Hicks, William (1830–1883)

British soldier. He entered the army in 1849, and served with distinction through the Indian Mutiny. He took part in the Abyssinian War (1867–68). In 1882 he entered the Khedive's army, in which he was known as Hicks Pasha. As chief of staff he drilled the army into good order, and drove the dervishes out of the country between Sennar and Khartoum. Although he objected that his troops were unfit to accomplish the task, he was despatched to recapture Al-Ubayyid, which had been taken by the Mahdi. At the battle of Kashgil in November 1883, the majority of his men were slaughtered, and Hicks was beheaded.