Second Franco-Dahomean War

Long ago, France and Dahomey went to war.

A leader named Béhanzin ruled Dahomey. He led his people to fight. The French had many soldiers and new guns.

The two sides fought many battles. Some fighters were women called Amazons. They fought very hard for their land.

France won the big fight. They took over the land of Dahomey.

King Béhanzin had to leave his home. This war changed the land forever.

Between 1892 and 1894, France and Dahomey fought a war.

Dahomey was a kingdom in Africa. King Béhanzin ruled there. He wanted to protect his land. France wanted to take the land for itself.

The French sent Colonel Alfred-Amédée Dodds to lead their army. He brought many soldiers and new rifles. The Dahomey army also had many rifles. They had weapons from German merchants. They also had some machine guns.

The two sides fought many battles. The Dahomey army had women fighters called Amazons. These women fought very hard. In many fights, the French used bayonets. A bayonet is a long blade on a gun. This helped the French win many battles.

By the end, the French reached the capital city, Abomey. King Béhanzin burned the city before he left. He fled north to stay safe. Later, the king surrendered to the French. He was sent far away to an island called Martinique. France then took control of the land.

The Second Franco-Dahomean War was a major conflict between 1892 and 1894. It was fought between France and the Kingdom of Dahomey in Africa. King Béhanzin led the people of Dahomey during this time. France wanted to expand its territory in West Africa. This war happened after a first war in 1890. That earlier fight was over land in the Ouémé Valley.

The war began because of tension in the Ouémé Valley. A French official named Victor Ballot traveled upriver on a gunboat. His ship was attacked and five men were wounded. This led France to declare war immediately. The French sent Colonel Alfred-Amédée Dodds to lead their forces. He brought 2,164 men with him. His army included marines, engineers, and cavalry. They used new Lebel rifles to fight.

The Dahomey army was also well-prepared for battle. They had between 4,000 and 6,000 rifles. They bought these weapons from German merchants at the port of Whydah. King Béhanzin also had machine guns and Krupp cannons. The Fon soldiers used many different tactics. They fought in many battles like the Battle of Dogba and the Battle of Poguessa. In these fights, the Fon tried to use close combat.

Many special fighters were part of the Dahomey army. These women were known as the Amazons or the Mino. They fought very hard in many of the battles. At the Battle of Adégon, many Amazons were lost. During the Siege at Akpa, the Amazons were very active. In one fight, an Amazon even shot a French commander. Later, the Fon used trenches and foxholes to slow the French down.

The war ended after the French reached the capital city of Abomey. King Béhanzin burned the city so the French could not have it. He and his army fled north to Atcheribé. The French then chose Goutchili to be the new king. King Béhanzin finally surrendered in January 1894. The French sent him to live on an island called Martinique. This war allowed France to take control of the land. Dahomey became part of French West Africa.

The Second Franco-Dahomean War was a major military conflict between 1892 and 1894. It involved the nation of France and the Kingdom of Dahomey in West Africa. This war was a struggle for control over territory and influence in the region. France sought to expand its colonial holdings in French West Africa. The Dahomean people, known as the Fon, fought to defend their kingdom. This conflict eventually led to the incorporation of Dahomey into French colonial rule.

The conflict grew from tensions following a previous war in 1890. That first war centered on rights to the Ouémé Valley. Although a treaty ended the first war, Dahomey quickly re-armed itself. The Fon people began raiding the Ouémé Valley again. This prompted a French official named Victor Ballot to investigate by gunboat. His ship was attacked, and five men were wounded in the incident. King Béhanzin rejected French complaints, which led France to declare war.

France organized a large military force to conduct the invasion. Colonel Alfred-Amédée Dodds, an octoroon officer from Senegal, was put in charge. He arrived with a force of 2,164 men. This group included Foreign Legionnaires, marines, engineers, and artillery. He also utilized Senegalese cavalry known as spahis and troops called tirailleurs. These soldiers were equipped with the new Lebel rifle. The French also used 2,600 porters from the kingdom of Porto-Novo to assist their movement.

The Dahomey army was also heavily armed for the struggle. They had stockpiled between 4,000 and 6,000 rifles. These included Mannlicher and Winchester carbines purchased from German merchants. King Béhanzin also acquired machine guns and Krupp cannons. However, it is unlikely these heavy weapons were ever used in combat. The Fon soldiers preferred melee combat, which involves fighting at very close range. This preference would become a major factor in their encounters with French infantry.

Several key battles shaped the course of the war. At the Battle of Dogba in September 1892, the Fon attacked the French at dawn. The fighting lasted several hours and resulted in hundreds of Fon deaths. At the Battle of Poguessa, the Fon launched fierce charges under King Béhanzin. The French used 20-inch bayonets to defend their position. The Dahomey army lost about 200 soldiers in that engagement. Following these losses, the Fon shifted to guerrilla tactics. They used foxholes and trenches to slow the French advance toward the capital.

A significant part of the Dahomey military was the Amazon corps. These women were also called the Mino. They were known for fighting very hard in almost every major engagement. At the Battle of Adégon, the Fon lost 86 regular soldiers and 417 Amazons. This battle was a turning point because the royal court lost hope. During the Siege at Akpa, Amazons were seen on the front lines. One Amazon reportedly shot a French battalion commander at close range.

The final stages of the war occurred near the capital of Abomey. At the Battle of Cana, the Fon army had shrunk to about 1,500 people. This group included slaves and pardoned convicts. Despite fierce fighting and attacks by the Mino, the French overran the Dahomey army. On November 16, the French marched on Abomey. King Béhanzin chose to burn and evacuate the city to prevent its capture. He and his remaining forces fled north toward Atcheribé. The French then hoisted their flag over the Singboji palace.

The war officially concluded with the surrender of King Béhanzin. He surrendered to the French on January 15, 1894. The French then exiled him to the island of Martinique. To maintain control, the French chose the king's brother, Goutchili, as the new leader. The victory allowed France to fully integrate Dahomey into French West Africa. This changed the political landscape of the region for many years to come.