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Siege of Medina Fort

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Desplats with 8 tirailleurs and 3 sailors in a summarily fortified boat to attack the Toucouleur party from behind. The surprised Toucouleur warriors left their cover in panic and half of them were killed by the fort's defenders' heavy fire, while many others drowned while hastily fleeing from the
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The Fort of Médine is open to the public. The Fort is located about 12 km east of Kayes on the "road to Bamako." There is also an old railroad station and European-style cemetery with graves from the mid-19th century. The village population is around 1800 with a small market daily.
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sprayed them with an intense gunfire. The Toucouleur army disbanded and left the vicinity of Médine in disorganized retreat. As soon as the enemy had disappeared from sight, the starved civilians hidden in the fort came out to eat grass and roots nearby. Once the fighting was over, the
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In the night of 11 May, some 200 Toucouleur warriors landed on a small island on the river about 100 meters from the fort, where large rocks gave them a well covered position to fire on the fort while being protected from French fire. On the morning, Holle sent
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on a small hill held by some Toucouleur warriors, and from there unleashed a heavy rifle and artillery fire on the main Toucouleur force below. As the Toucouleurs fled alongside the river toward the fort, men who had remained on the
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In the night of 4-5 June, the Toucouleur army attempted a second assault on the fort, but it was less resolute than the first one and was easily repulsed by the French. However, French ammunition and food reserves were running low.
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had departed from Saint-Louis to rescue Fort-Médine, but the low level of the river prevented them from reaching their goal. In the night of July 17 however, the flow of the river finally increased after massive rains, and the
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and 34 sailors from Saint-Louis. The population of the village, numbering roughly 6,000 immediately sought shelter in the fort as the Toucouleur forces appeared.
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On April 20, the Toucouleur launched their first assault on the fort. Using ladders made from palm tree branches, Toucouleur warriors attempted to
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force. Along with sergeant Desplats, he took some dispositions to blow up the fort should the enemy manage to take over. To avoid affecting the
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Following the relief of Fort Médine, Faidherbe signed a treaty with the Omar Tall gaining concessions for the French down to the
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regions. By 1855, his rapid expansion had led to several skirmishes with the French army. With the authorization of his ally,
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In late April 1857, the entire Toucouleur army, roughly 20,000 warriors under Oumar Tall, marched on the village of Médine.
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Realizing the difficulties of attacking the well-equipped French, Omar Tall turned his attention to the neighboring
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La Guerre sainte d'Al-Hajj Umar: le Soudan occidental au milieu du XIXe siècle, Volume 9 de Hommes et sociétés
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in 1861. However, the French continued to expand their West African presence, conquering Ségou and the
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Mbaye, Ravane (2011). "The Islamization of Africa". In El Hareir, Idris; Mbaye, Ravane (eds.).
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Revue de l'Orient et de L'Algérie et de colonies: bulletin et actes de la Société orientale
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was appointed Governor of Senegal and soon began an expansion of French interests into
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Due to the low tide of the river, Holle was rather pessimistic about the arrival of a
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Histoire des colonies françaises et de l'expansion de la France dans le monde. Tome 4
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The Holy War of Umar Tal: The Western Sudan in the mid-Nineteenth Century
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of the defenders, both men kept it a secret from the rest of the troops.
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Crowder, Michael "History of French West Africa until Independence".
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For his stubborn defense of Fort-Médine, Paul Holle was awarded the
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Although France had been present on the coast of what is now
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lifted the siege and forced the Toucouleur army to retreat.
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This initial article was based on a translation of the
