In the Soudan. Report on the Recent Massacre of Italian Troops.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 195, 19 March 1887, Page 2

In the Soudan. Report on the Recent Massacre of Italian Troops.

The Italian Commander at Maesowah has reported as follows : Boretti, commanding at Saati, on January 25th , at 11 a.m., saw the heights occupied by a thousand Abyssian?, who disappeared on the firing of some shelta. Boretti sent out a party under Lieutenant Como, who surprised and engaged the enemy. The latter advanced intrepidly on all eide3 to within 300 yards of thelialiuii positions. There was desperate fighting untft 5 o'clock, when the enemy retreated. Boretti applied for re-enforce-ments, and the General sent a column under Colonel Decristoforis. The column was delayed by difficulty in transports tion, and Decristoforis asked for more men and gunß While ro-euforcement& were ou the way it was learned that Decristoforis' column had been massacred after forming a square and defe n ding themselves to the last man and cartridge. The relief party found the bodies lying in the order in which the men fought and the enemy retiring. Many of the corpses were mutilated.