NIGHT ATTACK ON A FRENCH FORCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 146, 11 June 1908, Page 4

NIGHT ATTACK ON A FRENCH FORCE

DESPERATE BATTLE WITH 5000 TRIBESMEN, 2000 KILLED. Parte, April 17. Five thousand Berber tribesmen attacked the French troops- at Talzaza, 20 | miles west of the oasis of Figuig, over tlie Algerian frontier in Morocco, at midnight 011 Wednesday, and after desperate fighting, which lasted for six hours, were routed with about 2000 killed. The French lost 28 killed, including o*e officer, and ten officers- and 00 noncommissioned officers and men were wounded. i . {• According to the official report of the ba'tlc sent by Colonel Pierron from Menabba the attacking force consisted of 2000 foot Soldiers and .'WOO horsemen, armed with magazine rifles and abun-

dant ammunition. They first drove away a Salman outpost placed on a liill ?iprth of Meuaibba. and then advanced against the French main column, A detachment of the Foreign Legion, which displayed splendid courage, was sent against the tribesmen, and eventually drove them irom the. position they had captured. They reired in swell haste tdiat theyi left behind a number of rifles, The other French troops t'hen jprcsued against the enemy, and the latter were virtually routed, alhough they made repeated attempt* 0 rally their scattered forces. The cavalry pursued the Moors for seven miles from camp, and s-uceeedV..,* in separating them into two bodies. One disappeared toward the cast, while the other tried to reach Megoub. Ooltojnel Pierron states that the attack by t'he

enemy was of a most determined char-! acter, and but for the gallant efforts of the Foreign Legion would have inflicted serious losses-. Prior to tlie Moors being dislodged by thi« Foreign Legion, they poured a destructive lire into the French camp. Practically all the French Josses were sustained by the Foreign Legion. The Moors made 110 attempt to carry oil' their dead or wounded. ( olonel Piorron lias l moved his camp and it is believed that further j'op'.cra'tions against the natives will takp p)ace immediately,