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Century of Revolution: A World History, 1770–1870
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from the French Knowledge, retrieved on July 5, 2005
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Wars Of Imperial Conquest in Africa, 1830–1914
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KARTHALA Editions. p. 203. 308:, seven white French soldiers, 22 304:consisted in the fort's commander 14: 866: 686:. London: UCL Press. p. 80. 93: 40:Voyage dans le Soudan occidental 29: 24:Part of the French colonial wars 725: 675: 660: 645: 397: 566: 551: 521: 506: 489: 464: 1: 787:. Oxford: the Clarendon Press 433: 221: 230:since the 17th century with 210:. After 97 days of siege, a 7: 558:Dulaurier, Edouard (1861). 529:La Nouvelle revue, Volume 8 513:Delafosse, Maurice (1968). 335:Faidherbe lifting the siege 149:800 soldiers and 2 gunboats 10: 871: 682:Vandervort, Bruce (1998). 501:Africa South of the Sahara 183:, on the left bank of the 671:. Challamel. p. 120. 156: 135: 114: 86: 46: 28: 23: 18: 845:Military history of Mali 781:Robinson, David (1985). 707:Clingan, Edmund (2013). 667:Soleillet, Paul (1887). 652:Pietri, Camille (1885). 471:Robinson, David (1988). 292: 820:Sieges involving France 768:The Segu Tukulor Empire 656:. Hachette. p. 90. 240:Colonel Louis Faidherbe 54:20 April - 18 July 1857 336: 310:Senegalese Tirailleurs 254:and other supplies by 214:under French Governor 179:took place in 1857 at 115:Commanders and leaders 766:B.O. Oloruntimeehin. 761:corresponding article 334: 157:Casualties and losses 815:19th century in Mali 580:. Plon. p. 138. 269:against neighboring 206:troops commanded by 177:siege of Fort Medina 19:Siege of Medina Fort 825:French West Africa 425:Present-day Medine 337: 830:Conflicts in 1857 810:Toucouleur Empire 747:978-92-3-104153-2 718:978-1-4759-9342-4 693:978-0-253-21178-1 574:Martineau, Alfred 419:Toucouleur Empire 279:Hawa Demba Diallo 173: 172: 109:Toucouleur Empire 82: 81: 862: 796: 794: 792: 752: 751: 729: 723: 722: 704: 698: 697: 679: 673: 672: 664: 658: 657: 649: 643: 637: 622: 616: 603: 597: 582: 581: 570: 564: 563: 555: 549: 543: 537: 536: 531:. 1881. p.  525: 519: 518: 510: 504: 493: 487: 486: 468: 462: 456: 450: 444: 392:Legion of Honour 197:Omar Saidou Tall 130:Omar Saidou Tall 98: 97: 48: 47: 33: 16: 15: 870: 869: 865: 864: 863: 861: 860: 859: 800: 799: 790: 788: 756: 755: 748: 730: 726: 719: 705: 701: 694: 680: 676: 665: 661: 650: 646: 638: 625: 617: 606: 598: 585: 571: 567: 556: 552: 544: 540: 527: 526: 522: 511: 507: 494: 490: 483: 469: 465: 457: 453: 445: 441: 436: 427: 400: 295: 285:, not far from 224: 216:Louis Faidherbe 187:in present-day 168: 163: 152:15,000 soldiers 148: 144: 142: 125:Louis Faidherbe 123: 102: 92: 70: 34: 12: 11: 5: 868: 858: 857: 852: 850:1857 in Africa 847: 842: 837: 835:1857 in France 832: 827: 822: 817: 812: 798: 797: 778: 764: 754: 753: 746: 724: 717: 699: 692: 674: 669:Voyage à Ségou 659: 644: 642:, p. 141. 640:Martineau 1931 623: 621:, p. 139. 619:Martineau 1931 604: 602:, p. 138. 600:Martineau 1931 583: 565: 550: 548:, p. 196. 538: 520: 505: 488: 481: 463: 461:, p. 203. 451: 449:, p. 210. 438: 437: 435: 432: 426: 423: 411:Bambara Empire 399: 396: 375:bayonet charge 317:climb the wall 300:Fort Médine's 294: 291: 223: 220: 171: 170: 165: 159: 158: 154: 153: 150: 138: 137: 133: 132: 127: 117: 116: 112: 111: 106: 89: 88: 84: 83: 80: 79: 78:French victory 76: 72: 71: 66:, present day 62: 60: 56: 55: 52: 44: 43: 26: 25: 21: 20: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 867: 856: 853: 851: 848: 846: 843: 841: 838: 836: 833: 831: 828: 826: 823: 821: 818: 816: 813: 811: 808: 807: 805: 786: 785: 779: 777: 773: 769: 765: 762: 758: 757: 749: 743: 739: 735: 728: 720: 714: 710: 703: 695: 689: 685: 678: 670: 663: 655: 648: 641: 636: 634: 632: 630: 628: 620: 615: 613: 611: 609: 601: 596: 594: 592: 590: 588: 579: 575: 569: 561: 554: 547: 546:Robinson 1988 542: 534: 530: 524: 516: 509: 502: 498: 492: 484: 482:9782865372119 478: 474: 467: 460: 459:Robinson 1988 455: 448: 447:Robinson 1985 443: 439: 431: 422: 420: 416: 412: 407: 405: 395: 393: 388: 386: 381: 376: 372: 367: 365: 360: 357: 352: 350: 346: 341: 333: 329: 326: 320: 318: 313: 311: 307: 303: 298: 290: 288: 284: 280: 276: 272: 268: 265:launched his 264: 259: 257: 253: 249: 248:Senegal River 245: 241: 237: 233: 229: 219: 217: 213: 209: 205: 202: 198: 194: 190: 186: 185:Senegal River 182: 178: 166: 161: 160: 155: 151: 147: 146:Relief force: 140: 139: 134: 131: 128: 126: 122: 119: 118: 113: 110: 107: 105: 101: 100:French Empire 96: 91: 90: 85: 77: 74: 73: 69: 65: 61: 58: 57: 53: 50: 49: 45: 41: 37: 32: 27: 22: 17: 789:. 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The 181:Médine 104:Khasso 75:Result 64:Médine 42:(1868) 840:Kayes 415:Ségou 293:Siege 287:Kayes 267:jihad 244:Waalo 236:Gorée 793:2024 772:ISBN 742:ISBN 713:ISBN 688:ISBN 477:ISBN 234:and 189:Mali 175:The 68:Mali 51:Date 738:343 806:: 740:. 626:^ 607:^ 586:^ 533:19 497:In 406:. 394:. 289:. 795:. 750:. 721:. 696:. 535:. 485:.

Index


Eugene Mage
Médine
Mali
Second French Empire
French Empire
Khasso
Toucouleur Empire
Paul Holle
Louis Faidherbe
Omar Saidou Tall
Médine
Senegal River
Mali
Toucouleur
Omar Saidou Tall
French
colonial
Paul Holle
relief force
Louis Faidherbe
Senegal
Saint-Louis
Gorée
Colonel Louis Faidherbe
Waalo
Senegal River
cannon
steamship
Omar Tall

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