Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-09-06
TAURECS'
They Annihilate French SOrtia
Party at TimbuctoO.
1T CREATES CONSIDERATION

Accounts of other Battles and the a.
cupatiOn of TimbuctOO by the French
Troops-Detachment Makes a Sort.
From the Town and is Cut to Piecss
PARIS, August 3O.-According to re.
port received at st. Louis the French
garrison at Timbuctoo after three davs,
desperate fighting with the Tauregs and
other hostile tribes, which had been he.
sieging that city, made a sortie. Tho
beleaguering forces in Overwhelming
numbers fell upon the sortie party, fairly
annihilating it. This news has created
CONSERVATION in army circles, as it is the
second serious resistance the French bava
met with in the vicinity OF Timbuctoo
since that important Soudanese town
was occupied by them early in the pres.
ent year. A summary OF the move.
ments OF the French in the Soudan and
the occupation OF Timbuctoo is as fol.
lows:
A French column commanded by Colo.
mel BANNER arrived at Timbuctoo jam.
ary l, and two days later a detachment
of troops with Colonel BANNER at their
head, accompanied by Colonel Ha.,cr
and the entire staff, started out on re.
connoitering expedition, leaving Captain
PHILIPPE as senior Captain in charge Of
the post at Timbuctoo. This French de.
tachment in some manner never fully
explained to the public was surprised in
sleep in camp at Dougoi, two hours
march north of Gourdam and three days'
march from Timbuctoo. The Arabs
chiefly Tauregs mounted and on foot
armed with lances and knives, entered
the French camp by several sides during
the darkest hours OF early morning, and
overturned the stacked arms in front Of
the sharpshooters, who, being surround.
ed, were unable to seize their rifles to de.
fend themselves successfully. The Arabs
massacred nearly the entire detachment
consisting of the Fifth and Eleventh
Companies of Soudanese sharpshooters
French officer, Captain Negotte, though
seriously wounded in the head, succeeded
in escaping to a platoon of soldiers left
some distance behind the main camp TO
Cdplul0u llOChG. lulS DldlOOD WAS
under the command of Lieutenant Sarda.
1t retreated to Timbuctoo, bringing with
it few wounded who had escaped the
massacre at Dougoi. The Tauregs pur.
sued the retreating soldiers, and pract.
cally invaded Timbuctoo, which Captain
Philippe made haste to defend pending
the arrival OF reinforcements.
TWAS stated that at Dougoi the French
lost nine officers, two European Ser.
geants, an Interpreter and one Serg ant,
six Corporals and sixty-one native
sharpshooters. For the defense of Tim.
buctuo Captain Philippe had 100 rifles
and six capnons, but this was very
small force with which to hold town Of
$4,000 people, situated amid hot, mo-
ing sands on the verge OF morass ana
having water inclosure about three
miles in circumference. But column
commanded by Colonel Jofier was on its
way to reinforce the French at Timbuc-
too, and having sent messengers to the
Colonel and communicated with the
commander of the French flotilla on the
Niger river, the Captain made the best
disposal possible of his small force, and
with the cooperation OF the populaCe
succeeded in holding out until the Jofler
column arrived. This column was com.
posed of company and a half OF sharp.
shooters, squadron of Spahis, a splendid
African cavalry, $50 auxiliary Spahis
and two guns. 1t also included the
horses, mules, drivers, etc., OF the first
column. 1t followed the land route by
Sanding, Monipe, Namapli, Ere, Soumpe
and Gourdam, and met with serious
opposition during its advance. January
~ company OF sharpshooters marched
on Niafunke, supported by cavalry and
artillery. They were confronted by two
kilometers OF a swamp, which sur
rounded the village, in front OF which
were 400 warriors drawn up in battle
array. The warriors charged the French
force. The latter in less than fifteen
minutes killed over 100 OF the Africans.
The others took flight, and the village
was captured without any loss on the
part OF the Jotfer column. Several such
engagements took place, cannon and
cavalry being repeatedly called into use.
February 20 the advance guard OF the
Jotter column reached Tim mbuctoo, and
the column itself soon afterward. 1t is
in all probability part of the forces OF
Captain Philippe and Colonel Jotfer
which according to the advices from
Senegal has been cut to pieces by the
Arabs. 1t is believed that the garrison
OF Iimbuctoo has since the Joffer column
arrived there been again reinforced.
NO CONFIRMATION OF THE REPORT.
PARIS, August 30.-The Journal des
Debats has received a dispatch similar
to the one made public to-day. This
dispatch announced that after three
days fighting the detachment OF the
garrison OF Timbuctoo made sorte.
This detachment was composed of two
companies. Both reports agree in stat
ing tnat the detachment taking part in
the sortie was cut to pieces. Inquiries
made on the subject at the Ministry OF
the Colonies show that no confirmation
OF the report has been received there up
to this evening, and the official in charge
expressed the opinion that there is no
truth in it, claiming that, if fighting had
occurred, news would have reached the
ministry from Hayes, through which
place all news must pass. The original
dispatch from Senegal was received from
private source. The latest official dis
patches from Timbuctoo declare the
French forces there were adequate to
cope with the Tauregs, who, it was added,
mad been cowed by recent defeats and
were indisposed to resume hostilities.