▁A ▁single ▁regiment ▁was ▁left ▁to ▁hold ▁the ▁original ▁Di y ala ▁River ▁def ences . ▁The ▁British ▁cr ushed ▁this ▁regiment ▁with ▁a ▁sudden ▁assault ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁This ▁sudden ▁defeat ▁un ner ved ▁K hal il ▁P asha ▁and ▁he ▁ordered ▁his ▁army ▁to ▁retre at ▁north ▁to ▁Bag hd ad . ▁ ▁The ▁Ott oman ▁authorities ▁ordered ▁the ▁ev acu ation ▁of ▁Bag hd ad ▁at ▁ 8 ▁p . m . ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁March , ▁but ▁the ▁situation ▁was ▁rapidly ▁moving ▁beyond ▁K hal il ▁P asha ' s ▁control . ▁The ▁British ▁followed ▁close ▁on ▁the ▁he els ▁of ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁troops ▁and ▁captured ▁Bag hd ad ▁without ▁a ▁fight ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁March . ▁A ▁week ▁later , ▁General ▁Mau de ▁issued ▁the ▁Pro clam ation ▁of ▁Bag hd ad , ▁which ▁included ▁the ▁line , ▁" O ur ▁arm ies ▁do ▁not ▁come ▁into ▁your ▁cities ▁and ▁lands ▁as ▁conquer ors ▁or ▁enemies , ▁but ▁as ▁liber ators ". ▁Some ▁ 9 , 0 0 0 ▁Ott oman ▁troops ▁were ▁caught ▁in ▁the ▁confusion ▁and ▁became ▁prisoners ▁of ▁the ▁British . ▁ ▁The ▁British ▁were ▁wor ried ▁that ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁government ▁might ▁try ▁to ▁flo od ▁the ▁Tig ris ▁plain . ▁As ▁it ▁happened , ▁this ▁fear ▁was ▁unf ounded . ▁The ▁Ott oman ▁troops ▁never ▁attempted ▁to ▁flo od ▁the ▁area . ▁ ▁Con sequ ences ▁The ▁result ▁was ▁a ▁decis ive