Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-05-19
II FIGHT IN SAMOA.
FULL DETAILS GIVEN OUT IN OFFICIAL
REPORTS.

Reports of the surviving Ottcers of Am
pushed Expedition-FaiIure of Colts Ma
chine Gun Caused Disaster.
Washington, May 15.-Secretary Long
today made public so much of a recent
report from Admiral Kautz upon Samoan
affairs as touches the killing of a number
of American sailors by Mataafa adher-
ents, near Apia, on the 1st Of April.
Admiral kautz appends the reports Of
the surviving officers of the expedition,
which were transmitted by Capt. White
of the Philadelphia. In his letter of
transmittal the captain commends in the
strongest terms the work of Passed AS
sistant Surgeon G.. A. Lung. He says:
"At times when the fire from the con-
cealed natives was thickest, and at all
times, by his example, he encouraged
the young and inexperienced men to the
proper performance of duty. On the
completion of the work of his profession
he assumed command Of our bluejackets
and marched them to the United States
consulate"
Capt. White described at some length
the happenings of April ! as gathered
from examination of the petty officers
and men engaged in the fight. He says
that several excursions had been made
into the beach back of Apia during the
last ten days of March. Very few
natives had been observed, and when
seen they always fled when fired upon by
the Colt automatic gun. Lieut.. Lansdale
set great store by the gun and frequent
w operated it himself. Says Capt.
White:
"He appears to have depended greatly
upon the gun when the party was am
pushed on April /. Twice 1t did not
perform its function, and time was lost in
o%verhauling it and great delay was
consumed in trying to get it through the
wire fence.
"Lieut. Lansdale was loath to aban-
don it, but the fire was so CALLING that
he was compelled to scatter the import
ant parts and leave it behind. Prudence
led him to deploy his men in open order.
The thicket was so dense that after the
order for retreat was sounded it was not
possible for the troops to render each
other mutual support.
"Lieut. Lansdale was wounded below
the knee after the Colt was abandoned
and rendered incapable of marching.
He was assisted by his men one Of
them, y. f. Edsall, was mortally
wounded while so doing. 1t is in evil
dence most clear that when Ensign
Monaghan discovered that Lieut.. Lans-
dale was wounded he used his best
endeavors to convey him to the rear,
and Selling a rifle from a disabled man,
made a brave defence, but undoubtedly
he fell very shortly after joining him,
and the hostiles, flushed with success,
bore down on our men in this vicinity.
The men were not in sufficient numbers
to hold u any longer, and they were
forced along by a fire which it was i'm
possible to withstand. Ensign Monag-
han did stand. lie stood steadfast by
his wounded superior and friend: one
rife against many-one brave man
against a score of savages. He knew
he was doomed. He could not yield.
He died in heroic performance of duty.
"Private Henry L. IIulburt, L. S. NJ.
c., informs me that he saw both Lieut..
Lansdale and Ensign Monaghan after
they were killed. that he had been near
them a few minutes before and that he
had assisted in covering their retreat.
He is mentioned by Lieut.. Perkins for
bravery and good conduct.
James Butler (coX) was instantly
? killed while standing and firing against
, the enemy.
81 have to commend the steadiness of
F. ID. Fisher, in charge of the Colt au-
tomato gun, for GOODNESS and steadiness
in twice dismounting and overhauling
the gun under fire. j. 5. Ranlet Cord.
sea. assisted Ensign Monaghan IN bind
ing up Lieut.. Lansdale's leg with a
neckerchief belonging to Il. Gallaghan,
blacksmith, and assisted in carrying him
when first wounded.
''The number of cartridges fired by
each of the blueiackets averaged 50.
From what appears to be reliable au-
thOrity forty of the assailants were
killed and 50 wounded. Whenever our
men could get cover they turned and
fired"
The British story is told briefly by
Lieut.. G.. f. Cave In an enclosed report
made to Capt. Stuart of II. NJ. :. Tour
anga, and contains no information be-
vond that set out in the report of the
American officers. He does say that the
friendlies boiling through the British
: and American lines rather broke it up
that Lieut.. Freeman ordered the retreat
after the engagement had been in pro-
gress some little time, because the men
were running short of ammunition and
darkness was approaching. He declares
"All ranks behaved splendidly."
First Lieut.. Perkins, L. 5. NJ. c., in
[ describing the fight says that the enemy
approached within 80 yards, left and
rear, when the retreat was ordered, fir
ing boldly. The marines were COMPEL
ed TO pass into a deep ravine commanded
by a bluff, from which the enemy fired
z continuously upon them. He says:
| "Had we been a few minutes later in
{ crossing this %ravine, it is my opinion
a 80 . --a.lI I..,. Iao. .-t ~ nHI lin