The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-04-28
TWO HUNDRED OFFICERS AND
MEN KILLED.
AMBuSHED IN SoMAulAN0
Col. PIunkett's Command AnnihiIated
Troops Attacked by overwheIm.
ing Force Of Natives.

London, April 24.-The war Office
today received from Brigadier Genera,
Manning, in command Of the British
forces in Somaliland, a dispatch dated
20 miles west of Galadi, somaliland
April 49,, as follows:
Il regret to report that column un.
der command of Colonel Cobbe, which
left Galadi April 10 to reconnoiter the
road to Walwal, had a most serious
check April II. On the morning OF
April II Colonel Cobbe was at Gum.
berru, 40 miles west of Galadi and
had decided to return to Galadi, ow-
ing to the serious difficulty in finding
the road to Walwal and to the short.
ness of water. He was about to leave
his zareba protected camp when 1r-
ing was heard in the direction of a
small party under command Of Capt.
Olivey, which had been sent in a west
erly direction to reconnoiter. At 9:15
in the morning Colonel Cobbe dis
patched Colonel Plunkett with 100
men of the second battalion Of the
Kings African rifles, 48 of the Second
Sikhs and two Maxim guns for the
extrication Of Captain Olivey If nee.
essary. AS a matter of fact Captain
Olivey had not been engaged. Colonel
Plunkett, on Joining the detachment,
continued to push on. At 11:45 Col
onel Cobbe heard "a heavy fire in the
direction taken by Colonel Plunkee
and about ! o'clock in the afternoon
a fugitive coming in reported that
Colonel Plunkett had been defeated
with heavy loss.
THE news has been fully corrobo.
rated since, and 1 have to report the
total loss of Colonel Plunkett's party,
with the exception of 81 Yaos, who
have arrived. 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 west of Gumber-
ru, 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 en-
envy until he had no more ammuni-
ton, when he formed a squadron and
charged with bayonets in the direc-
ton of Colonel Cobbe's zareba. He
moved some distance in this manner,
but a great many men, including Col.
Plunkett himself, were wounded by
the pursuing enemy.
"At last the enemy, overwhelming
the squad, massacred all except the
81 fugitives mentioned"
The dispatch closes with a list OF
the Officers and men missing and no
doubt killed in action" manly: Col.
A. w. v. Plunkett, Captains Johnston,
Stewart, Olivey, Norris and McKin-
non and L~ieutentants Gaynor and
Bell, all of the Kings African rifles;
Captain Wisely, of the Second Sikahs;
Sims, of the India medical
staff; two privates, 48 men of the Sec
and Sakahs and 124 men of the Afri-
can rifles.
Tho txUn Movim Gums Nnrn o1Sn 1nCf |
Another dispatch from General Man
ming, who, on hearing of the defeat
Plunkett, started for Gummberru
with AGO men, says further informa-
ton has reached him from Colonel
Plunkett to the effect that the latter,
22O troops, was encamped with
plenty of food anu supplies and four
days water. He has about a thousand
and does not think he can
from his position without
assistance, because the scrub is thick
and the enemy's forces seem likely
TO act on the offensive.
General Manning adds: 81 march
again directly and expect to arrive at
Iummberru at noon tomorrow.
II shall accomplish the e~xtrication
If Colonel Cobbe with as much trans
port as possible and return to Galadi.
can only carry sufficient water for
he march to Gummberru, returning
l shall, therefore, be unable
% advance against the enemy if the
after holds back"