Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-06
BETRAYED BY HUFNAGLE
Details Of the Late Fight Near Apia,
Samoa
American and English Landing Party
Ambushed Through the Germans
Mfsleadtng Information.

The regular correspondent Of the Asso-
cfated Press writing from Apia. Samoa, I'M
der date Of April 20, gives detailed ac-
count of the fighting, In which Lieutenant
Lansdale and Ensign Monaghan of the
American navy and Lieutenant Freeman
of the British navy lost their lives
On April l landing party, made up of
sixty American sailors and marines and
sixty-two English sailors, and about 100
natives. proceeded to Vallejo, to break up
an assemblage of rebels, who had been
committing depredations In the vicinity
The party was under command of Lieuten-
ant Angel Freeman, first officer of the
Tauranga, and with him were Lieutenants
Cave of the Porpoise and Hickman of the
Royalist. The Americans were under the
command of Lieutenant Lansdale, who had
with him Ensign Monaghan and Lieutenant
Perkins of the marine corps.
HufnasIe's Treachery.
DR.. Lung of the Philadelphia also accom-
panied the expedition. When the party had
reached the German plantation Lieutenant
Cave asked Captain Hufnagle, the German
manager, if there were any Samoans in
the vicinity. The manager said that none
had been there that day. At that very mo-
ment, and within a few hundred yards of
the expedition, was a large body Of rebels.
Hufnagle advised that a return home be
made by way of the main road through
the plantation, as everything was quite safe
and no rebels had been about. Three other
Germans were with Hufnagle and heard
this conversation. No one gave any warn
ing of danger.
The return march to the beach was COM
menced, and no sooner had the men got
out of the plantation, when, at a bend in
the road, 400 yards away, large numbers of
rebels were seem A Colt automatic gun. OF
which the natives have great dread, was
Immediately brought forward. 1t refused
to act. The rebels got off clear, and a halt
was made to fix the gun. This took half
an hour, and Lieutenant Lansdale fired
few trial shots The gun worked all right.
and the march was resumed, with the
friendly natives in the lead.
Misled by the information of Hufnagle.
it was decided to return by the main road.
The open space where the Germans had
been massacred by Mataafans years ago
was passed, and the troops marched down
the road to a narrow gully. the sides of
which were covered with buffalo grass
Rebels Open Fire.
On top of the slope, just after the last
of the troops had begun to march through
the gully, the rebels fired upon them. The
line was about 800 yards in length. The
rebels were lying in the long grass. while
some were in the top of cocoanut trees
The Colt gun again refused to act, and
while Lieut. Lansdale was trying to fix it
he was wounded in the knee. AT the be-
ginning of the fight Lieut.. Freeman
shot through the chest and fell dead. The
friendly natives retreated at the first fire.
the white force was too weak to cope with
the rebels and the whole force was thrown
into confusion To retreat was imperative,
and the automatic gun was accordingly
abandoned after the ammunition had been
scattered and the breech taken away, rem
dering it useless. The allied forces were
attacked from three sides Lansdale re-
tired through the scrub grass. being assist
ed by his men.
The firing of the rebels was severe L-ans-
dale who was being assisted by Ensign
Monaghan and two men, seeing that he
could not get away. urged them to leave
him to his fate. One of the sailors was
shot dead, and the other seeing he could
Monaghan refused to go, and stayed by his
fellow officer. Next morning their head
less bodies were found on the battlefield.
Monaghans revolver was empty, as was
also Lansdale's. Between them lay the
dead bodies of three rebels. Monaghan, be-
fore the last man left him, shot the chief.
Aino, dead, as he was advancing on Lans
dale. Deserters from Mataafas camp re-
late how Monaghan stood over Lansdale
until that officer was shot dead and then
tried to escape himself, but was unable to
do so. When the American party reached
the beach it was found four men were
missing besides the officers They were Ed
sell and Butler OF the Philadelphia and
Long and Prout of the British ships.
DR.. Lung Takes Command.
his GOODNESS and bravery under fire, took
command of the American forces, and on
the approach of reinforcements the rebels