The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-28
AMBUSHEO AND CUT DOWN.
BRITISH OFFICERS AND SAILORS
KILLED BY SLAVE TRADERS.
The Blue Jackets from the Flagship
Raleigh mad a GunbOat-Deserted
on the March Inland and Surprised
by Their Enemies.

LONDON, Feb 24-Dispatches re-
ceived here from the western coast OF
Africa yesterday announced that there
was a rumor in circulation TO the effect
that a number of British officers and
sailors had been killed in an encounter
with the slave dealers on the west coast
of that country a dispatch to the Times
from Plymouth today said that it was
feared that a disaster had occurred TO
the gunboat widgeon, or her crew. 1t
was added that a private telegram had
been received 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 engaged in 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 re
suited in the statement being made that
nothing was known there of any disaster
TO the Widgeon or To her crew.
me dispatches Of this morning how
ever, said that the cruiser Raleigh,
twenty-four guns. $500 tons. the flag
ship Of the British squadron on that
coast, commanded by Rear Admiral
Frederick G. d. Bedford. and the first
class screw gunbOat Widgeon, six guns,
sos tons. commanded by Lieut.. Comman-
der William J. Scullard. arrived yester
day at Bathurst. capital of the British
African colony of Gambia. and the
rumor soon spread that the sailors had
been badly handled in an encounter with
the slavers. Exact details Of the affair
are not obtainable owing to the refusal
OF the admiralty officials TO make pub
lie their dispatches at present. But il
Is not denied that the British sailors
had been defeated ashore Later it was
stated that landing parties from the
ships had been sent ashore in order TO
punish Chief Fodisilah, a notorious slave
dealer. who has been carrying off into
bondage and severely in-treating the
helpless natives OF a number Of villages
along that part Of the coast which he
rules over. The British sailors are said
to have landed in force and 10 have
marched inland. where they met with
a severe reverse, losing three officers,
and ten men killed and forty wounded.
Further details Of the disaster TO the
sailors leaked out this afternoon. 1t ap-
pears that the force of British blue-jack-
cts which landed near Bathurst was COM
posed of men from the flagship Raleigh
and from the gunboat Widgeon. The
landing parties went ashore fully
equipped for marching inland and for re-
naming ashore for some time. Several
machine-guns weIe taken ashore in the
boats. and the landing parties carried pro
visions for four days and an ample sup
ply of ammunition.
The March Inland.
A reserve force was left ashore at the
landing place which was thoroughly pro-
tected by the guns of the cruiser and the
gunboat. After the blue-jackets and ma
rines had landed the column began its
march inland, but owing to the nature
Of the country, which the naval detach-
ments had to pass through, swampy land
thick bush and forest land, the ad-
vance party and the fianking parties were
soon compelled to practically fall back
upon the main column, which pushed
forward in this manner for the in
terror.
For a long time after landing and
commencing the march inland little or no
signs of natives We're to be seen; in fact,
the coast in the neighborhood seemed TO
have been deserted. But when the Brit
ish force had advanced we'll inland and
We're surrounded by a thickly wooded
country. with rising lands 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. however, seems to have continued
it's march inland, and to have been
eventually led into ambush. for fire was
suddenly opened upon it from all sides
and the sailors were routed before they
were able to make any effective use Of
the machine guns. Chief Fodisilah is a
notorious and desperate slaVe-Owner, we'll
known on the west coast Of Africa. His
force was reported to have been small
in numbers and TO 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.
Admiral BedfOrd's Report.
Later this afternoon the admiralty de-
partmeut admitted that they had re-