Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-04-29
ENGLISH ARMY
ANNIHILATED
Flying Squadron Under General cobbe
Wiped Out Of Existence by
somaliiand Warriors
THE AMMUNITION GAVE oU'
Using Their Bayonets the British
Fought Until All Were Dead
or Wounded.

London, April 23.-The war Office
today received from Brigadier Gener.
al Manning, In command of the Brit.
ish forces in Somaliland, a dispatch
dated twenty miles westward of Gal.
adj, Somaliland, April Is, as follows:
81 regret to report that a flying
column under the command of Col
onel Cobbe, which left Galadi April
10, to reconnoiter the road to Walwal,
had a most serious check April IL On
the morning of April IL Colonel Cobbe
was at Gumberru, forty miles west
ward of Galadi and had decided to
return to Galadi, owing to the SER
ious difficulty in finding the road to
Walwal and to the shortness of water.
He was about to leave mis- zareba (pro-
tected camp when firing was heard
in the direction of a small party, un-
der the command Of Captain Oliyey,
which had been sent in a westerly d.
rection to reconnoiter.
To Relieve B~esieged.
AT 9:15 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 Captain Olivey had not been en-
gagged. Colonel Plunkett on joining
the detachment continued to push on.
At Has Colonel Cobbe heard a heavy
fire in the direction taken by Colonel
Plunkett and at about 1 In the after
noon a few fugitives coming in report
ed that Colonel Plunkett had been de-
feated with heavy loss.
THE news has been fully corrobo-
rated since and have to report the
total loss Of Colonel Plunkett's party,
with the exception Of twenty-seven
Yaos. who have arrived here.
Attacked by Strong Force.
THE latest information extracted
from the fugitives is to the effect that
Colonel Plunkett pushed on after the
enemy's force to the open country
| seven miles westward of Gumberru
where he was attacked by a very
strong force Of mounted troops and
the enemy's infantry, who attacked
at close quarters. He kept back the
enemy until he had no more ammuni
ton. when he formed a square and
charged with bayonets in the direction
of Colonel Cobbe's rareba. He moved
some distance in this manner, but
a great many men. including Colone
Plunkett himself. were killed oil
wounded by the pursuing enemy.
AT last the enemy's infantry owe
whelmed the square and annihilatet
them all with the exception OF the
thirty-seven fugitives above mention
ed"
Many Met Death.
The dispatch closes with a list o.
the Officers and men missing and M
doubt killed in action" namely, Col
onel A. w. V. Plunkett, Captains
tombstone, Stewart, Olivey, Norris
and McKinnon and L~ieutenants Gay
nor and Bell, all Of the Kings Afri
can rifles; Captain Wisely Of the Sec
ond sikhs, Captain Sims of the In
dia Medical staff, two white privates
~forty-eight men of the Second sikh
and 124 men OF the African rifles. TIL
two Maxim guns were also lost.
Another dispatch from General Man
nings who, on hearing of the defea
Of Colonel Plunkett. started for Gum
berru, with AGO men, says further in
formation reached him from Colone
Cobbe to the effect that the latter
with 22O troops, was encamped will
plenty of food and supplies and fou
days water. He has about a thousan,
camels and does not think he cal
withdraw from his position withou
assistance, because the scrub Is thicl
and the enemy's force seems likely +
act on the offensive.
Cannot Meet Enemy.
General Manning adds: Il marc