Battle of Toski facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Toski
Part of the Mahdist War
The defeat of the dervishes; a birds eye view of the fight outside Toski on August 3
Date 3 August 1889 Location Southern Egypt, near Abu Simbel Result Egyptian/British Victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom Egypt	Mahdist State
Commanders and leaders
Francis Grenfell	Wad el Nujumi  †
Strength
Egyptian Army: 6 infantry battalions, 2 artillery batteries 4 cavalry squadrons 1 camel regiment British Army: 1 cavalry squadron	About 6,000
Casualties and losses
25 killed, 140 wounded	1,200 dead, 4,000 captured

The Battle of Toski (also called Tushkah) was an important fight during the Mahdist War. This war was a long conflict between the British and Egyptian forces and the Mahdist forces from Sudan. The battle happened on August 3, 1889, in southern Egypt. It was a big victory for the combined British and Egyptian armies.

Why the Battle Happened

Since 1882, the British had taken control of Egypt. This meant they became involved in the ongoing Mahdist War in Sudan. The Mahdist movement was a religious and political group in Sudan that wanted to spread its beliefs.

To protect Egypt, the British decided to make the Egyptian Army much stronger. In 1885, a British general named Sir Francis Grenfell became the "Sirdar." This was the title for the commander-in-chief of the Egyptian Army. British officers helped train and lead the new Egyptian soldiers.

The Mahdists in Sudan still wanted to expand their power into Egypt. In 1889, their leader, called the Khalifa Abdallahi ibn Muhammad, sent a general named Wad el Nujumi to invade Egypt. Wad el Nujumi led an army of about 6,000 fighters.

The Battle at Toski

The Mahdist army tried to avoid Wadi Halfa, where many Egyptian troops were stationed. Instead, they set up camp at Toski, a place by the Nile River. This spot was about 76 kilometers (about 47 miles) north of the border between Egypt and Sudan.

The Egyptian Army, with some British help, attacked the Mahdists at Toski. The fight lasted for about five hours. The Egyptian forces fought very well. They almost completely defeated the Sudanese army.

During the battle, the Mahdist general, Wad el Nujumi, was killed while he was trying to encourage his soldiers. Only about 800 Mahdist fighters managed to escape.

Who Fought in the Battle

The main force fighting for Egypt was the reformed Egyptian Army. They had six groups of infantry (foot soldiers), two groups of artillery (cannons), four groups of cavalry (soldiers on horseback), and one camel regiment.

The British Army had a smaller role. Only one group of cavalry, called a squadron, from the 20th Hussars took part. British officers also commanded some of the Egyptian units.

The Mahdist forces had about 6,000 fighters.

The Outcome

The Battle of Toski was a clear victory for the Anglo-Egyptian forces. It showed how much the Egyptian Army had improved after being trained by the British. Many of the new Egyptian units were made up of Sudanese soldiers who had joined the Egyptian side.

This battle was very important because it stopped the Mahdist threat to Egypt. After this defeat, the Mahdists were no longer able to invade Egypt.

Images for kids

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  The defeat of the dervishes; a birds eye view of the fight outside Toski on August 3