The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-04-30
NEARLY ANNlH|LATED
Disastrous Defeat of the British IN
Dast Part OF Africa
HUNDREDS ARESLATN
Sc Great We're the losses ~ the Red
Coats Chat Only Vhirty.Sesee
Escaped From Sanguin.
ars Nfafre

LOuuoLs SpTH Lf.-lhe Vae once
has received from BrigaJier General
Manning, in command Of che British
forces in Somaliland . dispatch dated
evenly miles westward of GaIadi Som
aliland, Aprig Is. as follows: 'Ase
greet to report that flying column mn
der command of Colonel Cobbe, which
left GaIdi, April 10, to reconnoiter the
foad to Walwal. had a most serious
check April ~ ON che morning of
April II. Colonel Cobb was az Gum
burru, forty miles 60 che westward of
Galad and had decided 90 seturn ~
finding the road 10 Walwal and 20 the
shortness of water. 1e was abous 20
leave his protected camp when firing
was heard III the direction of q small
party under Captain Olivey, which
had been sent out in westerly direc
ton to reconnoiter. AZ 9:l5 in the
morning Colonel Cobbe dispatched
Colonel Plunkett with $50 men of Sec
ond battalion Of the Kings Africans
Maxim guns for eXtrication OF Captt,ir.
Olivey, who had not been engaged
Colonel Plunkett on joining the de-
tachment continued to push On. AZ
11:45 Colonel CObbe heard heavy fir
ing in the direction taken by Colonel
Plunkett At about l o'clock in Che
afternoon a few fugitives who were
coming in reported Colonel Plunkete
had been defeated with Toss The
news has been fully corroborated
since, and | have to report the total
loss of Col. Plunkett's party with ey-
ception of thirty-seven Yaos. who have
arrived here. The latest information
extracted from the fugitives is to the
effect that Colonel Plunkett pushed on
after enemy's forces to open the
country seven miles westward to
Gumburu, where he was attacked by
a very strong force of mounted troops
and enemy's infantry, who attacked at
close quarters. He kept back the en-
envy until he had no more ammuni.
ton, when he formed a square and
charged with bayonets in the direc-
ton of Colonel Cobbe's lirba. He NOV
ed some distance IN this man
ner, but great many men.
including Colonel Plunkett him
self, were killed or wounded by the
pursuing enemy At the last the enc
my's infantry overwhelmed the
square and annihilated all with the
exception Of thirty-seven fugitives
above mentioned" The dispatch
closed with the list of officers and men
missing and killed IN action, namely:
Colonel A. w. Plunkett Captain John
son Stewart, Olivey, Norris and Nc
kinnon and Lieutenants Gaynor and
Bell, all of Kings African rifles: Cap
tain Whey of Second Sikhs; Captain
Hims of India medical staff, two white
privates forty-eight men of Second
Sikhs and 124 men of the African RI
fles. Two Maxim guns were also lost.
Another dispatch from General Man
ming. who Immediately on hearing of
the defeat of Colonel Plunkets started
for Gumburru with $50 men. says fur
Their information reached him from
latter with 220 troops was encamped
with plenty of food and supplies and
four days water He has about 1000
camels and does not think he can
withdraw from his position without
assistance, because the scrub is thick
and the enemy's forces seem likely
to be on the offensive. General Man.
ming adds: Il march again directly
and expect to arrive at Gumburru to-
morrow at noon I shall. accomplish
the extrication of Colonel Cobbe with
as much transport as possible and re-
turn to Galadi. | can only carry suf-
fcient water for the march to Gum
burru returning directly. | shall there
fore. he unable te advance against the
enemy if latter holds back"