The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-16
Secretary Long Makes Public a
Letter From Admiral kaltz
Touching the Killing Of the American Sal
Tors by Mataafans Near Apla.
The Failure Of the Colt Gun to
Work Properly Was in a Large
Measure the Cause of the Defeat
of the American and British
Expedition.

of the American and British
Expedition.
WASHINGTON. May 15.-Secretary
Long to-day made public so much of
recent letter from Admiral KautZ on the
Samoan affair as touched the killing of
a number of American sailors by Ma
taafa adherents near Apia on the LIST of
April
The report is an elaboration of the de-
, scription of the affair which was cabled
at the time by the Associated Press from
Auckland. No mention is made al any
point of the reported participation in
the ARRAY of the German, Hufna gel,
the manager of the plantation where
the fight occurred. 1t is shown that the
failure of the Colt gun to work prop
erly was in large measure the cause
of the American and British defeat.
Admiral Kautz says the expedition
was projected by Captain Sturdee of the
Porpoise. For several nights preceding
the sentres had been fired upon by
the natives, and it became necessary
to drive them away. Kautz says it was
the opinion of al the officers who had
the matter in charge that the force was
ample to do the work without risk, es-
pecially as it was to move out along
the beach and return the same day, un-
der the protection of the guns of H. M
S. Royalist. 1t is safe to say, says the
Admiral that after Lieutenants Free
man and Lansdale had conferred to-
gether they did what they deemed best
under the circumstances, and the d1sas-
ter that followed could not beS foreseen.
Admiral Kautz appends the reports of
the surviving officers of the expedition,
which were transmitted by Captain
White of the Philadelphia. In his letter
of transmittal the Captain commends in
the strongest terms the work of Passed
Assistant Surgeon G.. A. Lung. He
says:
AT times when the fire from the con-
.cealed natives was thickest, and al all
times, by his example, he encouraged
the young and inexperienced men to the
proper performance of duty. At the
completion of the work of his profession
he assumed command of our blue jack
cts. and marched them to the United
States Consulate
Captain White describes at some
length the happenings of April 1st, as
gathered from a close examination of
the petty officers and men engaged in
the fight He says that several eXcur-
s.ons had been made into the beach
back of Apia during the last ten days of
March, Very few natives had been OBJ
served, and when seen they always fed
when fired upon by the Colt automatic
gun. Lieutenant Lansdale set great
store by the gun and frequently oper-
ated it himself.
Says Captain White: HE appeared
to depend greatly on the gun when the
party was ambushed on April 1st. Twice
it did not function. and time was lost
in overhauling it, and great delay
was consumed in trying to get it
through the wire fence. Lieutenant
Lansdale was loath to abandon it, but
the fire was so calling that before he
was wounded he was compelled to scat
ter the important parts and leave it be-
hind 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
groups TO render each other mutual
support.
Lieutenant Lansdale was wounded
below the knee soon after the Colt was
abandoned and rendered incapable of
marching He was assisted by his men.
One of them, n. E. Edsall Ordinary sea-
mani, was mortally wounded while do
ing so. 1t is not clear when Lans 9le
received the wound in his chest. 1t is
in evidence most clear that when En-
sign Monaghan discovered that Lieu
tenant Lansdale was wounded he used
his best endeavors to convey him to the
rear. and seizing a rifle from a disabled
man. made brave defense, but UNI
doubtedly he fell very shortly after join
ing him. and the hostiles. flushed with
success. bore down on our men in this
vicinity The men were not in suffl-
cient numbers to hold out any longer,
and they were forced along by fire
which 1t was impossible to Withstand.
Ensign Monaghan did stand. He stood
steadfast by his wounded superior and
friend. one rifle against many-one
brave man against a score of savages.
He knew he was doomed He coulc not
WELD. He died in heroic performance OF
duty
..Private Henry Hubert, U. S. M. c.,
informs me that he saw both Iieuten-
ant Lansdale and Ensign Monaghan af-
ter they were killed, and he had been
near a few moments before and that he
assisted in covering their retreat. He Is
mentioned by Lieutenant Perkins Tor
bravery and good conduct
James Butler (coxswain) was killed
instantly while standing and nring
against the enemy.
Il have to commend the steadiness OF
F. d. Fisher, in charge of the Colt au-
tomato gun, for GOODNESS and steadiness
in twice dismounting and overhauiing
the gun under fire. j. S. Ranlet (or-
binary seaman) assisted Ensign Mona
CHAN in binding up Lieutenant Lans-
dale's leg with a neckerchief belonging
to B. Gallaghan, blacksmith, and assist
ed in carrying him when first wounded.
The number of cartridges fired by
each of the bluejackets averaged fifty.
From what appears to be reliable au-
thority, forty of the assailants were
killed and fifty wounded This infor-
nation was obtained several days after
the engagement. Whenever our men
could get cover they turned and fired. -
The British story is briefly told by
Lieutenant G. f. Cave in an enclosed
report made to Captain Stuart of H. M
S. Tauranga, and contains no informa-
ton beyond that set out in the report
of tie American officers. He does not