The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-02-25
IT WAS ALMOST
AN UTTER ROUT,
Woodruff Is Making a Good Defense
in London.
TegucigaIpa Has Surrendered and
This Brings the HOnduran War
to an End-The Destruction of the
Insurgent Transport Mercurio
Resulted in Considerable Loss
of Life-The Ship Takes Fire and
Many Are Roasted Alive.

London, Feb PA report was cir
culated last night that a disaster of
some sort had occurred to the crew of
the gunboat Widgeon, on the west
coast of Africa.
The story was confirmed this morn
ing by dispatches to the admiralty.
The dispatches come from Bathurst,
the capital of the British west coast
of the African colony of Gambia, at
which point the cruiser Raleigh, flag
ship of the British squadron on that
coast, and the gunboat Widgeon, had
arrived.
The story is to the effect that parties
of British marines were landed from
these vessels near Bathurst to punish
Fodisilah, notorious slave trader. who
had been carrying off into bondage
and cruelty ill-treating the helpless
natives of the villages along that part
of the coast. The parties went ashore
with provisions for four days and a
plentiful supply of ammunition. A
reserve force was left on the shore at
the landing place under the protection
Of the vessels guns. The remainder
of the column began the march inland
through a difficult country, the land
being swampy and covered with thick
brushwood and forest. They were &C
Icompanied by natives, carrying the
spare ammunition, provisions and
water.
The march continued "a long dis
lance without any signs of the slave
traders bands The country was ap-
parently deserted. Then the native
carriers began to desert with the eX-
/ ira ammunition and provisions, and
the column was finally alone. The
! do hod no bn q nj iYicr
parties were finally forced back on the
column, which, however, continued to
advance till it came upon two villages,
which the British attacked and cap
tured. These villages were surrounded
by stockades and served we'll as de-
lenses, the British planting machine
guns at points of vantage.
The force remained there the follow
ing night, but the loss of the ammuni-
ton and water made Captain Gamble,
lin command of the force, decide to re-
turn to the shore. This movement was
commenced early next morning. After
proceeding a short distance, and when
surrounded by rising ground, the par
ty was attacked from ambush, on all
sides. The attack was very severe and
the blue jackets fell on all sides The
column retreated as hastily as posi-
| BILE carrying the wounded as far as
possible, but the shore was not reached
till three officers and ten men had been
killed and forty wounded. Lieutenant
w. H. Arnold, of the navy, Lieutenant
4 of Marines T W. Harvey and sub-Lieu-
tenant F. w. Meister are among the
killed. Lieutenant Hon. R. F. Boyle
is dangerously wounded, Lieutenant
H. J. Savill, seriously Captain Gam
BILE, Surgeon w. R. Hite Midshipman
Arthur Chambers and forty blue jack
cts are slightly wounded. Ten blue
Jackets were killed. The news was
contained in the official dispatches OF
Rear Admiral Frederick c. Bedford
in command of the squadron.
! The latest dispatch from Bathurst
says the marines landed from the war
ship and a detachment from the West
! India regiment are still missing an6
fears are entertained for their safety
/, A despatch from Bathurst, received
late this evening, seems to intimate q
} still greater disaster to the British
arms may shortly be expected. It is
stated a detachment of the West India
; regiment as we'll as the marines land
ed from the British ships are still
away inland, and grave fears art
entertained for their safety The Yves
} India regiment detachment is com
! manded by Colonel Corbett and Cap
tain Westmoreland, is in command o
the marines. The natives about Bath
urst express the opinion that the entire
| missing force has been destroyed. TIL
soldiers and marines still in the busl
are said to number about 200; othe
reports placed the number at mucl
higher figure.
Admiral Bedford is said to believ,
the soldiers and marines are a stront
enough force to take the offensive
against the slaves and Colonel Cor
5 bett has probably engaged the force
of Chief FodisiIah, and is pursuin,
them The British admiral is said t,
be taking steps to send reinforcement
in the direction followed by the Brit
z iSh column,