Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-02-28
A BUSH MASSACRE.
Tates Of Wilson's and Clusters Comm. .nds
Were Similar.


The massacre Of Captain Wilson'S
force by the NatLLeles closely re EN-
bles the slaughter of General Gu u,ter's
command in the Yellowstone y alley.
Tre number of victims WAS much
smaller, but the circumstances under
which the troopers were OutTa-
Il fuyred and enirapped by aboriginal
strategy were similar Captain Will
son with the advance guard pressed
on in hot pursuit of King LObengula
when il would have been more pru-
druJ TO halt for renforcements from
the main body from which it had
been separated by d river swollen by
a sudden ram fall. General Clusters
Own impetuosity and contempt for a
savage foe were reproduced with the
same disastrous COnSe luenCeS. King
LObengula, dis, oFering the weakness
Of the pursuring detachment, ent ced
! Captain Wilson tito an am buScade,
! surrounded the force with Oyerwhelm-
| ing numbers, and destroyed it in
what ultimately became a hand-tO-
hand conflict.
The man uyre is a familiar one in
the annals of savage warfare, and is
Instinctively adopted when a stand
is to be made with SUI erior numi ers
against a vast y inferior force OF pur-
suerS The NataLeles threw Captain
Wilson of hi, guard by conducting a
diSOrderIY retreat, and thereby en-
cOuTdging him to be ieve that they
would not fight, but would scatter in
the African bush. Then when his
! IN rty. four troopers were in pursuit
OF. the main body and the capture OF
the King seemed a matter or only
a few hours Of hard riding, forces OF
savagcs concealed on the right and the
legt closed in upon them and cut of
retreat. When the troopers were
fairly entrapped the Kings warriors
faced about and made Il determined
stand upon high ground. Captain
Wilson's followers. surrounded by
swarmS Of savages, perishcd like
General Casters Cayalrymen. They
used their CIrbiues as long as they
had cartridge to spare. and then
fought hope.cSsly but gallantly with
revolver and sabre. Close- be anne
the OHSet unit! every wounded and
dying Engiisbman was face to face
with huudeds OF merciless savageS
When the last man was dead the
, bodies were stripped bare and ho.ri-
bly, mutiiated.
Captain Wilson's companions were
in the main adventurous young
EngliShmCn, without experience in
bush campaigning and impelled 10y
an inOrdinate ambition to q distinguish
themSe yes They were not advisers
who would eXcrc Sc any rcStrI mt, but
wQIld urge him to push ahead, aud
by a bold dash to OVertake the King
and to carry him back as prisoner
( to the main column. 4 deta .hment
OF HOtspurS Ike the advance guard
was readily entrapped by the willy
Mat ibeles; but it is doubtful il a
more S asoned body of British regu-
/ lars would have Jared differently.
General Custer was one Of the best
Indian-fghiterS who ever conducted
campaign in the West; and ineVp!i.
cable as his rashncsS appeared after
the MASSAGE, lie em iU ed tactics
which were justified by his own eX-
perien e. With rare exec tons
audacit. is the safest olic5 when
su er or numbers OF savage ire TO be
attacked o an inferior l0rce. Hard
riding, i'm etuuus ASSAULTS and
celeritY OF movement ordinarily
terrOriLe horde Of warriors like the
MatabeleS. All the English lighting
done in India and Afrca has been OF
that order, and it has seldom been un-
successful