Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-05-06
BRAVE MONAGHAN
Stands by His Comrade,
Facing Certain Death.
Details Of Ambush of Americans and
English at Somoa.
10 Treachery Of Germans Can Be Laid Death
oil Brave Men.



writing from Apia. Samoa, April %,
gives a detailed account Of the fight
ing in which Lieut.. Lansdale and En-
sign Monaghan of the American navy.
and Lieut.. Freeman of the British
navy. lost their lives.
On April ], landing party made up
of 60 American sailors and marines. 81
English sailors and 100 natives pro-
ceeded to Nailele, to break up an as
semblage of rebels. who had been COM
hitting Expectations. The party was
commanded by Lieut.. Freeman. first
officer of the 1auranga. and with him
were Lieuts. Cave of the Porpoise, and
Hickman of the Royalist. The Ameri-
cans were commanded by Lieut. Lans-
dale. who had with him Ensign Mona
CHAN and Lieut.. Perkins of the marine
corps.
Dr. Lung Of the Philadelphia. accom-
panied the expedition. When the party
reached the German plantation. Lieut..
cave asked Capt. Hufnagel, the Ger
man manager, if there We're any Sa-
means near. The manager said none
had been there that day. Al that very
moment a few hundred yards away,
was a large body of rebels. Hufnagel
advised that a return home be made
by the main road through the planta-
ton, as no rebels had been about
Three other Germans heard the con-
versation. No one gave any warning
of danger.
The return march to the beach was
commenced 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 seen. \ COLI
automatic gun was brought forward.
1t refused to work The rebels got off
clear and halt was made and the
gun was fixed. The gun worked all
right and the march was resumed with
the friendly natives in the lead.
Misled by the information of Hufna-
gel it was decided to return by the
main road. The open space where the
Germans had been massacred by Ma
taafa's men, years ago, was passed and
the troops marched to a narrow gully.
the sides of which We're covered with
buffalo grass. On top of the slope.
just after the last Of the troops had be-
gun to march through the gully, the
rebels fired upon them.
The line was 500 yards in length The
rebels We're lying i'm the long grass.
while some We're in the tops Of cocoa
nut trees. The Colt gun again refused
% act and while Lieut.. Lansdale was
trying a. fix Il hc was wounded in tie
knee At the beginning of the firing
Lieut.. Freeman was shot through the
chest and fen dead. The friendly ma
lives retrcating AZ the first fire. the
white force was too weak 10 cope with
The rebels and the whole force was
thrown into confusion. To retreat was
imperative ana the automatic gun was
abandoned after the ammunition had
been scattered ana the breech taken
away. rendering il useless.
The allied forces We're attacked from
three sides. Through the scrub and
grass the sailors retired Lieut.. Lans-
dale being assisted by his men. The
firing az the rebels was severe. Lans-
dale. who was being assisted by En-
sign Monaghan ana two men. seeing
that he could not get away. urged them
10 leave him. one Of the sailors was
shot dead and the other see
ing he could not save his officer. re-
treated and escaped. Monaghan stay
al by his fellow officer.
Next morning their hcadless bodies
were found on the battlefield. Both
their reVOlyers were empty. Between
them lay three dead rebels Monaghan.
before the last men left shot the chief
Aino. dead as he was advancing on
Lansdale Deserters from Mataafa' S
camp relates how Monaghan stood
over Lansdale until that officer was
shot dead and then tried 10 escape him
self. but was unable to do so.
When the American party reached
the beach it was found four men We're
Edsell and Butler of the Philadelphia.
and Long and Trout Of the British
ships.
DR.. Lung, who had been CONSPICUOUS
for cooness and bravery under fire,
took command Of the American forces
and on the approach of reinforcements
the rebels retired. Several of the MaiIe-
toan natives lost their lives. The de-
eapitated bodies of the three officers
were recovered. next morning, ana on
Easter Sunday they were buried with
the heads which had been recovered
by a French priest All the leading
American and British residents and Oh
ficials were present. The Germans
We're absent the only one attending
being Pastor Margraf. who had known
Lansdale in the United States. Inc
German warship Fake had her nag NJ
half mast and her officers sent ashore
two wreaths entwired with the Ger
man national colorS.
In the fight As men were killed on the
Mataafa side and 80 We're wounded "A
complete list of the white dead ana
wounded follows:
s-Dead-Lieutenant PhillT
'Lansdae; Ensign j. K. Monaghan
CoXswain T. Butler; Electrician Nor
man z. Edsell: Privates Thomas Hollo-
way; and John L. Nudge, of the mar
inc corps.
Wounded-Coxswain J. II. yelling
ton, in elbow: Fireman Il. Andrews
right leg: Landsman J. c. John. lef
shoulder; Landsman ]. w. Laird, lef
hip: Marine John NJ. Mccarthy. righ
wrist.
English-Dead-First Lieut.. Il. \
Freeman. Seaman 4. II. Thornburn