three in the afternoon
It was very much the same as that which occurred the year before at Tamai , on the Red Sea side , to the Second Brigade , and which was described while we were following the fortunes of Tom Strachan . The hand-to-hand fighting was desperate , the slaughter terrible , and the enemy was finally beaten back . No matter ; a step was taken , though deep in blood , towards the great object -- the relief of Khartoum , and the rescue of Gordon , and hope beat high in every breast . Next day , January the nineteenth , General Stewart left his wounded at the wells of Abu Klea , which had been won , and pushed forward for Matammeh at three in the afternoon . No resistance was met with , no sign of the enemy perceived all night , and when the day dawned a thread of silver shone in the south-east , and a hundred voices broke out simultaneously in a chorus of -- `` The Nile ! '' Yes , there was the river , and as the light grew stronger the town of Matammeh could be distinguished . At the same time the tam-tams were heard beating , and the enemy appeared swarming over the hills which intervened between the British army and the river .