RI &? THE PITTSBURG DISPATCH THE PITTSBURG DISPATCH. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27. 1892. THIRD PART. PAGES 17 TO 24. ill DARKBUFHICH Desperate Battle Being Fonght for a Slice of the Big Continent AMAZON WARRIOBS A FACT. A Campaign That Has Placed Da homey at the Mercy of France. came to that city the more numerous they found the lines of defense. Behanzin knew just where to plaoe these fortifications, lor, as the whites were using the Whemeasahighway.heknewtheywould ascend it until they reached Tohus, whencn the only fair road to the capital leares the rirer; and it was necessary for the French to use this road because tlie forest is very dense between the rirer and Abomey, anil the in Taders could take no other route, save at great cost or time and energy. Colonel Dodds' first bard fight was at the little hamlet of Takn, where bis column was attacked by a small force. He cap tured the town, and drove the enemy before him as he still advanced along the left bank. Fire more hard fights occurred be fore the armv reached Tohue, when Colonel Dodds turned west to Abomey. In two of these battles the Dahomeyans brought at least 4,000 men and women sol- the French Government. From Porto Novo they were telegraphed to the coast. These dispatches have very concisely summed up the progress of the expedition. The couriers traveled with great rapidity and the dis patch from Canna was cabled to Paris four days after it was sent. This, however, is not quite so expeditions as the time made by Behamin'i runners who, stationed in relays along the road between Abomey and Whydah, have 'carried his messages to the coast in a single dar. Details ot 'the fight ing have been received from French officers with the expedition. Colonel Dodds has been promoted to the rank of Brigadier Genera) tor the great suc cess he has nohieved. His iamily tor some generations bare lived in Senegal and his grandfather married a Fulbe woman so that Colonel Dodds has a considerable admixture of native blood in his veins. He is CO years old and has made a splendid record in the COURAGE OF THE NATI7E FORCES. ETtry Approach to Their Capital Eeslsted to the Utmost THE LEADER OF THE INVADING ABUT C wiunut TOR THE DisriTcH.3 It is over three months since France be gan her second war with Dahomey. Colonel Dodds led into the field nearly 4.000 sol diers, mostly Senegalese and Porto Novana, "With only 125 miles between his camp on the coast and Abomey he advanced with the greatest caution, and in the last half of his Journey the desperate enemy contested nearly eTery step of the way. Colonel Dodds has always been noted for careful attention to the well being of his troops. In one of his expeditions ..gainst Benegambian rebels, a lew years ago, he provMea camels for all nis European soldiers that he might spare them the terrible discomfort of tramping in that tropical region. After some ot his hard est fights with the Amazons of King Behan zin, Colonel Dodds kept quietly in camo for day or two to let his men rest. Some times also he found it necessary to halt for a few days in order thathts porters, several thousands in number, who carried food for feP ft i " zTttlszsyssjr ,$$'' MR. HARRISON TALKS While Engaged in the Preparation of His ilessage to Congress. NO CHANGE IN TARIFF VIEWS Because of the reverses f nstained in the Becent Mection. PREFERS PENCIL TO STENOGRAPHER TKB XUTO AUD HIS AMAZON OUXKD. - Cdtm&Do&dt. the army, conld go to Porto 2Tovo and re turn with fresh supplies. "Colonel Dodds becan on August 17 to as cend the Wheme river. This is the first time the Wheme ha been nsed as a high way by an invading armr. The Kings of Danomey have always regarded the Wheme as defensively the weak point of their coun try, ana lor generations they kept It closely guarded so that no stranger might use it as highway into the interior. An Exploration of the River. It was not until 1875 that Father Baudin, of the French Missions, eluded the Daho mevan Guards and paddled about forty miles up the river. Since the natives became better acquainted with the whites the Wheme has been ascended by several officials and explorers, inclu ding Ballot and Skertchly. These trav elers found that light draught steamers could easily ascend the tortuons stream to within 25 miles of Abomey; and .when the French decided last winter to punish fool ish young King Behanzin for his arrogant threaiB and disregard ol treat r obligations, it was decide'! to use the Wheme as a nigh way to the neighborhood of the capital. His three little vessels, two of them gun boat', could notcirrya third of Colonel Dodds' force and supplier The cavalry horses and their riders, for the most part, ascended on the boats; heavy artillery wazons dragged by natives went in advance crushing a road through the jungle and for est along the river bank, for the greater part of the expedition. Two