THE SAMOAN WAR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11396, 13 April 1899, Page 2

THE SAMOAN WAR.

SHARP FIGHTING WITH THE

REBELS,

THREE OFFICERS KILLED,

HEROIC CONDUCT OF -THE MEN.

ASSISTANCE FROM NEW ZEALAND

SUGGESTED.

MATAAFA WILL FIGHT TO THE

DEATH,

(FnoM Qua Special, Co_,_,espondeni_ at Samoa.)

[Telegraphed from Auckland.]

APIA, April 12.

Though evory ohanco was given to Mataafa, with the view of' preventing furthor bloodshed, ho has noted on. tho advice of the German consul and refused to come in, and the rebels have continued their depredations.

We had a battle at Mangiiuigi on the 29th March, when several of the rebels were killed orwoiijided. Captain Stuart headed an expedition of armed cutters up the coast to Mataafa's stronghold at Malia on Good Friday. Lieutenant Gaunt and the British • consul were ■ with the friendlios. There was sharp .skirmishing with the rebels on shore. Gaunt'drovc them out of the stone fort, a few being killed.- On returning tha. cutters wero attacked by the rebels on shore behind cover. Bullets fell thick around the boats. The British and Americans were absolutely cool and fearless, and replied with a hot fire from the Nordenfeldts.and one-poun-ders'. There wero some narrow escapes bul none of our men. were killed.

H.x_.S. Porpoise and Royalist went on a punitive expedition, and a sharp skirmish ensued at Dulunioentea, where wo were suddenly •fired on by the rebels from ,the Mission Stallion, Which was e-cupied by native teachers. Gaunt and .the Consul will! the friendlies again attacked bravely and the cutters fired .from inside'-tlie re-f. The- enemy's loss is unknown. One friendly -was wounded. A bullet entered his chest, struck his ribs, and grazed v lung. It was extracted by Dr -Andrews. Forty-six of Mataafa's boats and several. villages were 'destroyed. Meantime the flying: column was going daily along the roads, through the bush, near Apia.

On April 1 a force of 114 British and Americans and 150 friendlies were surprised by an ambush in the German plantation of Vailele. Tho. .rebels in force Opened a hot fire from 4he rear. The left flank and front friendlies bolted, but the marines and bluejackets stood their ground splendidly,' the Americans and British firing shoulder to shoulder and helping each other's wounded. The Colt automatic gun jammed, and the force was at the mercy of the rebels. The retreat had to be sounded three times before the British and Americans would retire.

Lieutenant Freeman, first lieutenant on H.M.S. Tauranga, who was in command, was shot through the heart, and First Lieutenant Lansdale, of the American warship Philadelphia, had his leg shattered while endeavouring to fix tho gun. Tho gun waß further disabled' and abandoned. Lansdale ' was helped by several, notably by Ensign- jManaghan, of the Philadelphia, who apparently stood by Ids comrade to the last. - Only when Lansdale was shot k-second time, through the lieart he did not,leave, and in,turn.was shot through the heart while retiring. Seaman Hunt, of the Porpoise, had.an extraordinary osoap.. '-He'was also with.Lansdale, till he was clubbed on the head and knockod senseless; He was revived by the natives cutting, off his right ear.' The' rebel? wore' turning him' round, to cut' off the Other: ear when a shell from tho Royalist burst on the battlefield, frightening the rebels, and Hunt escaped to the beach. He was also stabbed in the, foot the. same night. ■~,.-..

, The friendlios went put and found that tho bodies of all the officers had had their headcut off. The four men who were killed had their ears,cut off qnly. The bodies were buried at Mulinuu, on Easter Sunday.

The heads were subsequently brought in by'a Catholic priest, and it was then found that Freeman's ears were also cut off. The graves wero reopened and the heads out in the coffins with the bodies. Lansdale, in addition to a shattered leg, had a bullet through his heart.

Lieuts. Freeman and Lansdale were very capable and popular officers. The former was single, but the latter was married last June. The bravery Of Monaghan was worthy of, a Victoria Cross, Hunt already has two medals for saving life.

Seven men were killed, including two friendlies, but there were none wounded. Three officsrs out of six are dead. Those who returned are Cave, Porpoise; Hickman, Royalist; and Perkins,' Philadelphia. They all behaved splendidly, Care being in command while retreating. Captain Sturdee was away on an. expedition in the Porpoise; a _o Lieut. Gaunt and his friendlies. ..-.,.

Th. enemy lost' fifty tiled and many wounded. There was much blootWon the road where the rebels were dragging away their dead and wounded; also pools of blood behind the cocoanut trees, the bullets going right through thick trees and killing mcii behind them. Some of the rebels fired from the tops of cocoanut palms.

The manager of the German plantation has boen arrested and detained on the Tauranga. Four men and one officer have sworn an affidavit that thoy saw him amongst the rebels waving them on. The rebels fired near the town last night.

It is now proposed to get another warship and morq arms for the friendlies, and more friendlies irom Tutuila. It is suggested, also, to get men from New Zealand and Sydney. If there were plenty of arm? we could send 2000 friendlies into the bush, but they are not always brave, and may not do much.

Captains Stuart and Sturdee are doing everything that is possible, and everyone has reoognised that they could not have better men. The Americans also are much praised, and Admiral Kantz and White are recognised as tho right men in the right placo.

Mataafa. says he will not now give in. He will fight to the death.

[The above was issued as an extra yesterday.]