Chapter XXXIV: Fighting in the South

Colonel Moulin is perhaps one of the ablest officers who has taken part in the little real fighting of the Fourth Punic War. He had not been many hours in Susa before he understood the dangers and difficulties of the situation—his garrison masters of the town, the enemy masters of everything outside it. On the 13th September the “Galisonnière” frigate proceeded a few miles down the coast in the direction of Kala, where Caid Bilawar of the Enfida was supposed to be commanding the insurgents. When opposite the village ten shells were thrown into it, and its inhabitants fled. On the 15th September Colonel Moulin made his first reconnaissance, and at the head of 1200 infantry and a battery of artillery marched on Kala by land. When only two miles from Susa the first brush with the enemy took place, and the insurgents soon retreated and sought the cover of the olive groves. Here they rallied, and the sounds of musketry and artillery were heard at Susa for more than an hour. The Arabs momentarily maintained their position, but were as a matter of course dislodged by artillery with a severe loss. The French afterwards entered Kala, and hoisted the tricolour. On their return to Susa, however, the place was once more occupied by the Arabs, who the same day devastated a tract of country in the vicinity.

These facts, added to repeated attempts to shoot the French sentries, convinced Colonel Moulin that very constant and very energetic demonstrations of force were necessary to keep the Arabs in check. Neither Colonel Moulin himself, nor General Étienne, who shortly afterwards assumed the chief command at Susa, had the smallest desire to hinder unlicensed writing “about their proceedings,” and by their courtesy a young English officer was attached to the column until I joined it myself at Kairwán, a few days after the occupation. Lieutenant Kane’s letters, therefore, form a chapter in the history of the war in Tunis, hardly less important that those based on the journals of Mr. Perkins or Mr. Galea. His first communication describes a second reconnaissance, executed by Colonel Moulin, four days later:—

SUSA, _September 25_.

On Monday I heard that Colonel Moulin intended to march against the Arabs at Sehleen, a village nine miles east of Susa, and I obtained leave to accompany him. We started on the 20th, at about four o’clock in the morning. After we had cleared the town a halt was made, and an advance guard sent out, which was at once formed into a long line of _tirailleurs_ in single rank at about thirty paces’ interval on each side of the line of march. Three hundred yards behind was another line of exactly the same formation, only that the intervals were much closer; then came the main body, marching in columns of sections, followed by the mountain battery, with the guns strapped on the backs of mules, while the rear of the column was brought up by another smaller body of infantry. The column consisted of 1200 infantry and a battery of mountain guns. The infantry consisted of portions of the 48th, 66th, and 116th Regiments, and the battery belonged to the 33d Brigade of Artillery. Colonel Moulin’s staff consisted of a brigade-major, two aides-de-camp, two doctors, and six or seven mounted Arabs, who acted as guides and interpreters. After a march of two hours and a half without anything happening worthy of notice, we came in sight of the village of Sehleen, where we found a white flag in token of submission flying from the top of a tower. When we arrived the villagers were all grouped round the tower, and two chiefs were waiting with them. Colonel Moulin questioned them as to their arms, &c., and then orders were given to pitch the camp and breakfast; at the same time two strong picquets were posted on the north and east of the village, as by this time bodies of Arab horse were plainly seen on the hills about two miles away.

Sehleen is between two and three miles from the coast and is surrounded by olive gardens, fenced in by very thick prickly pear hedges. Before we had finished breakfast the rattle of musketry on the east side of Sehleen told us that the Arabs had begun the attack, so I mounted and followed M. Walewski, Colonel Moulin’s aide-de-camp, towards the place where the firing was going on. We found the outposts keeping up a brisk fire with the Arabs from among a lot of olive-trees. The Arabs were protected by the same sort of cover, but were separated from us by a level piece of ground about 500 yards wide. I stayed at this point for about twenty minutes, when I observed that the guns had got into position on some high land to the right, and that the infantry under their cover were making a turning movement on the left flank of the Arab position. A few shrapnel shells soon sent the Arabs out of their cover, followed by the _tirailleurs_, and this sort of thing went on for more than two hours. The Arabs were present in great numbers, and showed great courage and endurance, sometimes galloping up, dismounting, firing at us, and then retreating like lightning. The French did the skirmishing work excellently, but their fire is not good, for we only found when we came up to their position six dead and one wounded. The Arabs kept retreating farther and farther with wonderful rapidity, and at last they were only just visible from the top of a hill. The guns were then brought up the hill, and at a range of 3000 metres six shells were fired into a crowd of Arabs in the plain beneath, who were endeavouring to gain the shelter of a very large olive wood beyond. This ended everything; the French had two soldiers wounded, but a great many fell out from fatigue and had to be brought in by Arab carts. That night we camped on the sea-shore. The French have all an idea that some Italian officers are with the Arabs, and it is to this they ascribe the Bedouins adopting more effective movements than they did six months ago. Be this as it may, they make no secret of their opinion on this subject. I should have estimated the total Arab loss at 40, but General Bacouch, the Tunisian Governor, says 95 were killed and 150 wounded.

