The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-24
BRITISH COLUMN WIPED OUT.
10 OFFICERS. ls sIkHS. 1sl RIFLE
MEN KILLED.
Col. Piunkett and Capt. Oiivey DADA
Deta chment Of Gen. Manning's sent
AGAINST the Mad Mullah Annihilated
Natives Broke Fa nous British Square

Special Cable DespateA<s 10 TEE SUM-
ALDEN, April 23.-The transport Hardinge,
which has arrived here from Berbera,
brings the news that 10 officers and iso
men, out Of British force Of 40. have been
killed in q fight with the Somalis
The Hardinge brought the details Of the
disaster from Obbia. Somaliland. the base
of supplies She also brought numerous
British and native sick soldiers. Obbia has
been evacuated and a quantity Of stores
abandoned
Quantities Of stores which had accumu-
lated for some TIM at posts along the line
OF communication were destroyed Letters
from the front say the British troops are
short of supplies.
LONDON. April 23.-The War ONCE has
issued a despatch from Col. Swami. at
Bohotle. Somaliland, giving a message
received from Gen. Manning. the general
officer commanding. dated twenty miles
westward Of Galsdi. April IS. The despatch
says
Il regret to report that Cobbe's flying
column. which left Galadi on April 10 to
rsconnoitre the Walwal road. met with
serious check on April II. Cobbe. who
was forty miles to the westward OF Galadi,
had decided to return, owing TO the diffi-
Guilty Of finding the road and the shortness
of water, when firing was heard in the direo-
ton OF a small recommending party under
Capt. Olivey.
-Cobbe despatched Col. Plunkett with
100 Rifles, as Sikhs and two Maxims to ex-
tricate Olivey. A few hours later heavy
firing was heard In Plunkett's direction.
Then fugitives came in and reported the
total loss Of Plunkett's force with the ex-
ception OF thirty-seven Yaos.
THE latest information received from
the fugitives about the affair is that Plunkett
pursued the enemy In the open country
seven miles westward OF Gumburru, where
a strong force of the enemy's mounted
men and infantry attacked him at close
quarters.
.Plunkett held out until his ammunition
was exhausted Then he formed a square
and made a bayonet charge In the direc-
ton of Cobbe's zareba Ian improvised
stockade made OF thoms and busiest.
The enemy pursued the British and finally
overwhelmed the square. annihilating all
except the thirty-seven mentioned above.
THE following are missing and were
doubtless killed: Col. Plunkett. Capt. Olivey
and eight other officers, % Sikhs and ia
rihemen. The Maxims we're lost
The earliest account from Col. Cobbe
reached Gen Manning On April II. This
stated that he feared Col. P'unkett had
been repulsed. Gen. Manning started inn
mediately afterward for Gumburru with
500 Sikhs and % Rifles. Capt. Kenna, with
100 mounted men, was ordered to push
on as last as possible. On the morning Of
April IS Gen. Manning telegrt phed that
Col. Cobbe was encamped with 40 troops.
plenty Of food, four days supply Of water
and about 200 camels He (Cobbe) feared
he could not save these without help, as
the scrub was thick and the enemy was
likely to assume the offensive
Gen. Manning added: Il shall march at
moonrise and expect to arrive at Gumbufru
tomorrow. shall accomplish the extrioa-
ton OF Cobbe with as much transport ~
possible, and return to Gslsdi. can only
carry. sufficient water for the march 10
Gumburru. / shall therefore be unable 10
advance against the enemy II he keeps
back" co..
An unofficial despatch from Alden de- /,
scribes the British disaster as an ambush
and represents the Mullah's army as being
10000 strong.
Col Plunkett's men. with the exception
Of the officers and two British orderlies.
were all Sikhs, Yaos and Somalis. Col.
Plunkett had an intimate acquaintance
with the country and its inhabitants. hav-
ing been in Somaliland since the operations
began in 1901. He trained the Yaos and
Somalis. who formed the Kings African
Rifles, and brought them to high state
of efficiency
The Yaos and Somalis, like most North
Africans, are fine fighters, and the manner
IN which they acquitted themselves at
.iumburru was what was to have been ex-
,ected from their own grit and Col. Plum
xett's discipline.
The fight occurred in Italian Somaliland.
not a great dist ance from the Abyssinian
border An Abyssinian force Of from 5000
TO 10000 men, to which two British officers
are attached. lately occupied a position
southwest OF the scene Of the operations to
cut of a possible retreat Of the Mulah,
but they were not supposed to be cooper
ating actively with the British expedition.
Gen Manning has advanced from Obbia,
and the abandonment Of that place as a
base precludes his retiring eastward II
retreat Is necessary. He must therefore
fight his way north, or the British co6perat-
ing column. whose base is at Berbera, and
it's advanced base at Bohotle. must force
its way south to support him in case Of
need
Gen. Manning's column now numbers
about 1000 men. Nothing has been heard
OF il since IL advanced to assist Col. Cobbe.
who is probably in tight place.
The British cruisers at Alden sailed for
Berbera tonight. The troopship Hardinge
has been ordered to proceed forthwith to
Bombay to take reenforcements to Somali-
land.
Hail Mohammed Abdullah. the Mad Null
lah Of Somaliland. has been q thorn In the
side Of the British for years. He has abso-
lutte control OF many Of the fierce tribes
men of that country, and several British
expeditions that have been sent against |
him have been defeated, principally be-
cause Of the utter worthlessness OF the
British native troops.
The depredations Of the Mullah In northern |
Somaliland and Abyssinia led to a joint |
expedition against him in 1901 and another |
in 1902. After gaining several victories
the British under Col Swsyne were de-
feated at Erego on Oct. Q last. Their losses
were 20 killed and 100 wounded. The de,
faat u-ae dina In ha cova rfiiCa Of the SOU1aU L