Changes

== Battle ==

== Battle ==

On the morning of 2 September 1898 the Mahdists attacked the Anglo-Egyptian army waiting for them near Omdurman by launching a massive frontal assault.  The Mahdists were subsequently met with a barrage of firepower pouring from the British-equipped Anglo-Egyptian army.  Although the Mahdists greatly outnumbered the British and Egyptian troops at Omdurman, the Anglo-Egyptian army was armed with British modern rifles and Maxim machine guns, while the Mahdists were only armed with spears and some outdated firearms.  The result was that the Mahdists were slaughtered in the thousands by the hail of bullets.  Seeing their assault had failed, the Mahdists began to retreat.  In order to prevent their retreat into Omdurman, Kitchener ordered the 21st Lancers under the command of Colonel R.H. Martin to pursue and crush the retreating force.  However, they ran into dervish cavalry and Mahdist troops which had been lying in ambush.  The result was an inconclusive melee, after which the 21st Lancers rejoined Kitchener's main army.  After about an hour of Mahdist retreat during which Kitchener's army rested, Kitchener ordered them to march the seven miles to Omdurman in order to finish off the Mahdist army.  During this march, some gaps appeared in the Anglo-Egyptian lines, and the Mahdists used this opportunity to launch unsuccessful counterattacks.  During the second such counterattack, British Brigadier-General Hector MacDonald repulsed a Mahdist attack from the south, and then rotated his entire brigade to defeat another Mahdist attack from the north.  Because of MacDonald's actions, Kitchener successfully destroyed the remaining Mahdists and recaptured Omdurman.   

On the morning of 2 September 1898 the Mahdists attacked the Anglo-Egyptian army awaiting them near Omdurman by launching a massive frontal assault.  The Mahdists were subsequently met with a barrage of firepower pouring from the British-equipped Anglo-Egyptian army.  Although the Mahdists greatly outnumbered the British and Egyptian troops at Omdurman, the Anglo-Egyptian army was armed with British modern rifles and Maxim machine guns, while the Mahdists were only armed with spears and some outdated firearms.  The result was that the Mahdists were slaughtered in the thousands by the hail of bullets.  Seeing their assault had failed, the Mahdists began to retreat.  In order to prevent their retreat into Omdurman, Kitchener ordered the 21st Lancers under the command of Colonel R.H. Martin to pursue and crush the retreating force.  However, they ran into dervish cavalry and Mahdist troops which had been lying in ambush.  The result was an inconclusive melee, after which the 21st Lancers rejoined Kitchener's main army.  After about an hour of Mahdist retreat during which Kitchener's army rested, Kitchener ordered them to march the seven miles to Omdurman in order to finish off the Mahdist army.  During this march, some gaps appeared in the Anglo-Egyptian lines, and the Mahdists used this opportunity to launch unsuccessful counterattacks.  During the second such counterattack, British Brigadier-General Hector MacDonald repulsed a Mahdist attack from the south, and then rotated his entire brigade to defeat another Mahdist attack from the north.  Because of MacDonald's actions, Kitchener successfully destroyed the remaining Mahdists and recaptured Omdurman.   

== Aftermath ==

== Aftermath ==