or three thousand porters were always on the march between strong detachments of soldiers carrying the supplies; and other large bands of carriers were tramping to and fro along the road thus made, replenishing the com missary department from the abounding markets of Porto Nova Colonel Dod Is had been onl v five days on his journey when the trouble began. The well-wooded district through which the in fantry were marching affirmed the best ot shelter for the enemy, and for days hardly an hour passed that the ambushed soldiers of Behanzin were not firing into the ad van c- Dahomty Soldier. fng column. The enemy did not appear in strong force, however, and were easily forced back. The Native IIan of Defense. Behanzin had thoroughly planned his defense. He did not intend to offer serious battle until the French were far inland. If he then succeeded in defeating them he hoped to ii ipe them out before reinforce ments could reach them or they could flee to the coast. It was not until .Colonel Dodds had adaaced about 50 miles uothe river that he came within sight of the first earthworks which the enemy had built crossing the route along which the invader was advancing. If defeated in his first terioni stand, Behanzin intended to fall back 10 or 12 miles to another line of fortifications, and in this way he had pre pared for a possible retreat of his array all the way to Abomey. The nearer tat Frenoh diers into action. The loss of the natives was heavy, for the French had the best of rifles and artihery. The Dahomeyans fought with the greatest o-mrage, and at the battle of Dogba, where the King's brother led the charge, 30 of the women warriors were killed almost at the muzzles of the cannon. They had a large supply of ammunition,but wasted tne most of it. Their guns, contrary to many reports, were of in ferior quality, and they were slow in load ing them. In firing they held the butt of the weapons under their arms and blazed away, most of their shots whizzing above the heads of the Faench forces. All these battles occurred in the timber, and on two occasions the natives surprised the French early in the morning by rushing unheralded npon the advancing force. This is their favorite mode of attack. When pos sible they always endeavor to swarm in up on and overwhelm an enemy early intheday belore he has stirred from camp. It was estimated on October 2 when Colonel Dodds left the river and began his overland march to Abomey that Behanzin had already lost a third of his fighting lorce. About 5,000 men and women had been killed or wounded. Behanzin had been compelled to keep a large force on the road between his advanced posts and the capital to replenish his tood supplies. He had also found it necessary to return to the capital himself tor a fortnight to quell a revolution that broke out in his absence. His uncle and elder brother were leaders of the revolt and their party fled to the North when the King with all his reserve troops suddenly ap peared on the scene. The young man exhibted the most des perate courage. Probably long before Dodds reached the neighborhood of Abomey, the King bitterly regretted his foolhardy reck lessness in making enemies of the French. It was too late, however, to retrieve the blunder. With the Utmost Desperation. All he could do was to fight with the utmost desperation for his throne and that he did. He had no sooner returned to his force at the lront than he sent word to Colonel Dodds that unless he at once turned back to the sea he would annihilate him. He said he bad held the flower of his army and the best of his equipment in reserve, and would not permit the French to ad vance another inch into his country. This was purebraggadocio. Colonel Dodds paid no attention to the empty threat, but as soon as his force and supplies had been landed at Tahue, he started h est for the sacred town ot Canna and the capital. Then Behanzin's lrantie efforts to stop the invaders were redoubled. Fortifica tions had been erected every three or four miles across the road. The entire Dahom eyan army was now at the front. Every day for five days the native army threw it self with the utmost desperation upon the enemy. The French vigorously repulsed each attack and the natives suffered great loss. As a result 91 this lighting Behanzin asked for a parley. Colonel Dodds said that he would talk with the King provided he would first evacuate the deienses which he had erected along the Koto river. Behanzin refused to give up this line of defense and next day the column again advanced. It had been reinforced by fresh arrivals from the coast, and in two days more it had captured the strongest lines of fortifications it has yet met on tne n.o;o river ana naa also scaled two lines of entrenchments beyond Akpa. In these later aSairs the French lost 87 killed and wounded and in the first 20 miles ot their march from the