These are great insights and really help a lot! I truly had no idea about military batons as noted, and this being Sudanese has really set the wheels in motion.
From what I have found, the 'baton' has classical origins in the Roman 'fasces' which was a symbol of authority, power and was held by their key legislative figures etc This practice seems to have had a revival in the neo classicism in Napoleonic France where Napoleons marshals were awarded these symbols of their office. The concept seems to have some use in other armies even into modern times.
I think I would be more inclined to think of these as such items in the baton category with the priests and ceremonial activity which would include dancing and similarly oriented events. I think the geometric shape of the shaft on this one may be supportive of that application.
The coins on the example posted by Thinredline being 1842 of course suggest such items being used in this manner at least during the Mahdist period in Sudan, so being a carry over from the earlier period c.1821. Since this is the specified time of this piece that would be the case.
While I cannot speak to the presence of priests during the Mahdist period nor in the time frame of this piece in battle context, it does seem that they would have at least been present with tribesmen in these crucial times for religious support much as are chaplains in modern times.
In a tenuous thought toward the use of sphero-conical vial on this, I am wondering if perhaps the religious connotation might have been carried further by the use of this recalling the ewers of this shape and material.
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