ten o'clock
Chapter 15 : Khartoum . There was no pause or rest for the troops who had been fighting , for so many hours , in the heat of the African sun . It was all important to occupy Omdurman before the remnants of the Khalifa 's army reached it ; and as it was known that the Khalifa himself had returned there , it was hoped that he might be captured . It was ten o'clock when Macdonald 's brigade fired their last shot . In half an hour , the troops went forward again . The field presented a terrible appearance , being thickly dotted with dead , from the Surgham Hill across the plain ; and round , by the Kerreri Hills , to the spot where Macdonald 's brigade had made their stand . There were comparatively few wounded ; for , wiry and hardy as they were , the wounded Dervishes , unless mortally hit , were for the most part able to crawl or walk away ; which they had done unmolested , for on each occasion after the bugle sounded cease firing , not a shot was fired at them .