Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-02-25
ROUTED BY AFRICAN sLAVERa
A British Expedition Falls Into Ambush
And Many Are Killed by Band Of
Slave Traders.

i tlnE q NUN OeE OF DEibieH Ou4CoAS duO
sailors had been killed in an encounter
with the slave dealers on the west coast
Of Africa.
A dispatch to the Times from Plym-
outh to-day said that IL was feared that
a disaster had occurred to the gunboat
! WidgeOn or her crew. 1t was added
that a private telegram had been re-
ceiYed by the wife OF an officer Of the
| Widgeon which indicated that either
/ the vessel or the crew had met with an
accident, or that the latter had been en-
gagged In a fight with the natives on the
west coast Of Africa, and that there had
been loss of life. Inquiries made at the
admiralty last night resulted in the
statement being made that nothing was
known there of any disaster TO the
Widgeon or her crew. The dispatches
OF this morning, however, said that the
cruiser Raleigh, "a guns, $500 tons, the
! flagship of the British squadron on that
coast, commanded by Rear Admiral
Frederick c. D. Bedford, and the first
class screw gunbOat Widgeon, guns,
| sos tons, commanded by Lieutenant
| Commander VIM. J. Sculard, arrived
yesterday at Bathurst, capital of the
! British West African colony OF Gambia,
and the rumor soon spread that the
sailors had been badly handled ia an
! encounter with the slavers. Exact de-
tails OF the affair are not obtainable
owing to the refusal OF the admiralty
officials TO make public their dispatches
/ at present But it is not denied that
the British sailors had been defeated
/ ashore. Later 1t was stated that land
! ing parties from the shi ps had been sent
ashore la order to punish Chief Fodlsi-
/ lah, notorious slave dealer, who had
! been carrying off into bondage and i'll
/ treating the helpless natives OF a num-
Der OF villages along that part Of the
coast which he rules over.
The British sailors are said 10 have
| landed force and TO have marched in
| land, where they met with q severe re-
/ verse, losing three officers aud ten men
! killed and forty wounded. Further de-
/ tails of the disaster TO the sailors leaked
/ out this afternoon. 1t appears that the
| force OF British blue jackets which land
/ ed near Bathurst was composed OF men
from the flagship Raleigh and from the
/ gunboa Widgeon. The landing parties
/ went ashore fully equipped for march
/ inland and for remaining ashore FOR
/ some time. Several machine guns were
| taken ashore in the boats, and the land
| ing parties carried provisions for four
days and an ample supply OF ammuni-
ton. A reserve force was left ashore at
the landing place, which was thoroughly
| protected by the guns Of the cruiser aud
I tEs ha 100 -
and marines had landed, the column be-
gan it's march inland, but owing TO the
nature Of the country which the naval
| detachments had to pass through
| sWampy land, thick brush wood and for
est land-the advance party and the
! thanking parties were soon compelled to
practically fall back upon the main col
umn, which pushed forward In this
manner for the interior.
For long time after landing and
commencing the march inland little or
no signs of natives were TO be seen. In
! fact the coast in the neighborhood
seemed to have been deserted. But
when the British force had advanced
well inland AID were surrounded by a
thickly wooded country with risking
land on both sides, the natives who had
! been hired to carry the ammunition,
provisions and water began to desert,
and eventually the whole lot OF them
! disappeared. The British force, how
/ ever, seemed to continue its march in
land and TO have been eventually led
into an ambush for fire was suddenly
opened upon 1t from all sides and the
sailors were routed before they were
able to make any effective uss Of the
machine guns.
Chief Fodisilah Is q notorious and
desperate slave owner, well known on
the west coast OF Africa. His force
was reported to have been small in
numbers and have been only armed
with primitive rifles. Consequently
the British landing parties were thought
to be amply able TO cope with the force
Of the SLAYER,
Later this afternoon the admiralty
department admitted that they had re-
ceived q cable message from Admiral
Bedford on board the flagship Raleigh
at Bathurst, dated yesterday, and prac-
tically confirming the stories circulated
In regard TO the disaster to the British
force.
Admiral Bedford in his dispatch said
that the landing force was under the
command of Captain Edward II, Gam
Bile, and that the carriers, by their de-
sertion, caused the loss OF all the spare
ammunition taken ashore for the use Of
the landing parties, and that In add
ton the carriers caused The loss OF all
tie water supply which had been
! taken inland. Continuing Admiral
Bedford reported that the sailors upon
reaching signs OF native habitatiOn,
pushed forward and captured two vii
lagos which were defended by stockades.
The sailors occupied these two vii
lagos throughout the following night.
placing the machine guns At points OF
vantage, and thus making them
selves practically secure from at
tack. But the loss OF the
water supply and spare ammunition
made Captain Gamble decide TO return
to the shore with the intention OF re-
embarKing and his force. This move
ment was commenced early the next
| morning and the column was on its way
back when the sailors were suddenly at
tackled Cd all sides. The fire WEIGH was
directed upon the sailors was so severe
aud the slayers were so well concealed
in the bush that the blue jackets fell on
| all sides aud began TO retreat hastily
while carrying their dead and wounded
along with them so far as possible.
Lieut.. VIM. II. Arnold, OF the navy, and
Lieut.. OF Marines Francis w. Heryey,
were the first two officers killed and
sub-Lieutenant Francis W. Meister and
ten men soon shared their fate. Theon
Boyle was dangerously wounded and
Lieut.. Herbert J. Saville was seriously
wounded. Capt. Gamble, Surgeon W.
r. White, Midshipman Arthur Cham