Togbao

Battle of Togbao
Part of the Rabih War (1899–1901)
Rabeh's battle flags, captured by the French after the Battle of Kousséri.
Date 17 July 1899 Location Togbao, near Sarh Result Rabih's forces victory
Belligerents
Rabih's empire	France Kingdom of Baguirmi
Commanders and leaders
Rabih az-Zubayr	Lt. Henri Bretonnet †
Strength
2,700 men with firearms 10,000 auxiliaires	51 French soldiers 400 Baguirmians
Casualties and losses
More than 1,000 dead or wounded	48 French soldiers Many Baguirmians

On October 10, 1898 a French military expedition commanded by the Lieutenant de vaisseau Henri Bretonnet and the Lt. Solomon Braun left France directed to Chad, at the time dominated by the Muslim warlord Rabih az-Zubayr. With the missions were the envoys of the Muslim rulers Mohammed al-Senoussi and Abd ar Rahman Gwaranga, sultan of Baguirmi, whom captain Émile Gentil had brought to France a few months earlier.

Shortly after Bretonnet's departure, news arrived that Rabih was attacking Baguirmi to punish it for its alliance with France; as a result, Bretonnet was ordered to reach the high course of the Ubangi River, and there unite with the Baguirmians and wait for instructions and reinforcements.

Passing first by the Congo River and then by the lands controlled by Mohammed al-Senoussi, Bretonnet reached on June 15 the French post of Kouno and met with the king of Baguirmi Gaourang. He wrote on July 8, 1899, a letter to Emile Gentil, that headed another expedition proceeding shortly behind, in which he wrote that he did not trust the rumours that Rabih in person was marching on Kouno, but all the same asked Gentil to send him Captain Julien with his 130-strong company.

Even when Bretonnet was forced to admit that Rabih was pointing to Kouno, he grossly underestimated the strength of Rabih, claiming in one of his last letters that he only had out-of-date muskets. Instead Rabih had, in Gentil's opinion, a thousand repeating rifles, 500 muzzle-loading rifles and at least 1500 other firearms.

When Rabih arrived at Kouno on July 16, he could count on 2,700 rifles and 10,000 auxiliaries armed with lances and bows. Against them the Bretonnet mission was no match: it consisted of five Frenchmen (the officers Bretonnet, Braun, Durand-Autier, Martin), 44 Senegalese tirailleurs, two Arabs, 20 armed Bakongos, 3 cannons and 400 Baguirmians led by Abd ar Rahman Gwaranga.

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