In the beginning of August the insurgent forces were divided into three principal groups:—
Distribution of the insurgent forces.
1882.
The Mahdi, with the bulk of his forces, was still on the mountain of Gadir, in the Takalla district; a second army was wasting Kordofan, and a third stretched along the White Nile from Duem to Djezirit Abba, on the western bank, and from Kawa to Marabieh on the eastern.
19th August.
On the 19th August the rebels were defeated near Bara, and El Obeyed was subsequently revictualled.
28th August.
Defeat of the rebels near Duem.
The rebels operating along the western bank of the White Nile, under Ahmed Woad-el-Makashef, were attacked by the Egyptian troops near Duem on the 28th of August, and routed, leaving 3500 dead on the field of battle. This defeat frustrated the projected march on Kartoum.
Advance of the Mahdi into Kordofan.