Wheme the French loss was 27 killed and 161 wounded. A Practically Continuous Battle. Colonel Dodds' forces were tired out with almost incessant fighting, and four miles lrom Canna he paused to give his troops a rest. A large number of his carriers were provided with hammocks and carried the wounded back over the hard-won road and down the river to Porto Nova A strong force of soldiers went with them as an escort, Dodds did not intend to advance again until 1,000 porters who were supposed to be on the road from Porto Novo with supplies reached him. Three days later the supplies came and then Colonel Dodds easily drove the enemy out of the sacred town where the bones of a long line of Dahomey's Kings are buried. Behanzin now retired to the new lines of fortifications with which he had surrounded ADomey eignt mues beyond: Canna, One of our pictures shows the plan ot the most important part of the city. About the middle of November Colonel Dodds began the siege of Abomey. He had found that in the last two or three battles, culmi nating with the evacuation of Canna, the resistance of the Dahomeyans had become less and less serious. They had time and fttrftin .n thlr pnmrt(Ti mn J.... !. o - - .... ... .... uwnu UUVVU UY grape shot at the muzzles of the French guns, and had become greatly dis heartened. Behanzin had a few Krupp and cauister guns which were badly served and some of them were disabled by the French artillery. It seemed evident, however, that the enemy would make a des perate attempt to save their cause by pre venting the French from entering the capi tal. Colonel Dodds' plan was to invest this town ol 12,000 people and wait until addi tional forces were sent to him from the coast belore attempting aggressive measures. Caution is one of his most admirable char acteristics; and having- carried everything before him to the gates of the capital he did not intend to risk all in the final battles without a force adequate to insure his victory. Progress of the Expedition. All through the campaign Dodds has been able, every week or so, to dispatch couriers to Porto Novo with dispatches for wars which France has waged both in Sene gal and in Tonkin. The French nation has watohed the pro gress ot the campaign with the greatest in terest, and not a few canards have been manufactured in Paris to meet the demands foi news. Some of these sensational lie, as the alleged murder of Behanzin, the fall of Abomey, and the execution of the white men tound in Behanzin's service have been cabled to this country. France now has a once powerful native African state at her feet. Bhe can and undoubtedly will make the conquered state owe ot the most valua ble of her African possessions. Cybtjs 0. Adams. rcomxsroirnxirci or the dispatch. Washington, Nov. 26. The President has almost completed his annual message to Congress. For two weeks he has been working on it as steadily as' the other de mands of pnblio business would permit; and within the next week it will have been rounded off, read to the Cabinet, approved and will be ready to go Congress. It will probably be sent to the Capitol in the hands of Assistant Private Secretary Prnden on Tuesday, the day following the Monday on which Congress meets. The President has followed a new me'.hod of work in preparing his annual message this year; a fact which makes the work of preparation more interesting. This mes sage is of particular interest, too, because it will be the last annual message which President Harrison will send to Congress. A gentleman who called at the White House found him with a little pad of "scratch paper" in front of him, a pencil in his hand, working out an idea. It has been the custom of the President in past years to write his messages to Congress in this way sitting at his desk in his office 'at the White House or in his room, writing when his fancy seized him or when some idea was suggested to his mind. Working as Never Before. The attitude suggested the annual message, and his visitor suggested it and asked the President if he was working on it. The President said: "I am doing some thing 1 nave never acme belore. x am dic tating my message to a stenographer this year. I find that the physical effort of writing on this pad of paper" and he picked up the pad and held it in his hand as he spoke "its exhausting. It wearies me." The President looked weary as he spoke. There is not an unhealthy look in his face, but there lies in it to-day the expression ot deep sorrow. It is seamed with wrinkles. Tne visitor noticed, too, that on the pad where the President had been writing the lines were not straight and the letters were straggling and ill-formed. Ordinarily the President's handwriting is as clear, precise and neat as that? ot a woman. The great strain of the long davi of Mrs. Harrison's last illness has told MR. MEANTWELL AND -THE THANKSGIVING TURKEY. 