marched south. This column was a force of regular infantry, men of the Egyptian Camel Corps, a Highlander regiment, an artillery battery and a small unit of the Eighth Hussars. Along the way, a messenger from Khartoum reached them and secretly told Earle and Brackenbury that Gordon wished them to come quickly. Even further down the river to Khartoum, they received word that the Mahdists were reported near Hamdab. With a force of natives under a Mudir, the River Column marched forward. After finding out that Gordon's aide, Colonel Stewart, had left Khartoum on a mission and had been murdered by a force of Arabs when his steamboat ran aground, the River Column asked the locals to apprehend the murderers or give information about them. After camping and re-organizing at Hamdab, the River Column moved for Kirbekan, where the Dervishes were now reported to be. Once the column made a reconnaissance of Kirbekan village, the British advanced. One group made a diversion, and General Earle himself accompanied this force of Highlanders. The troops attacked, with bagpipes playing, and moved over the 'koppies' to attack the town. As the group led by Earle formed and charged a little hut full of Dervishes, a sergeant said that a man had fallen and that there were quite a few Arabs in the hut. Earle ordered the roof to be set afire, but the resistance inside was heavy. Someone saw the General fall, and it was revealed that Earle had been killed. Despite his loss, the Dervishes gradually gave way, despite a good amount of fighting, and the British took the village. General Brackenbury had by now taken command and Colonel Eyre, one of the senior officers, had been killed, so the Stafford Regiment and some of the Black Watch Highlanders rallied under Brackenbury and another officer was ordered to bring a group up a hill to drive away the rest of the Dervishes. Brackenbury noted that a lone Egyptian soldier had charged as the force's flank guard! However, after the victory, Brackenbury was informed that Khartoum had fallen and Gordon had been killed by the Dervishes. Slowly, the troops marched back up the Nile, with the steamboats helping, and returned to Korti. The Desert Column had been stopped, but a group in steamers had reached Khartoum. Once there, they found the Egyptian flag was missing from Gordon's palace and were fired upon from