Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-03-03
A BUSH MASSACRE
Rates ~ Wilson's and Caster's Com ,nand,
Were Similar.

Fates of Wilson's and Clusters Tom mantis
Were similar.
"he massacre of Captain Wilson's
force by the Matabelcs closely re EN-.
bles the slaughter OF General Clusters
command In the Yellowstone Valley.
Inc number OF victims was much
smaller, but the circumstances under
which the troopers were Outma.
npuvred and entrappcd by aboriginal
strategy were similar Captain vii.
son with the advance guard pressed
on In hot pursuit of King LObengula
when 1t would have been more pru.
dent to halt for reinforcem from
the main body from which IL had
been separated bv a river swollen by
sudden ram fall. General Clusters
own impetu0sity and contempt for q
savage foe we're reproduced with the
same disastrous consequences King
LObengula, distoveringst the weakness
Of the pursuring detachment, enticed
Captain Wilson into an ambuscade.
surrounded the force with overWhel M.
Ing numbers, and destroyed Il in
what ultimately became 4 hand.to.
hand conflict.
The manG uvre Is o familiar one In
the annals Of savage warfare, and Ia
instinctively adopted when o stand
10 to be made with superior numbers
against Q vastly inferior force OF pur.
JuerA The Matabeles threw Captain
Wilson on his guard BY conducting q
disorderiy retreat and thereby en-.
couraHinR him to believc that they
would not fight but would scatter in
the African bush. Then when his
thirty. four troopers we're In pursuit
Of the main body and the capture OF
the King seemed q matter OF only
q few hours Of hard riding, forces or
savages concealed On the right and the
left closed In upon them and cut of
retreat When the troopers were
fairly entrapped the Kings warriors
faced about and made o determined
stand upon high ground. Captain
wilson's followers, surrounded by
swarms Of savages perlshed like
General Clusters cavalrymen. They
used their carbinss as long a. they
had . cartridge 70 spare, ana then
fought h0pe!essly but gallantly with
revolver and sabre. Closer became
the onset, until every wounded And
dying Engllshman was face to face
with hundeds Of merciless ssvagea
When the last man Wss dead the
bodies were stripped bare and ho.ri.
bly, mutilated.
Captain Wilson's COMPANIONS we're
u tho main adventurous young
ENglishmen, without experience In
bushl an,paigniug and inpcllcd BY
an inordiuate ambition to distinguish
themselves. They were not adviocrs
who would exercise any. restraint, but
would urge him to push ahead, and
BY o bold dash to overtake the King
and to carry him back as o prisoner
to the maip column. A detachment
Of HotspuS like the advance guard
was readily entrapped by the willy
Matlbeles; but II Is doubtful II q
more seasoned body OF British regu.
lars would have Jared differently.
General Custer was one Of the best
Iadian.ighitcrs who ever conducted
. campaign In tho West; and incxpli.
cable rs his rashness appeared after
the massacre, he emplo ed tactics
which wsrv justified BY his own ex.
pcrience. With rare cxce. tlons
audactty Is the safest Iolicy when
50; crlor numbers OF savagcs are to be
attacked BY an inferior force. Hard
riding, inn etu0us assaults and
celebrity Of movement ordinarily
terr0rizc q horde Of warriors like the
Matabcles. All the English fighting
done In India and Area has been OF
that order, and II has seldom been un.
successful.