Looking back after the event, it is clear that the British Government did not appreciate the responsibilities they had assumed when they left Sir Archibald Alison in command of the army of occupation after the victory of Tel-el-Kebir. Not only was the authority of the Khedive gone in Egypt proper, but it had vanished in the far-off regions of the Soudan, which were now in the hands of a fanatical Moslem false prophet, who styled himself the Mahdi. At one time, in the days of the Khedive Ismail, the Soudan had been administered by General Charles Gordon, of the Royal Engineers. One of the most remarkable men of his generation, General Gordon was the type of the earlier Christian martyrs, and as a Christian martyr he died. At the request of the Khedive, and with the consent of the British Government, General Gordon assumed the Governorship of the Soudan, and set out for his post early in 1884. Into the history of Gordon's gallant defence of Khartoum it is no part of my province to enter. Towards the end of the year he was hard pressed, and, though ordered to abandon the Soudan, he declined to do so. It became necessary to organize a force, not merely to effect his rescue, but also to restore the authority of the Khedive in the Soudan and the Equatorial provinces of Egypt, where only the writ of the Mahdi was allowed to run. Once more Sir Garnet Wolseley was selected for the chief command, and two expeditionary forces were organized, the one operating by the River Nile, the other from the Red Sea port of Suakin. The Commander-in-Chief accompanied the river column, which numbered some 5,500 men. On reaching Korti, about the end of November, Sir Herbert Stewart, with the camel corps, was detached to push across the desert and occupy the Jakdul Wells. This was successfully accomplished, and on December 8 he commenced another stage on the march to Khartoum; but on nearing the wells of Abu Klea, these were found to be in possession of the enemy, when was fought the action which is inscribed on the colours and appointments of but two regiments in the British army. ABU KLEA, JANUARY 28, 1885. This battle honour was conferred on the 19th Hussars and the Royal Sussex Regiment for their services in the sharp action of January 28, 1885, when the commander of the force, Major-General Sir Herbert Stewart, received a mortal wound, dying a few days after the fight. Although the distinction was only granted to the two regiments above mentioned, the brigade under General Stewart's command comprised a naval brigade, under Captain Lord Charles Beresford, and a camel corps, made up of regiments of heavy and of light cavalry of the Household Cavalry and of the Brigade of Guards, and a force of Mounted Infantry: no less than twenty-two regiments were represented in the camel corps which fought so well at Abu Klea. CASUALTIES AT ABU KLEA.