By the operations described in the last chapter, the whole of the regions bordering on the Niles were cleared of hostile forces, dotted with military posts, and brought back to Egyptian authority.  The Khalifa, however, still remained in Kordofan.  After he had made good his escape from the battlefield of Omdurman, Abdullah had hurried in the direction of El Obeid, moving by the wells of Shat and Zeregia, which at that season of the year were full of water after the rains.  At Abu Sherai, having shaken off the pursuit of the friendlies, he halted, encamped, and busily set to work to reorganise his shattered forces.  How far he succeeded in this will presently be apparent.  In the beginning of November the general drying-up of the country turned the wells at Abu Sherai into pools of mud, and the Khalifa moved westward to Aigaila.  Here he was joined by the Emir El Khatem with the El Obeid garrison.  This chief and his followers had never been engaged with the ‘Turks,’ and were consequently fresh and valiant.  Their arrival greatly encouraged the force which the Khalifa had rallied.  A large dem was formed at Aigaila, and here, since the water was plentiful during December, Abdullah abode quietly, sending his raiding parties far afield to collect grain and other supplies.

As soon as the Sirdar, who had returned from England, received the news of the success at Rosaires he determined to make an attempt to capture the Khalifa; and on the 29th of December sent for Colonel Kitchener, to whom as the senior available officer he had decided to entrust this honourable enterprise.  The colonel was directed to take a small mixed force into Kordofan and to reconnoitre the enemy’s position.  If possible, he was to attack and capture Abdullah, whose followers were believed not to exceed 1,000 ill-armed men.  The ‘Kordofan Field Force,’ as its officers called it, was formed as follows: 

 Commanding:  Colonel Kitchener

  Assistant Adjutant-General:  Lieut.-Colonel Mitford

  Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-General:  Major Williams

   Troops: 

Two squadrons Egyptian Cavalry 2nd Egyptians XIVth Soudanese Two galloping Maxims Two mule guns One company Camel Corps.

Camel transport was drawn from the Atbara and from the Blue Nile.  The troops were conveyed by steamer to Duem, and concentrated there during the first week in 1899.  The camels were collected at Kawa, and, although several of the convoys had to march as much as 400 miles, the whole number had arrived by the 10th of January.