Although they were historical enemies, relations between Waalo and Trarzas had recently got a bit warmer when Mohamed El-Habib married the sister of Queen Ndaté.

[7] In January 1855, Queen Ndaté sent an imperious letter to French governor Louis Faidherbe, ordering him to evacuate the outskirts of Saint-Louis immediately.

On 25 February, the French column, composed of 400 regulars,[9] 400 volunteers[a] from Saint-Louis and a platoon of colonial cavalry,[12] met with the Waalo-Trarza army near a wood in the plain of Dioubouldou, not far from N'Der.

[5][6] French forces captured the village of N'Der, residence of Queen Ndaté and de facto capital of the Waalo Kingdom, which had been deserted by its inhabitants.

[5] Several nearby villages were also looted, and the French column eventually went back home to Saint-Louis with a large booty of over 2,000 cows and oxen, 50 donkeys and 30 horses.