Beyond the Reach of Empire

When General Gordon returned to the Sudan in February 1884, the Egyptian colonial regime was on the brink of collapse. His only weapons were his reputation, a flotilla of river steamers and a few thousand demoralized Egyptian troops. Less than a fortnight after his arrival in Khartoum, Egypt s last field force was routed in the Red Sea Littoral. It was only a widespread popular clamor to Save Gordon that forced the Prime Minister s hand. Conventionally the history books relate that Wolseley s great Nile Expedition came within two days of relieving Khartoum. Wolseley was eminently successful in playing up the nearness of the miss and pointing the finger of blame at the politicians. Colonel Mike Snook eschews casual acceptance of Wolseley s version of events. He subjects the feasibility of the expedition to scrutiny, examines the fragility of the British military position in the Sudan as Khartoum and exposes critical failings in both Wolseley s plan and its execution. Drawing on extensive and sometimes hazardous fieldwork, together with participant accounts, Beyond the Reach of Empire brings a fascinating campaign to life. The narrative accounts and analysis of the epic fights at Battles of Abu Klea and Abu Kru are the most comprehensive, historically accurate and compelling versions yet published, and are accompanied within the plate section by striking images of seldom photographed battlefields.