The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-03
THE MASSACRE OF ADowA.
Panic and Desperate Flight of Italian
soldiers Before the shoans-
London Daily News

London Daily News
The Malone Of March - publishes a
long letter from an Italian commissariat
officer, from which the following are ex-
tracts:
Al about 2. n. lieutenant came gal
Looping to warn US that the Shoans were
advancing, and that our men were retreat
Ing precipitately. The major who COM
rnanaed the battalion escortlng supplies
gave tho alarm and tribe 20 move TO the
hin Of Zaia to stem the tide OF fugitives
and OF the enemy. and TO gain time for a
retreat. The hill OF Gala was three kiio-
meters distant He found II occupied by
the enemy. and was obliged TO retire 10
another Hill in the rear. We formed q col
umn 81 the oxen and mules. and corn
menrsd the retreat. closely followed by
the fugitiyes- We had hardly got 400 me-
tiers. and mere Sun on the camping ground,
when we we're a-xisiled 10y a tremendous
flank IRE on our left from a commanding
height.
This unexpected. inexpllcahIe attack
struck with terror the fugftives whom, no
threats could influence. Some drew revolt
vers and nred on those who promoted the
disorder. but there were no means to re-
strain them We were seven officers
against 1aa or 3.ooo soldiers and native
troops. Nov the debssle commenced. the
hrhi for existence. An indescrfbabie con-
fusion arose y hicA ! shall never in my Life
forKe;.
The oxen. rendered furious. charged
through the columns. the mules tried 20
shake OF their burdens and carried con-
fusion into The ranks. the fnEstives with
their swords cut the carg.s OF th.. rscks
and mounted the mules. There was a per
feet horror ana the IRE continued.
We succeeded In separating into two coll
utnDs one golrg 20 the left and IN. othsr
20 the right. both eonv~rxfnS afteryar,i on
Ma Gi1hetta- IL took three hours march
10 reach there under FRA tof which We ,ook
htile noucsi from the Shoans who followed
- aioss the hills. and from the x,onuia-
ton which Rad risen in rebellion. AT Mai
GGse;iA the f1sllia1e ceased. and l. to-
eether with the Veterinary Lieut.. PIER
ucci and saEnor Felt-r. and CAPTAIN Of
Infantry, took the road 70 Dsbra paYao
win about forty soldiers % the commits
szriat.
Cart Mai.5eili. Of the comulsxa-sa,. ara
Lieut.. Giusta twao Eas q the garrison at
M2kAlle1 together WITH The native trpops.
took TIE road 20 Halta and Saxans(ti F.v-
sning had come on or rather Il vas night
which luck.iy vas dark and ternp.stsoas.
rare thing In this co1ntrY. Y the moon
bad e-eez shining, Il woui5 have h-,en bad
FOR Gs-roS one Of - segl5 have returned.
could not even So tbs ears az ry
horse. srsi the ToasI needed fun nrht. Tor
vas one q TIE worst. most rocky ard
STEEP. AT servant led ~. Eaw As v,.asA
ami thns ~ Gods VII. feeling cur uzv AZ
saad pace. h&tins every now azd then
10 ssstcn Or look cat Cor Z HEss. Axzia and
ss7-As2 ANTICIPATING an assa1sf and r,axsa-
c-e. ~e arrived n sigaF % Dehra gO.rno.
beo-a DAnao = hssh All Inaccessible
rex. n TIE form q sugar los9. Tas
top - scsope<f or arsd there are s,s4-e..
ans. ammunition saG food sa- ths "a
fiseS- To re4ch tha summit u e z,e-,,ss.--v
% - aAH5asl VI Ag ropes fo~ about th.-tv
meters Tas -osd xin5s srounss sAs m-aaa.
ard = cxposea % nre tAereFroaa. W-h~n
~S Nere aesaS tie smallest iaz7rs1sncs