The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-28
SAMOAN NEWS.
Some Hard Fighting Up to April II.
German Flag on Rebel Fort Cap
fnr,d- Same Clnco r,Itu

Some Hard Fighting Up to April II.
German Flag on q Rebel Fort Cap
tured-Some Close Calls.
AUCKLAND. N. S. W.. April H.
Late advices from Apia, Samoa, state:
Won Buelow. formerly lieutenant in
the German army, and the man who or
ganized the forces OF afataafa here,
armed with sword. gun and cartridges.
proceeded to savan (savalD. with thir-
teen boats and 400 rebels and the Ger
man warship Fake sailed on secret
mission with Herr Rose, the German
consul on board. Captain Leslie C.
Stuart, commander of the British third
class cruiser, Tauranga, in the absence
of Admiral Kautz, who was coaling the
Philadelphia, at PanSo- Pango. wrote to
the Germon consul, urging him TO Sc
cure Yon Buelow, and the next day the
Fake returned with Won Buelow on
board, q
The offer of New Zealand to send
troops to Samoa has caused enthusiasm
at Apla-
The inhabitants are almost unani-
NOUS An the belief that the treaty Is a
failure. and there Is strong feeling in
favor OF annexation. Prominent Amer
lean citizens and British subjects say
that German-American Is preferable to
the triple control, and unless Mataafd
Is subdued, another war is inevitable
within year.
The British third class cruiser Por-
polse Is still engaged in punitive cruises.
On April 10 battle was fought at
Mnngia, fifteen miles eastward Of Apia.
About 1000 rebels attacked u Gaunt
landing party. consisting Of about 100
men. The latter were subjected to a
hot fire. and retreated to the shelving
beach. where they defended themselves
bravely for q time, and afterwards
swan Off to their boats under heavy
fire. Chief Mullangl. with twelve
friendly natives, refused to retire, and
charged into burning village, driving
nJnumber Of rebels before them with
splendid. reckless bravery. Gaunt's
party then turned to the assistance Of
the friendlies and the whole party re-
tired, with four men wounded, and after
several of the party had miraculous
escapes. The cutter belonging to the
party fired all Of its Nordenfeldt am
munition during the fight, and the Por-
polse frequently shelled the bush. The
rebels had eighteen men killed and
many wounded.
Only one of the blue jackets In the
cutter was wounded. ~
trader fled toward the warship. and
he succeeded In escaping. although six
rebels took deliberate aim at him as
he was rowing off.
a Second Battle.
On April II, a second battle was
fought at Vailema. The fighting was
desperate. the rebels holding strong
Notifications, which were ineffectively
shcllcd by the ships. The frlendlies
advanced 10 the attack with Falioalele
and Dana on the left Gaunt In the CEN
ter, with 100 men from Fuamasanga, on
the right. Gaunt's party delivered such
heavy fire that the rebels retreated
to second and stronger fort, about $50
yards back. The Fuamasangh friend
lies bolted. but Gaunt crawled out to
the firing line, and drove them back at
the poin; of his revolver. They then
advanced TO attack the second fort. but
found the position too strong. and lost
several men killed and wounded.
Ten shells from the ship burst close
behind the rebels line. and the rebels
sang a war song after the explosion
of each shell.
Gaunt again returned to the attack,
and heavy and continuous firing on both
sides followed. during which the attack
crs suffered further losses. Gaunt sue
ccedcd In crawling TO within fifty yards
of the fort, but found 1t too strong to-
capture, as the friendly supports were
unreliable. The party then retired In
good order. with four men killed and
eighteen wounded, Of which number
three are mortally wounded The rebel
loss was not ascertained. but was prob
ably small.
The TauranSua and Pornoise shelled
the position at shutdown, but the result
of the firing IS not known.
Gaunt's brigade and portion Of the
friendly supports stood the fire splen-
didly.
During the engagement. Gaunt sue
ceeded in capturing n German flag,
which was flying over the first fort
The British consul. Mr.. Z. B. s. Max
Sc, and DR.. Adcll, the surgeon of the
Philadelphia. were under fire all day.
further attack was to have been
made the next day.
On the return of the landing party,
Captain Stuart. of the Taurangua, sig
nailed well done. Gaunt's Brigade"
the Americans and British cheering the
returning party whose vivandlers
(sutlcrs) were proudly carrying the
captured German colors