The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-01-17
LURED INTO A DEATH TRAP.
STORY OF THE MASSACRE OF CAPT
WILSON'S PARTY.
King LObenEuIn's Cunning Too Much
for the OvercOnfident Britishers-
The Troopers Gradually Hemmed In
and Cut to Pieces.

massacre of Capt. Wilson's party by the
Matabele were received here today. The
news from Buluwayo shows that Capt
Wilson and his men made a hard fight
and died CALAMITY. fighting to the last.
According to the BuluwayO advice, some
natives who arrived there in order TO
surrender their arms and make terms
with the British commander, admit that
they were present when the Wilson de-
tachment was destroyed. These natives
say that Capt. Wilson, who was in pur-
suit Of King Lobengula, suddenly came
upon a strong detachment of Matabele.
headed by the king himself. The latter
was able 10 mount horse and fly before
the British advance. But, when the in
formation was conveyed to the king that
the Wilson party was few In number,
some reports placing the detachment as
only forty British troopers and hum
dred or so auxiliaries, the king managed
to get the Matabele to make a stand and
prepare to take the small British force
in trap. instructing the center Of his
force to continue retreating before the
British troopers, who were pressing
their horses on through the Matabele
ranks. in the hope OF capturing the king
belle inapis were instructed to deploy TO
the right and to the left. and to grad
ually come together, so to take the
British force on both TANKS and in the
rear.
The British troopers, under the impress
sion that the Matabele power was en-
tirely broken. pressed onward after the
king, keeping up a running fire upon the
retreating Matabele. which attracted the
attention of Capt. Wilson from the ma
nceuver which the king had planned.
In the meantime the mounted portion of
Capt. Wilson's force had become sepa-
rated from the native auxiliaries who,
on foot, formed the rear guard Of the
small force. When King Lobengula saw
that the British were surrounded on
three sides he made a stand upon some
high ground and at the same time the
Matabele on the tanks began moving
inward and the fate Of the British de-
tachment was settled.
When it was too late Capt. Wilson saw
the trap into which he had fallen, owing
to his over-contidence and to the inn
pulsive desire of the troopers to capture
| the king. Hurriedly, having the
halt sound. Capt. Wilson gath
cred his men together and
| prepared TO retreat to the
dismounted portion of his command in
the hope Of being able to make a stand
against the enemy, or. failing in this. to
| sell their lives as dearly as possible.
But it was too late TO avert complete
| defeat, and the fire of the Matabele soon
became so CALLING that the British force
| was compelled to halt. as their horses
were being shot under them and nothing
but death or surrender was before them.
Then began a gallant fight to the
| death. From behind their dead horses
the British troopers kept up a continual
/ fire from their caTbines upon the steadily
| advancing Matabele, and when the car
bines were no longer Of use, owing to
| the proximity OF the savage enemy, they
/ drew their revoivers and awaited the
| last rush Of the natives. 1t was not
| long delayed. and then followed a brief
| hand-to-hand conflict, during which
| sword and revolver met asSegai and club.
! only TO be swept down beneath the on
ward rush of overwhelming numbers,
| and thus, beneath n shower Of aSsegais
| the troops fighting gallantly to the last
and firing even when upon their knees
| and dying, met their death. During the
latter part of the stand made by the
| troopers against the Matabele, not man
| of the British force was unwounded, and
| some of them had received at least a
! dozen wounds. After all resistance had
| been overcome the triumphant natives
4
| clothing and mutilated the bodies in a
| horrible manner.
| Some natives who have just arrived at
| TT Tuli report meeting number OF
| other natives carrying carbines and re-
| volvers which had belonged to Capt.
| Wilson's party, and from the same fort
| come additional details Of the massacre
Of the British troopers.
Capt. Wilson's force. outside Of a few
/ natives. is now said to have numbered
| only thirty-four British troopers and the
| number of natives who surrounded them
/ is Variously estimated at from one to
| four thousand. The Wilson party in
| cluded Capts. Fitzgerald. Judd Green
| field. Kirton and Barrow and Lieuts
| Hughes and Hoffmeyer. Among the
troopers under the command of these
| officers were a lot of youngsters belong
| ing to some of the best families in Eng
| land, who had enlisted as troopers in
order to get their first taste of cam
| paigning. These young men included
among the number the son of Sir Julius
| Vogel, formerly the agent-general for
| New Zealand.
| All reports confirm the statements OF
| the young troopers having made the
| most gallant defense. keeping the savages
at bay for a comparatively long time,
| owing to their excellent craftsmanship
| and the gallant manner in which they
faced the enemy. though wounded time
| and again. The reports add that every
| man among them had one or more
wounds and that the Matabele were I'M
| able to sweep over them until nearly
| every cartridge was exhausted, and the
| whole party was weak from loss OF
| blood.