Although there might be some truth in these allegations37 the main reason for invading the Sudan as far as could be detected from the Pasha's own letters to his commanders was undoubtedly to capture as many of the inhabitants there as possible and send them to Egypt to form the soldiery of the new army that the Pasha intended to create. When Ismail Pasha wrote to Mehmed Ali informing him of the amount of taxes levied in the conquered areas, his father wrote back telling him to pay more attention to collecting men not money "since the reason for incurring all these expenses and undertaking all these troubles is not to collect money, as I have repeatedly written to you, but to raise men who would be suitable for our affairs."

Builds on: "Egyptian governors' propaganda tours augmented the army's deterrence value."

Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed…, loc. 438