THE WAR IN SAMOA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXII, Issue XVI, 22 April 1899, Page 517

THE WAR IN SAMOA.

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE RECENT ENGAGEMENT AT VAILELE, ALSO PHOTOS AND SKETCHES OF IMPORTANT EVENTS.

THE FIGHT AT VAILELE. We are able this week to present our readers with an interesting series of pictures descriptive of recent events in Samoa. Unfortunately the most prominent of our illustrations have reference to the fatal fight at Vailele, in which seven officers and men of the American and English land force were killed, and seven others wounded. The landing party consisted of 110 British ami American sailors and 150 Malietoa natives, the whole being under the command of Lieutenant Freeman of the Tauranga. The other officers were Lieutenant Cave (H.M.S. Porpoise), Lieutenant Hickman (H.M.S. Itoyalist), Lieutenant Lansdale and Ensign (Sub-Lieutenant) Monaghan of the Philadelphia. Mr Macdonald (surveyor), Mr James Mackie, and Dr. Lang, surgeon of the Philadelphia, also accompanied the column which marched along the beach from Apia to the Vailele plantation. After several native villages had been shelled by the war vessels and occupied by the land force, the latter turned homewards, taking the inland road. After they had proceeded some distance and had just crossed a small stream with steep banks, they were surprised by a large body of the enemy lying in ambush, who poured into the column a hail of bullets. The Europeans were at once extended in skirmishing order, and opened fire on the. enemy, who were seen to be in large numbers with new- rifles, and also with the Colt automatic machine gun. Several volleys were fired by the machine gun, then it suddenly jammed and refused to work. Brisk rifle firing was kept up, and Mataafa's white-capped fighting men fell back and disappeared in the shadows of the bush. A halt was ordered and Lieut. Lansdale and the Philadelphia's gunner spent nearly half an hour trying to put the machine gun right. In this encounter one of the Europeans was wounded, and a Samoan woman was also hurt. The order being given to resume the march, the force proceeded along the bush road in the direction of Apia. When about half a mile further had been covered the enemy were again encountered in large numbers amongst the cocoanut trees. They attacked the column in force, and it was reckoned that there were at least 800 of Mataafa’s men engaged. Soon after the men in ambush made their presence known Lieut. Lansdale

opened fire on them with his machiue gun, which when in proper working order was capable of tiring 400 bullets a minute, .After a few rounds had been tired, however, the gun jammed again and became quite useless. Lieut. Lansdale once more tried to get it to work, and while so engaged lie was wounded, a bullet striking him just above the knee. the friendly natives met a heavytire irom three sides while they were in the valjey of the Vaivase, and as they had been given only a small supply <>i ammunition, and had tired ill their cartridges, they retreated towards Apia. They behaved well throughout, but having no ammunition were forced to leave the scene in a hurry, v It was then that Mr Lansdale received another bullet wound, and Ensign Monaghan, who went to his help, was also wounded. As the skirmishing continued and the rebels were seen to be in great force it was decided to make for the beach again. Between the AngloAmerican force and the beach were two barbed wire fences, which were soon cut by Mr Freeman’s orders. It was felt that the path of safety -vas along the beach, and that if the attempt to reach Apia through the bush was continued the force would

be completely surrounded and decimated by the enemy. The ‘Retreat’ was sounded on the bugle by Mr Freeman’s orders, and the column headed due north through the bu-b and undergrowth to the beach, fighting as they went.

Several men had been hit by this time, one or two being killed, ami it was found very difficult to carry them off through the bush and over the rough ground.

A few of friendly Samoans who had some cartridges left, were busily engaging the enemy on the eastern flank, with four British bluejackets, who kept bravely at their position till the last.

Lieut. Freeman, finding that the American portion of the force in charge of the Colt gun did not retreat when the bugle sounded returned to them to a little rise where the gun party were firing briskly with their rifles at the rebels. Just as he approached the top of the hill a bullet struck him in the chest and he fell dead, shot through the heart las was found afterwards). Some of his men tried to carry him oft, but as he was a big man and heavy they had to leave him to -ave their own lives, the country o-ing very rough.

The Mataafa natives all the time kept up a constant fire on the retreating' force, which was now on the march for the sea coast, leaving their dead and wounded on the field of battle. Numbers of the rebels were seen to be firing from cocoauut trees, where they had good positions for sharp shooting. Several of tueni were shot while up the trees, and in some eases the bullets went right through the trees and struck the natives behind them. The various British and American companies were by this time making across country for the beach, under a hot fire from the natives, who were all around them. The machine gun had to be left in the bush, with ;il> nt 2000 rounds of ammunition. The manner in which two American officers met their death was sad and touching. Lieut. Lonsdale, Ensign Monaghan, and a small party oi British and American bluejackets v, ere together, soon after the gun jammed, when Air Lansdale was shot through the leg. Ensign Monaghan and two American sailors cried to assist the officer and one of the sailors was then shot down. Lansdale told the other to retreat and save himself, which the man did. Hurst, a seaman belonging to H.M.S. Porpoise, then came up and heard Lansdale say that he was done for, and urge Alonaghan to leave him. Alonaghan, however, did not, but bravely stuck to his wounded friend, meeting his death heroically while endeavouring to protect Lansdale. A bullet stria K Lansdale i nrough th ■ heart, and he fell dead. Alonaghan, still defending himself, was shot through the breast a few seconds afterwards, and fell dead near the fellow officer whom he had stood by to the last.

The gnu squad of which Mr Lansdale had charge was in the rear during the retreat, and therefore exposed to the heaviest fire.

As the retreating force approached the beach and came in view of H.M S. Royalist, that vessel sent a shell into the place just vacated by the Europeans, and it burst in the middle of the rebels. A loud cheer was given by the survivors as they emerged into the open, and they then started to throw up earthworks on the beach. By this time it was dark. Communication was established with the Royalist, and the wounded (who had been carried or had walked through ifie bush) were taken off to the ship in boats.

Several more shells were fired by the Royalist into the bush and the. Vailele plantation, but it was impossible to see what damage was done. Mr MacDonald who guided a stretcher party through the bush towards the sea caught a horse at Ma-

tautu and rode into Apia with the news. He met Capt. White of ihe Philadelphia and told him what bad happened, and the captain at once signalled for reinforcements, vvnlch were landed from the British mid American ships. The reinforcements at once marched out along the beach ar. 1 met the retreating party. It was not known then that the American officers were killed; it was thought they might be in hiding, though wounded. TAMASESE'S FORCE ODES OCT. HEADLESS B.iO.mS RECOVERED. Tamesese, the vice-king, was sent for, and late the same night he and about 350 Malietoa men went out to search at Vailele for the missing officers and men. Early on Sunday morning they returned, bringing in the bodies of seven dead. The bodies

of Lieut. Freeman. Lieut. Lonsdale, and Ensign Monaghan were headless, these officers, who were recognised by the enemy as chiefs by their uniforms and swords, having been decapitated by Afataafa's men. aceo cling to Samoan custom. The ears were cut off the bodies of the dead sailois, and taken to Mataafa as a tally of the slain. On Sunday afternoon some of he French Roman Catholic priests volunteered to go out to Mataaia's <nmp for the heads. Late in the afternoon they brought back the neads of the three officers wrapped in native mats. The heads were buried wit! Ihe other remains of the officers. The funeral took place on Sunday at Mulinuu Point, the American chaplain reading the English burial .service over the graves of those no died so bravely. All the Apia pe >pie attended the funerals, and the coffins were covered with flowers.