The Black Watch at the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir, 1882 (1900)

The Black Watch at the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir, 1882, is an oil on canvas by Henri Louis Dupray, and was painted in 1900. It refers to the events of May, 1882, when Egyptian army officer, Colonel Ahmed Arabi, overthrew the ruling Khedive and led a revolt against Anglo-French interference in Egypt's financial and political affairs. The British had a controlling share interest in the Suez Canal, and to safeguard it, 35,000 troops under Lieutenant-General Sir Garnet Wolseley landed at Ismailia.

Wolseley defeated Arabi's supporters at Kassassin on 10th September and, three days later, after a night march, surprised them at Tel-el-Kebir and drove them from their trenches. He had made several personal reconnaissances, and found that the Egyptians did not man their outposts in front of their main defences at night, which made it possible for an attacking force to approach them under cover of darkness. The Highland Brigade and the Guards Brigade led by Prince Arthur, therefore charged with the bayonet before it was fully light. Their later advance was given further cover, ironically, from the smoke of the Egyptian artillery. Wolseley then entered Cairo and Arabi surrendered. The authority of the Khedive was restored, and the British remained in Egypt to ensure ‘co-operative government’.

Although I have a degree of sympathy for Egyptians fighting on Egyptian soil, and that this little war portended the later Suez crisis in which Britain was internationally shamed, the battle offers a lesson about darkness. The British succeeded in their imperial aims because they moved during the night when most of their enemies slept. Not only does the enemy of our souls enjoy working in the darkness, but his subtle moves and cover will be blown when the beautiful Prince of Light bursts through the ancient barriers of eternity, scattering darkness and evil for ever. 

And then shall that wicked man be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall abolish with the brightness of his coming…

2 Thess. 2:8, Geneva Bible