Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-04-30
BRITISH ARE CUT
Down IN BATTLE
Command Under Col. Cobbe
Is Almost AnnihiIated in
SomaIiland.
OVER TWO HUNDRED KILLED
Enemy Overwhelmed British Square
snd But Thirty-seven Escape-Troop-
ship Leaves Alden with Reinforcements
for British General.

Alden, Arabia, April 24.--The British
transport Harding arrived here yester-
day from Berbera, the capital of
Somaliland, East Africa, and confirm
ed the report of a British defeat In
Somaliland. The officers Of the Hard
ing say that ten officers and $50 men
out of total British force of 220 men
were killed recently in an engagement
with the Somalis.
London, April 24.-The war Office
yesterday received from Brigadier
General Manning in command of the
British forces in Somaiiland, dis
patch dated twenty miles west OF
Gaiadi, Somaliland, April Is, as fol-
lows:
81 regret to report that flying col.
umn under the command Of Colonel
Cobbe, which left GalaIi April 10, to
reconnoiter the road To Walwal. had
a most serious check, April IT. On
the morning of April IL. Colonel Cobbe
was at Gumburru, forty miles west
ward of Galadi, and had decided to re-
turn to Galadi, owing to the serious
difficulty in finding the road to Wal
wal and to the shortness of water.
"He was about to leave his sereba
protected camp, when firing was
heard in the direction of small party,
under the command of Captain Oliyey,
which had been sent In westerly
direction to reconnoiter. At 9:15
o'clock in the morning. Colonel Cobbe
dispatched Colonel Plunkett with 100
men of the second battalion of the
Kings African rifles, forty-eight Of the
second Sikhs and two maxim guns for
the extrication of Captain Olivey II
necessary. AS a matter of fact Cap
tain Olivey had not been engaged,
Colonel Plunkett. on joining the de-
tachment, continued to push on. Al
11:45 Colonel Cobbe heard a heavy
fire in the direction taken by Colonel
Plunkett, and at about I In the after
noon a few fugitives coming In report
ed that Colonel Plunxett had been de
fea.ed with loss. The news has been
fully corroborated since and have to
report the entire loss of Colonel Plum
kett's party. The latest information
extracted from the fugitives Is to the
effect that Colonel Plunkett pushed on
after the enemy's force to the oper
country seven miles westward Of Gum
burru, where he was attacked by a
'ery strong force of mounted troops
and the enemy's infantry, who attack
ed ct close quarters.
He kept back the enemy until he
had no more ammunition, when he
formed a square and charged with
bayonets in the direction Of Colonel
Cobbe's sereba. He moved some dis
lance in this manner, but a great many
men. including Colonel Plunkett him
self, were killed or wounded by the
pursuing enemy.
AT last the enemy overwhelmed the
square and killed them all with the
exception Of thirty-seyen fugitives."
The dispatch closes with list o.
the officers and men missing and nc
doubt killed In ac.ion, namely:
Colonel A. w. v. Plunkett, Captains
Johnston, Stewart. Olivey. Norris and
McKinner, and Lieutenants Gaynor
and Bell. all of the Kings African
rifles; Captain Wisely Of the Second
Sikhs, Captain Sims of the India med
zeal stan, two white privates, forty
eight men OF the Second Sikhs, end
124 men Of the African rifles.
The two maxim guns were also lost
Another dispatch from General Man
ming. who Immediately ON hearing OF
the defeat of Colonel Plunkett. started
for Gumburren, with 4c0 men. says
further information reached him from
Colonel Cobbe to the effect that the
latter, with 200 troops, was encamping
with plenty Of food and supplies and
four days water. He has about a
thousand 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 act on the offensive.