The Arabs did not appear to be materially discouraged by their defeat at Sehleen: they attacked Mesaken and some of the principal places near Susa, and it was extremely difficult to know to what extent the villagers themselves sympathised with the insurgents. Meanwhile General Étienne arrived, and an expedition in force started on the 8th October under his personal command, in the direction of Mesaken, of which Lieutenant Kane gives the following account:—

_October 9_.

Yesterday morning, at 5.30, I started with the French column for Mesaken, a village about twelve miles from Susa, in the direction of Kairwán. The column was 4500 strong, including 450 men of the 6th Hussars, who had just arrived here. Nothing of any moment occurred till we arrived there, when the camp was pitched about a mile from the village, which about a fortnight since sent in its submission. The cavalry made a reconnaissance the same evening, and had a slight brush with the Arabs. At night a strong cordon of outposts was made all round the camp, consisting of a number of guards broken up into what the French call _petites postes_. I myself accompanied one of these guards and slept out (or rather did not sleep) all the night. About ten P.M. it began to rain heavily, and as we were talking under some olive-trees one of the two sentries suddenly fired his rifle. Going out to see what had happened, we found an Arab about forty yards off quite dead. There had been two there, but one escaped in the darkness and confusion. On the other side of the camp the Arabs crept up close to our guard, and shot two of the 138th Regiment dead and wounded another. The next morning a reconnaissance in force was made, and one could see on the hills all round a great number of horsemen. I went with a squadron of cavalry in the direction of a village due south of Mesaken. At the top of the hill we suddenly came on the Arabs in the olive forest, and a skirmish took place. The troopers dismounted, and fired their carbines like infantry, but we soon had to fall back. By this time the _chasseurs-à-pied_ on all sides of the camp were sharply engaged with the enemy. I am sure they must have had rifles, as at 500 yards they sent a lot of bullets over our heads. Orders were now given to strike camp and fall back, as it was General Étienne’s intention merely to march out and encamp to exercise his men. All the way back to Susa a running fight took place, for by this time the Arabs had cut off communication with Susa and disputed every inch of the way. The artillery fired twenty shells into the insurgent villages. While we were marching home, the Arabs made a raid on Susa, and killed and carried away a lot of cattle quite close to the town. The Governor sent out some Guards and Hussars, but only two Arabs were caught. We reached the gates at five o’clock, being followed by the Arabs up to the walls. This evening one soldier was shot dead and another wounded, both near the town. It is quite unsafe now to leave Susa at all.

The news of this repulse created a very painful impression at Tunis, on its arrival there, a few hours after the occupation of the city, but it taught the French not altogether to despise their enemies, and served as a warning in future operations of the kind. Another week passed away, and the state of affairs around Susa became if possible worse than they were a month previously. On the 17th October, Lieutenant Kane writes:—

The state of the country round Susa is still highly unsatisfactory. The garrison in the town consists of 1000 men, and the Kairwán expeditionary column, about 6000 strong, is encamped outside the walls on the land side. During the past week the Arabs have attacked the French outposts nightly, and sometimes with fatal results. Although cavalry reconnaissances take place every day, they have failed to come up with the insurgents. Yesterday I could distinctly see from the town walls large bodies of mounted Arabs moving rapidly from one olive grove to another. The French admit that the Arabs’ skirmishing attacks are now better executed, and that many of the insurgents are armed with rifles. Ali Hammara, one of the Arab chiefs, with a single companion, rode to within 300 yards of the French outposts, but, although his horse was shot, he contrived to elude pursuit. Two villages near Susa were pillaged on Thursday, the Arabs carrying off their booty successfully as usual. The previous day a French sergeant was fired at in the town itself.

