Khartoum 1885: General Gordon's last stand (Campaign) [Paperback]

Donald Featherstone (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 27, 1993 | Series: Campaign (Book 23)

Osprey's Campaign title for the Siege of Kartoum (1884-1885). Early in 1881 unrest in the Sudan began to crystallise around Mohammed Ibn Ahmed el-Sayyid Abdullah. Proclaiming himself the long-expected Madhi, the Guided One of the Prophet, he preached that the Sudan was to be purged of its Egyptian oppressors. Drawn in by the Egyptian failure to deal with the situation, the British sent General Gordon to organise an evacuation. On reaching Khartoum however, General Gordon believed, incorrectly, that the Madhi could be reasoned with. Instead of negotiating, the Madhi besieged the town for 317 days. This title looks in particular, although not exclusively, at the battles fought by the British columns sent to relieve Khartoum.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book presents a nice overview of the campaign... There are more detailed books that cover some of these operations, but none that cover the enter campaign and condense it as nicely." -Joe Kauffman, SITEO Newsletter (November 2007)

From the Publisher

Highly visual guides to history's greatest conflicts, detailing the command strategies, tactics, and experiences of the opposing forces throughout each campaign, and concluding with a guide to the battlefields today.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (May 27, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 185532301X
• ISBN-13: 978-1855323018
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.2 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #495,744 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #54 in Books > History > Africa > Sudan

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Coverage of the Entire Campaign, May 27, 2010

By 

Mike Dillemuth (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Khartoum 1885: General Gordon's last stand (Campaign) (Paperback)

This book does an excellent job of covering the numerous battles fought by the British against the forces of the Madhi. In fact, only a small portion of the book is focused on General Gordon. The author, Donald Featherstone, covers the various campaigns that surround the British units in the Sudan. He provides a clear chronological narrative. This is not easy as there were widely disparate events such as the desert and river columns that attempted to reach General Gordon, the battles involving General Graham in the eastern Sudan, and Sir Charles Wilson's race up the Nile River to Khartoum.

The first third of the book is focused on the commanders, tactics, and weapons. The author then covers over seven major engagements. This is admirable given the limited amount of space available in Osprey books. The narrative is both clear and concise. Also, the maps make the battles very easy to visualize. In particular, the author included maps for the battles at El Teb, Abu Klea, Hashin, and Tofrik. The operations at Kirbekan, Khartoum, and Tamai are covered with 3D bird's eye maps. The most beneficial map is the overview of British operations in the Sudan from 1883 - 1885. This map significantly aids the reader in following the various campaigns.

Another positive aspect is that the book contains numerous drawings from that time period. These drawings were made by people involved in the various expeditions. They are located in the book, next to the applicable part of the narrative. This is notable as it is not always the case in some Osprey books. These drawings significantly add to the book and give the reader a sense of being there.

Bottom line: This book is well organized. The combination of a concise narrative, clear maps, and period drawings, make this an easy book to read. The reader should have no problem gaining a clear understanding of both the entire campaign and the specific battles.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More about the events ancillary to Khartoum than the actual battle itself but still good nevertheless, April 20, 2009

By 

Yoda (Hadera, Israel) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Khartoum 1885: General Gordon's last stand (Campaign) (Paperback)

This book is much more about the events that were ancillary to the battle of Khartoum (i.e., actions of relieving columns, battles afterwards) than the actual battle itself. The book also does a good job at discussing the geopolitical situation leading to the battle, the English forces and their opponents, their strategies and fighting tactics and their leaders. Book is also well illustrated, especially in terms of troop illustrations and contemporary illustartions of ancillary battles.

The main weakness of the book, however, is its lack of discussion of the actual siege. Not only is the actual siege battle almost not discussed but little space is given to the strategies of each side in the siege, its forces and their strategies. Hence four stars instead of five.