1 Contemplation. U- m - AFTER A HEW STATE. Part of the Kansas People Want to Leave the Calamity Crowd. Commencing Action. In Fierce Combat. upon him. Before they came, he was a man of tireless energy. Work never seemed to exhaust him. Particularly was' this true of mental labor. Like Mr. Mil ler's (the Attorney General) the President's ideas flow slowly and steadily and be grasps bis subject with a completeness tht is wonderful He used to sit for hours at a time at his desk writing steadily, never changing a word or altering the position of a comma, so perfectly and so accurately did bis thoughts frame themselves. Prefers Pencil to Stenographer. "I prefer to write my message myself," said the ..PresMent, continuing. "My thoughts flow more freely from the pencil and my words as thev appear on the paper arr.an inspiration to me. But, I find nor that I become exhausted. And I find too that I cannot fix my mind on my subject so steadily when I am writing with a pencil. My thoughts wander away from the subjeot before I have written down the words that come to me. I would greatly prefer to write out my message, tor I find that my language is stronger, my sentences better rounded wnen 1 put them on paper mvselt. Heretofore I have always sat down at my desk when I felt like writing and worked for a time. But I found that people inter rupted me constantly when I was in the middle of a paragraph and so distracted me that I have been obliged to set apart a cer tain time for my work and to sit down with mv stenographer then and dictate to him." I Th nniriininan nf ihn TTnita1 Gfat. are taking a great interest in what you may say on the tariff question," said the visitor. "It looks as though it were Mo Kinleyism that bad defeated the Republi can party, and they were very anxious to know whether you will modify your views on the subject of protection in this mes sage." No Change In Tariff Views. The President had thrown himself into his chair, prepared to take up his work again. He leaned back and, looking his ' tyl A Fruitlea Charge. W THE WESTERN END ALL EIGHT, And the Yoters of That Section EepudlaU Simpson and refer. A PE0P08ED APPEAL TO CONGRESS $ A Reinforcement visitor squarely in the face, he said: "The newspapers of the United States ought to know me well enough to believe that when I advocate a' system I am not going to change my views merely because of a de feat in election." With that the interview closed. The President gives up two hours to his visitors every morning. These are men who call to. see him about public affairs. When he has disposed of their business, the President shuts himself into his office, summons his stenographer and continues the work of preparing his annual message. The PresMent sits at the big desk which was made of the timbers of the ship Beso Inte and presented to the President ot the United States by Queen Victoria. Mr. Tibbott sits at one end of the desk, his note book in front of him. Before the President arc the notes which he has made at odd intervals when thoughts have come to him suggesting ideas to be developed In the message. Scotch and Irish whisky by the quart, gal lon or cask at Max Klein's. HOLIDAY SNAPS AI Solomon St Rnben's. An Immense assortment of smoking Jackets, dres-lnr (towns ami house ooms In fancy silts, niixtnreo, attractive olalds, Bed ford cords and velvets. Prices from ti 50 up to us. Foot Floors and as Many Galleries Filled with Christmas good'. Every one a girt useful as well as ornamental. P. C 'CIIOEXECK ft Sox, 711 Liberty avenue. M3 suits or natural won and camel's hair underwear, heavy weights. sell to-morrow at 86 c-ntsa suit, at Sailer's, corner famith field and Diamond 'streets. TOPZKA, Kaw., Nov. 26. A great sur prise was sprung on the people of Kansas by the announcement that leading Repub lican politicians of Western Kansas have organized lor the purpose of dividing the State. The plans are well laid and the matter will be urged on the Legislature the coming session. It Is be lieved that body will be favorable to tha scheme. The organization includes a strong committee of Democrats anil Republicans, who will go to Washington early in the se sion and lobby the matter through, to the end that favorable action may be taken there as soon as the Kansas Legislature acts and prescribes the metes and bounds of the new State. The movers in this matter set up that Western Kansas has always stood loyally by the Republican party, and beat back calamity because the success of that party in the State would affect the West mora than any other section, for the reason that they are 'building and improving on bor rowed money from the East. The calamity party in power 'in the State, ail capital would be withdrawn, mortgages fore closed when due, and the people's homes, that they have worked hard to savo, would be sacrificed. They further cite that in 1890 the new connties of