First Battle of Agordat

First Battle of Agordat
Part of Mahdist War
DateJune 27, 1890
LocationAgordat, Italian Eritrea
Result Italian victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Italy Mahdist Sudan
Strength
2 ascari companies[1] 1,000[1]
Casualties and losses
3 dead and 8 wounded[1] 250 dead[1]

The First Battle of Agordat, the first battle between Italy and Mahdist Sudan, took place on June 27, 1890. Violence began when a force of one-thousand Mahdists raided the Beni Amer, "a tribe under Italian protection."[1] After that, the Sudanese continued on to the wells at Agordat, where they were met by two companies of Italian-led ascari. The battle that ensued was an Italian victory, with 250 Mahdists being killed. Italian losses were three dead and eight wounded. Author Sean McLachlan blames the Mahdists' "inferior weaponry and fire discipline" for their defeat at Agordat and the upcoming Battle of Serobeti (1892).[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 McLachlan, Sean (September 20, 2011). Armies of the Adowa Campaign 1896: The Italian Disaster in Ethiopia. Oxford: Osprey. p. 7. ISBN 978-1849084574.