Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-03
OFFICIAL REPORT
By Gen. Macarthur On the
Fall of Manila.
Many officers Strongly Commended
for Gallantry on Aug. 10.
Good Conduct Of firing Line tho Feature
Of the Day.

commanded the 1st Brigade, I'd Divis-
ion, Sth Army Corps, on the day of
| the battle Of Manila mention of which
was made in yesterdays dispatch,
gives some interesting details of the
| fight of the 18th of August.
| Following are some extracts:
| Several hours before the operations
of the day were intended to commence.
| there was considerable disultory firing
| from the Spanish line, both OF can
non and small arms, provoked no doubt
| by Filipino soldiers who insisted upon
maintaining a fusilade along their
| lines east of the Passa road. The fire
was not returned by our troops and
when the formation of the day was
commenced things at the front were
kept very quiet.
about $50, the naval attack COM
menced and some 20 minutes thereafter
the gun of Battery B, Utah Artillery,
opened on Blockhouse No. IA, the guns
OF the Aston Battery having engaged
an opposing battery some minutes af-
ter the opening of the naval attack.
'Ther@ was no reply from the block
house Or contiguous lines, either by
guns or small arms. The opposition
to the Aston fires, however. was quiet
and energetic, but after a spirited
contest the opposition, consisting PROB
ably 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 or
ganiZation engaged. The position Sc
lected by Lieut.. March, after careful
personal reconnaissance was perhaps
the only one possible in the vicinity.
and it was occupied with great skill
and held with commendable firmness.
| the battery losing three men wounded,
one of whom has since died.
| The Utah gun on the road fired IA
| shots at Blockhouse IA, with good eff
| feet as was subsequently ascertained
| upon inspection 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 assist
ance of horses.
Some time about IL o'clock, concern
| trated infantry fire was heard in front
of the I'd Brigade and not long there
after an eXultant shout indicated sub
stantial success for our arms on the
left. 1t was therefore assumed that
the enemy had been shaken so as to
| make the advance practicable without
serious disadvantage to our troops"
AT about 11.20, a United States flag
| was placed upon Blockhouse IA. thus
| concluding the second stage of the ac-
| ton without opposition and without
| loss.
The general advance was then re-
sumed. the 18th Minnesota leading.
with Co. x. as advance guard, then the
| Astor Battery, a battalion of the 23d
| Infantry, the battalion of 14th Infan-
try and the 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 am
munition which, together with a scat
tering fire from the enemy retarded the
| advance for a time. All difficulties
We're soon overcome, however, includ-
| ing the passage of ,le Astor Battery,
| by the determined efforts of Lieut..
March and his men, assisted by the in
| fantry of the Minnesota regiment over
| the gun emplacement which INSTRUCTED
| the road.
In the village of Singalong, the adj
| Nd1ite 1tll d lbOSe mr. tiit TELL
| dency of which increased as the for
ward movement was pressed and very
soon the command was committed to
| fierce combat.
This strong opposition arose at
Blockhouse No. 20. of the Spanish de-
fences, attached work with emplace-
ments for guns, which fortunately
were not filled, on the 18th inst, but
the work was occupied by detach-
ment of infantry, probably a strong
rear guard.
THE advance party consisting of
men of the Minnesota Regiment. re-
enforced by volunteers from the Astor
Battery, led by Lieut. March and Capt.
Sawtelle of the brigade staff, as an in
dividual volunteer, reached a point
within less than so yards of the block
house. but was obliged to retire to the
intersecting road in the village at
which point hasty work was impro-
vised and occupied by firing line Of
about Is men.
aside from conspicuous individual
actions, in the first rush. the well reg
ulated 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
distinction.
'.At about $50 P. NJ, 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 fur
Their incident through the Pace district
The contact was made about II O'Clock
and the contest continued with great
ferocity until 1.35, that is to say about
an hour and a half The loss in the
combat was three officers wounded
four enlisted men killed and 3;
wounded"
General Macarthur takes occasion
to commend in strong terms the gal
lantry of Coils. Overshine and Reeve
Captains Sawtelle and Seebach and u
Lieuts. March, Herman and Whitworth