Maggs Bros.

This is Butler’s narrative of the Gordon Relief expedition, in which he commanded 400 boats up the Nile thereby securing a victory over the Mahdists on February 10, 1885. Butler was largely responsible for this victory, persuading Earle to change their angle of attack, and was promoted as a result. Butler remained at Meroe with a small force which he brought to Dongola in June.

With four battalions under his command and reinforcements from Cairo, he defeated the Mahdists once again in December. He, and a number of his troops suffered from the heat and were replaced in May by Egyptian soldiers. Despite the victory, Butler was not rewarded for his efforts and returned, bitter, to England.