Last night a very regrettable incident occurred here, which has intensified the ill-feeling already existing towards the French in the Italian colony. The Chancellor of the Italian Vice-Consulate, while proceeding to his home at night, was fired at by some French Hussars in a state of intoxication. The culprits, who subsequently shot a native butcher, are in custody. The Italian Consul has sent to-day a very strong protest to his superior at Tunis.

Two of the principal inhabitants of Kairwán have arrived here, and have had a prolonged interview with General Étienne. Within the last five days the insurgents have carried off about 4000 sheep from the Susa district alone.

This morning a Maltese and three Arabs were attacked by the insurgents about two miles from Susa, and deprived of everything they possessed, including several camels laden with valuable merchandise.

A large body of insurgents have collected around Mehdia, and, as an attack seemed imminent, the French Consular Agent detained the gunboat “Chacal” for the defence of the European residents.

Two native vessels, laden with dates and bound for Susa, were boarded by Arab pirates, who ill-treated the crew and appropriated the cargo. The French have seized four native boats on suspicion of being implicated in this affair. At Gabes attempts are continually made to shoot the French sentinels. The garrison there is being decimated by an epidemic fever. Several Greeks have been arrested at Sfax on a charge of supplying the insurgents with arms and ammunition, and their shops have been confiscated.

On the following day, October 18th, Colonel Moulin marched out in force to Kala Sghira (“little Kala”), and attacked the Arabs, who fell back only after an obstinate and prolonged struggle. Some of the dead bodies of the insurgents were brought to Susa, and exposed at the town gate for the purpose of identification. After a time permission was given to the Susa Moors to bury them, and in spite of the presence of the garrison they received the honours of a semi-public funeral. The following letter contains an account of the last _sortie_ of the Susa troops prior to their departure for Kairwán:—

WITH GENERAL ÉTIENNE’S COLUMN,
NEAR SUSA, _October 21_.

For four days the Arabs have ceased their attacks on the French outposts. On Tuesday morning they began to harass as usual, but the sharpshooters drove them back with a loss of forty killed and a great many more wounded. At eleven A.M. I went out with a small force commanded by a subaltern. No Arabs, however, were visible, with the exception of about a dozen who were hiding behind the olive-trees, and who were put to flight in a few minutes, after one of them had been killed. We then advanced for about three miles and occupied all the houses we passed, but as we came up with no insurgents we returned to Susa in the afternoon. Yesterday, to the relief of everybody, our marching orders arrived, and the column will finally move on Kairwán to- morrow. From the moment the contents of General Saussier’s despatch became known there has been no cessation of the bustle of preparation. Later in the day I accompanied an advance party, under Colonel Moulin, to choose a site for a railway _depôt_ and camp about twelve miles west of Susa, on the direct road to Kairwán. We advanced through the olive forests which surround Susa in very nearly the same order as we marched on Sehleen a month ago, and preceded by a long line of skirmishers in single rank at an interval of thirty paces, covering quite a mile of front, supported by little knots of men about 200 yards in their rear, followed in their turn by larger bodies. Colonel Moulin believes his plan of advance will defeat all insidious attempts to surprise him on the part of the Arabs. Our recent experience led us to expect some kind of attack, but we arrived at one mile’s distance from Kala Piccola without meeting an enemy. Here an excellent site for a camp presented itself—a long valley, surrounded on nearly all its sides by a belt of rocky, high ground, with a large olive garden in its centre from end to end. The French troops set to work at once to surround the whole place with shelter trenches, which will render it practically impregnable to an Arab attack. Fortunately, a good well between Kala and the camp will afford us the necessary supply of water for the march. The escort in charge of the stores will remain here, and the rest of the column will join us to-morrow. As yet no hitch has taken place in the arrangements, and a speedy arrival before Kairwán is confidently anticipated. As yet not a single shot has been fired.

In another chapter I shall take my readers in company with General Étienne’s column from Susa to Kairwán.