Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-08-04
SHARP FIGHT
Gen. Halls Forces Had One With
Fiiipinos.
TOWN OF CALArIBA TAKEN.
Americans Loss Was Four Killed
And IL Wounded.

Manila. July q, 7:30 p m.-An ex-
petition comprised OF troops from San
Pedro Macati, Pasig and Morong, I'M
der Brig Gen K. II. Hall, yesterday
captured Calamba, an important trad
ing town on the south shore of Laguna
de bay. There was hours of sharp
fighting, during which four soldiers
and II wounded. The trenches COM
handing the habor were under water,
but the swanpiness Of the land made
the work harder.
The troops boarded cascoes Tues
day night. The force compls ed 400
OF Washington volunteers, $50 of the
2lst Infantry. $50 of the 4th cavalry
and two guns of the 1st artillery.
These and the gunboates Napidan and
Costo assembled opposite Calamba
Wednesday afternoon. Crowds of
people in carts and on foCt were seen
rushing to the hills. Natives esca ping
from Calamba in canoes said 100 in
surgents held the town.
A force under Capt. McGrath of the
2lst infantry, and Capt. Eltonherd
landed east of the town, but found q
u river intervening, Capt. McGrath
and Lieut.. Batson swan the river
under fire from 20 Mauser rifles.
Having crossed the stream, the officers
procured casco TO ferry the troops
ove-. The insurgents retreated through
the town, shooting from houses and
bushes as they fled to the hills. The
members of the Washington regiment
waded from cascoes through swamps,
often shoulder deep, while group of
| Filipinos, concealed in hay stacks,
were shooting at them, until the Napi-
dan focused her six-pounders and
Calling guns on the stacks for few
minutes. Most of the work was done
before the Washington volunteers
could reach the town.
FRIENDLIEs USED GUNS
The Filipinos left three dead. Of
the casualties on the American side,
two Of the killed and three of wounded
were members of the 4th cavalry and
two killed and eight wounded belonged
to the II infantry.
There was much shooting by ami
gos, who emerged from the bushes
with white flags. After the fight
dozen men holding up their hands and
shouting: 'Castillonos," met the
American cavalry. Even Spanish SOL
diers embraced the Americans hyster-
ically. There were so Spanish prison.
ers ut Calamba, of whom some were
civil officers and some were soldiers.
They had been given the choice of
joining the Filipinos of becoming SER
wants To Filipinos, and chose the army,
intending 10 surrender at the first OPP
portmnitv. Most of the civilians
reached the American lines during the
fighting, but the insurgents took others
away with them in their retreat.
Gen Hall captured IL FiIipinos with.
guns.
Maj.-Gen. Henry w. Lawton,
Prof. Dean G. Worcester of the Amer
lean Philippines commission, Mrs. Gen.
Lawton and Gen. Lawton's son accom-
panied the expedition on board
launch, and sat coolly in an unpro-
tected boat close to the shore during
the fighting, the bullets splashing about
them.
Today Gen. Hall brought TO Manila
the Spaniards whom the expedition
had released from captivity or more
than year
Lieut.. Larsen, commanding the Nap
idan, TODAY found "A long-missing Span
ish gunboat, which had been covered
with bushes and fshnets so as not TO
resemble vessel The Flipiuos,
having met roiuforcements and think
ing that the Americans had evacuated
the town. descended fen. IN Il lis to-
day intending to Ieo olamba.
Gen. Hall easily r9, v.
Gen. Hall VII at
Calamha