the West saved the Republican State ticket from defeat, and the credit of the State, bv giving !t majorities sufficient to overcome the Al liance majority In the Eastern end. They propose to divide the State on tha west line of Jewell, Mitchell, Lincoln, Ellsworth, Rice, Reno, Kingman and Harper counties, mading West Kansas 200 miles square. The vote of this part ot the State at the recent erection shows a Re publican majority of 5,000, and if the scheme goes through tbey figure on a popu lation sufficient for three Congressmen, who, they claim, will be Republican, no matter bow the new State is districted. W. R. Hopkins, member from Finney county and one of the originators of the scheme, is making his canvass for Speakei on this issue, and the further fact that the West saved tha House to the Republic S, W hen in doubt where to buy IT'S SAFE TO GOTO ..;... 'nwnmmnmKmmmmmmmmmmimmmamKmmmmKmimmBmmmmmammmmmmimm WE MAKE COMPARATIVELY LIT TLE NOISE IN THE PAPERS, BUT OUR BARGAINS CALL FORTH THUNDERS OF APPLAUSE. 1 i A SUNDAY THOUGHT What good can I do to-day? Read this advertisement A few minutes' time spent in its perusal will put you in communication with the largest and DeSt Selected StOCk Of HoUSftflirnifirnrtCrs in t.hlH nit.TT Dlir TirVinla acarvr.ma-n-f-. TMiaonno n 4--r, ffTi. rU;U -rr,'n o4A-isf- nf nr, lioT-M-if-rt TTTn V,t u .-.. to WU..IW v.j, wu. nuuiu wuuwi uiuouu kiiopouuo di UVJ1J.O ui C&.WCLLOLHJO WLLlUii wiu owiniu s-x uu uiouuuo- vv o uavrj ULIO SUOCK. une vaneLV. 'Knftsr.VIA a.nri minta nnroo Trrhinh inrlnrsQ.ViQ fn falls - mmnlionA. ,, i. t.;l- 4- v,-. rv., l-A,-.n-mn-n4-n rvf-mM 4 ment and the needs of j-iuuooiuiiuaiuuga m ouis uiuy. uur wnoie assortment presents a tone or excellence wmen win aomit 01 no dispute, w e nave tne style and quote prices which induce the intelligent purchaser to pause, to think, to buy. Our inducements strike the taste, judg f the buyer, AND THAT'S WHY OUR BUSINESS INCREASES. : : : : : : : : : s : : : 4 ; BEDROOM m mr We know the value of room and are willing to make a sacrifice in price to get it at this time of year when an immense stock of Christmas goods is being un packed. In our mammoth stock of Bedroom Sets you'll now find some . splendid opportunities. They are all perfect, the styles are new and we have them in all desirable woods and finish. There isn't a store in town can show you the variety and assortment to choose from, and if you think to match our prices for a similar high class of goods you will simply waste time. We Sell for Cash Or We Give the Most Liberal Credit Terms Obtainable Anywhere. You can get the goods you need at once and pay for them as you can spare it Hundreds find this a great convenience. We don't charge an excessive price for the accommodation as some do. THE HOLIDAY BAZAR Is getting into shape fast Most of the goods are un packed and a truly elegant assortment we shall show you this season. "Too early," say you. Not a bit of it Now's the nick of time' to cast about look at, compare, get a knowledge of what your money will buy, so that; in the near future you may spend it judiciously. I AN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Makes an elegant and appropriate Christmas present and is almost sure to be appreciated. We have added to the regular stock hundreds of artistic and beautiful pieces from those costing only a dollar or so up to the most costly made. Carpets BOOK OASES. DESKS, PIGTURES, LAMPS, ' SIDEBOARDS, Our Level Best That's our way of get ting hold of the public confidence. We do our best and it is fully appreciated. 0L00KS, BRONZES, ONYX TABLES, R00KERS, t LAOE CURTAINS. And scores of other useful and ornamental suitable for presents.. The old saw, "competition is the life of trade," has never been more forcibly illustrated than at the pres ent time. Never is any previous season have we sold so many Carpets. We are not at all alarmed at your' getting prices elsewhere, for if we cannot do better by you than others we can't honestly ask your patronage. We know we can; we know the Carpet market thoroughly, and have implicit confidence in our ability to serve you as much to your advantage as our owa Our immense' stock includes everything in the Car 's pet line that's 'worth handling, Late, pretty, striking styles that please the eye, and qualities that will more than satisfy. Pleasing prices. Don't Let Go Of your dollars until you have tested who sells the cheapest and where you can do the best Don't trust to newspaper advertising. Come and see for your selves. We can convince you of the truth of every claim we make, and when you see how well prepared we are to serve you you'll say the half has not been told. 323, 325, 327 PENN AVENUE. I f We touch the sensi tive pocket nerve of the public by our low range of prices on really reliable goods. 1 ,t jammmm , tM
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