Battle of Omdurman: Britain's Vengeance for the Death of General Gordon

Kitchener now had around 25,000 men at his disposal as he camped near the city of Omdurman, but still by the safety of the Nile. There were infantry regiments, artillery units, horse cavalry, and the Camel Corps. The Mahdist army numbered as many as 50,000 men. Thousands were equipped with older, breech-loading rifles and muskets, but the majority were armed with huge double-edged swords and spears. Although most Mahdists wore the jibba, some wore chain mail and steel helmets. This was, perhaps, one of the last great medieval-era armies seen on a battlefield. Kitchener and his high-tech late-19th-century army waited patiently for the enemy to come within firing range. The fate of the Mahdist infantry attack was inevitable; even groups of Mahdist cavalry were cut down before they could get anywhere near Kitchener's men. Men charging machine guns were effectively committing suicide.

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