Khartoum Campaign, 1898; or the Re-Conquest of the Soudan

The following work is a history book about an event known as the siege of Khartoum in modern days. During this siege, Sudanese Mahdist forces captured the city of Khartoum from its Egyptian garrison, thereby gaining control over the whole of Sudan. Egypt originally had controlled Sudan but after it came under British domination, the Mahdist Revolt began in Sudan, led by Muhammad Ahmad who claimed to be the Mahdi. The Egyptian army was unable to suppress the revolt, being defeated in several battles and retreating to their garrisons. The British refused to send a military force to the area, instead appointing Charles George Gordon as Governor-General of Sudan, with orders to evacuate Khartoum and the other garrisons. When Gordon arrived in Khartoum, he found it impossible to reach the other garrisons which were already besieged. Rather than evacuating immediately, Gordon began to fortify the city, which was cut off when the local tribes switched their support to the Mahdi.