The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-03
How Manila
Was Won.
BRAVE MEN
Who Won Distinction by
Brave Acts in Battle.

Washington, Oct. 1.-The report of
Major General Arthur Macarthur, who
commanded the LIST brigade, I'd division,
9Th army corps, on the day Of the battle
of Manila, mention of which was made
in yesterdays dispatch, gives some in
teresting details of the fight of the 18th
Of August. Following are some ex-
tracts:
Several hours before the operations
of the day were intended to commence,
there. was considerable desultory firing
from the Spanish line, both of cannon
and small arms, provoked, no doubt, by
Filipino soldiers who insisted upon
maintaining fusilade along their lines
east Of the Passia road. The fire was
not returned by our troops, and when
the formation of the day was com
menced things at the front were kept
very quiet. About $50 the naval attack
commenced and some 20 minutes there
after the gun of Battery B, Utah ar
tillery, opened on blockhouse No. H.
the guns of the Astor battery having
engaged an opposing battery some min
utes after the opening of the naval at
tack. There was no reply from the
blockhouse or contiguous lines, either
by guns or small arms The opposition
to the Astor fire, however, was quite
energetic, but after a spirited contest
the opposition, consisting probably of
two pieces, was silenced.
''This contest was the only notable
feature of the first stage Of the action,
and was especially creditable to the
organization engaged. The position
cnl6 tod ~ Il qs11
personal reconnaissance, was perhaps
the only one possible in the vicinity,
and it was occupied with great skill
and held with commendable f1rmness,
the battery losing three men wounded.
one of whom has since died. The Utah
gun on the roof fired fourteen shots at
block-house IA, with good effect, as was
subsequently ascertained upon inspec-
tion of the work. Lieut.. Grow and
detachment deserve great credit for
the commendable manner in which the
piece was served and pulled through
the mud without the assistance Of
horses. Some time about IL o'clock,
continuous infantry fire was heard in
front of the I'd brigade, and not long
thereafter an exultant shout indicated
substantial success for our arms on the
left. 1t was therefore assumed that
the enemy had been so shaken as to
make the advance practicable without
a serious disadvantage to our troops"
At about 1120 a United States flag
was placed upon blockhouse IA, thus
concluding the second stage of the ac-
tion without opposition and without
loss. The general advance was then
resumed, the 18th Minnesota leading,
with Company K as advance guard,
then the Astor battery, a battalion Of
the ed infantry the battalion. 18th in
fantry and North Dakota regiment
following in the order named At a
point just south of Singalong, a block
house was found burning, causing a
continuous explosion of small arms,
ammunition, which, together with
scattering fire from the enemy, re-
tarded the advance for a time All
difficulties were soon overcome. how
eve, including the passage of the AS
tor battery, by the determined efforts
of Lieut.. March and his men, assisted
by the Infantry of the Minnesota regi-
? ment, over the gun emplacement which
Distracted the road.
In the village of Singalong the ad-
vance fell under a loose fire, the ten
dency of which increased as the for
ward movement was pressed, and very
soon the command was committed to
q fierce combat. This strong opposition
arose at block house No. 20 of the
Spanish defenses, a detached work with
empiacements for guns, which for
tunately were not filled on the 18th in
slant, but the work was occupied by a
detachment of infantry, probably a
strong rear guard.
The advance party, consisting of men
Of the Minnesota regiment, reinforced
by volunteers from the kstor battery
led by Lieut.. March and Capt Saw
telle of brigade staff as an individual
volunteer, reached a point within less
than 80 yards of the block house. but
was obliged to retire to the intersect-
ing road in the village, at which point
a hasty work was improvised and oe-
cupied by a firing line of about Is men,
Aside from conspicuous individual ac-
tions in the first rush, the well-regu-
lated conduct of this firing line was the
marked feature of the contest, and it
is proposed, If possible, to ascertain the
names Of the men engaged, with a view
to recommend them for special distinc-
ton.
At about 1SO p M all firing had
ceased, and two scouting parties, vol
unfairly led by Capt. Sawtelle and
Lieut. March. soon thereafter reported
the retirement of the adversary. The
city was entered without further incl
dent, through the Pace district. The
contact was made about IL O'clock and
the contest continued with great fero-
city until / 35-that is to say, about
an hour and half. The loss In the
combat was 8 officers wounded en-
listed men killed and 33 BOUNDED. Gen.
Macarthur takes occasion to commend
in strong terms the gallantry of Coils.
Overshine and Reeve. Capts. Sawtelle,
B1ornstad and Zebach and of Lieuts.
March, Herman and Whitworth