Nile Expedition

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The Nile Expedition, sometimes called the Gordon Relief Expedition (1884–1885), was a British mission to relieve Major-General Charles George Gordon at Khartoum, Sudan. Gordon had been sent to Sudan to help the Egyptians withdraw their garrisons after the British decided to abandon Sudan in the face of a rebellion led by self-proclaimed Mahdi, Mahommed Ahmed. A contingent of Canadians was recruited to help the British navigate their small boats up the Nile River. The Nile Expedition was the first overseas expedition by Canadians in a British imperial conflict, although the Nile Voyageurs were civilian employees and did not wear uniforms. The expedition was commanded by Garnet Wolseley, who instructed Herbert Stewart to take command of an advance party of about 1,800 British soldiers and 350 native auxiliaries through the Bayuda Desert by camel. This force became known as the Desert Column. After Stewart was mortally wounded, Charles William Wilson took over command. A small part of Wilson...

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