THE SOMALI TROUBLE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12996, 11 December 1902, Page 5

THE SOMALI TROUBLE.

THE FIGHT NEAR EREGO. TERRIBLE CHARGE BY SPEARMEN. The following account of the fighting in Somaliiaiul, between Colonel Swayne's force and the adherents of tho Mullah, on Oct, 6, is 'by the special correspondent of the "Daily Mail," who telegraphed it from Aden on»Oct. 2-5: After months of ineffective manoeuvring, a severe engagement has been fought between the British force, under_Colonel S'wayne, and the adherents of the Mad Mullah. Leaving a strong garrison at Bchotle, the field force concentrated early in October to the north-east of the waterless desert of the Haud, in readiness to advance against the Mullah at ■Mudug, some 120 miles in a south-westerly direction. Mudug had been the Mullah's headquarters all the summer, and thence he had sent out his raidinsr parties, which principally came into touch with ours in the valley of the Nogal, to tho north-east. His original idea had been a. good one. He retired to Mudug, and strongly fortified the wells by stockades, ■ with the intention that when Colonel Swayne's force had crossed the waterless desert ho woidd be in a strong position, holding the only water available. Tlius the British would be obliged to attack him at an enormous disadvantage, and, in case of a reverse, would be compelled to retire' with hardly any water, while he liarrawed the retreat with his horsemen, of whom ho' had some thousand's. Circumstances, however, tended to spoil his plans. Tho rains ceased, everything dried up, the grass for miles round Mudug was famished, there was not enough water in the wells for his forces and live stock, and the British did not advance. SURPRISED BY RIFLE PITS. Reports soon reached Colonel Swayne, showing the result of the terrible heat. First cam© the news that the Mullah's live stock w'ere dying, in thousands, his loss in ponies being "enormous, this depriving him, of his greatest safeguard—extreme mobility 1 —and also the. power of raiding. The British troops, moreover, held all the water north and west. Finally, towards the beginning of October, it was reported that the Mullah's force had scattered, and that he himself had only a few rifles left with him. Tho concentration of the British .force was therefore ordered, and its strength had been increased by the arrival of 300 men of the 2nd Battalion Central African Regiment and a consignment of 60 Sikhs. The. advance was practically commenced on. Oct. 4, .and the operations were looked forward to with\tbe keenest anxiety, it being anticipated there would be a chance of an early decisive engagement, from which the capture of the Mullah, or, at least, the final break-up of his force, was to be expected. The force. was in perfect condition, and the health of the officers was excellent. .The advance, which was from the north-east, and therefore in a south-westerly direction towards Mudug, was rapid and uneventful till the morning of Oct. 6. There, at an early hour, and about- ten miles south of Badelo Erego, we came on tli© Mullah's force, strongly posted in a, number of extended rifle pits, cleverly chosen, while the bush terribly hampered our men.,. A DEADLY RUSH. The enemy opened a hot fire, but our force rapidly prepared to beat off the attack, when.'suddenly a. large force of spearsmen, numbering 2000, and making a, flanking rush from tho bush, charged through our transport, doing much damage. There was here fierce hand-to-hand fighting, while, the enemy'.? riflemen hotly engaged our front, especially the right and left flanks. The fighting lasted two. and a-half hours. The enemy.' although repulsed, came on with great courage dm the face of an appalling fire from, some 2000 of our own rifles/ four machine guns, and two _ 7poundsrs, all being continuously in action. The corps under Colonel G. E. Phillips, who communed on the left, suffered very severely, but the regular black troops behaved with great courage and dash, three companies of the 2nd King's African Rifles, under Major Plunkett, and two companies of the 6th King's African, Rifles, under Major Sharpe, inflicting heavy loss on the enemy. Colonpl Swayr.e kept his force well in hand, and, controlling the advance in person, finally drove off the enemy. Our force then formed zariba., -entrenched itself, and collected the transport camels. These had -been frightened away in. -every direction in the dense bush, which was so thick that we were unable to see, ahead of us for more than twenty yards. At five o'clock in the evening, the enemy gathered again, •atd commenced vo harass us. Accordingly, Colonel Sv.-ayne and three companies made a sortie and routed them, recovering raan-v transport animals. After that we, were left alone.for the re.-t of the day. Next mommar our force, moved to an open ulain, s. : x mile? off, where there is a splendid 1 supply of water. T rccret to report that Colonel Phillips way killed while gallantly leading his men. and that C'antain Angus, of the South African Rifles, fell while serving his guns. Colonel Phillips had been through the 1901 operations, and, as few knew Snmalilar.d better than he, his death is a areatloss to the force. The other casualties among the officers are Captain Howard and Lieutenant Everett slightly wounded'. Of the men. about 50 were 'killed and 100 wounded. The enemy's losses were severe, some 200 dead being found/' close to the scene of action.