish at Be