The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-03-22
BIG FIGHT
AT lilo lilo
Heavy Force of FillplnOs At
tackS the OutpOSts Of
Our Forces.
REBELS LOST HEAVILY
Two Hundred insurgents Killed
During the Fight and Three
Hundred Wounded.
AMERICAN LOSS IS SLIGHT
Private BIehl Killed and Twelve Men
Wounded Gallant Advances Of
the American Troops.
LOSS is SLIGHT

NEW YORK, March q "A dispatch 20
the Herald from l.o Ilo says. A bat
TALON Of the Eighteenth infantry. o pla-
toon % the sixth artillery and the ms.
chine gun battery. made ryro1nols-
sance in the direction Of MandurrlDao
and Santa Barbara Thursday. While
they were returning the insurgents at
tackled the outpouts on the right
I Although augued from marching 10
the brouing sun Tor two hours. the en-
+ Tire command proceeded 10 the assistance
Of their comradcs. the artillery pouring
shell and shrapnri upon the insurgents
who wcfo strongly in,rrnchcd in large
numbers.
Companies c, II and X, ct the Eight
ocnin, dcploycd 10 the right driving the
insurgents back and tnen wheeling to the
left. made a junction with companies B
and l. A heavy engagement, cnsued.
Companies u. c. n and I. Of the Ten
formed on the lett aud two more COM
panlcs OF the Eighteenth marched from
10 no 60 act a. support to the other
troops Colonel Van Nalzah and Major
Keller commanded The baitallons OF the
Eighteenth regiment.
General Miller was on the scene carly
and directed she operations from mmedI-
atciy behind the hrlng line lie had sew
eral narrow escapes.
The line advanced by rushcs 500 yards
under no, fire. pouring In deliberate
volieys upon tho insurgent position. the
artillery making good practice.
By the time the forces were within 800
yards OF the enemys tinal position dark
ness prevented the charge Tor which the
Tennessee men and the companies OF the
Eighteenth on the right had prepared by
fixing bayonets. The advance upon Jaro
was accomplished In good order.
The engagement was brought on by the
enemy's persistent attacks upon the out
posts OF Jaro bridge. Nothing could be
gained by forcing the enemy further
back as IL was impossible with the linn
tied number OF troops to hold the posi-
ton.
The American troops were exhausted
by the fighting and having TO wade knee
deep through rice helds and sugar cane.
There were several cases OF prostratlon
from the heat
The only man killed was Private Louis
Biehl. OF company b. Eighteenth in
fantry. The wounded OF the Eighteenth
were.
Private Joseph Daily. knee and thigh.
Theodore Burr, arm and chest.
Preston Savage, forearm,
William Busehke, chest, all of COM
pany Il.
Max Home, forearm, company l..
Joseph h, McCrary, hand.
william Loremann, leg and thigh,
William Trixman, leg, all OF COM
pany c.
Riley Callagan, scalp.
william Rovenberger wrist both OF
II.
william Buster finger company Il.
william tMarkwood, leg. company X.
Corporal {, L. Bates. foot company l.
Private 4. A. Marlowe, OF company L,
First California, serving with the artil-
lery. was wounded In the side and back,
and Private Samuels OF company +, Ten
nessee volunteers, was slightly wounded
In the face.
The bullet passed through Rovenberg-
er's wrist and entered his mouth between
the gum and cheek without inJuring his
head, There were other miraculous es-
capes as the men advanced amid per-
feet hail OF bullets.
The severity Of the engagement may be
Judged by the fact that the Eighteenth
alone fired 62SOO rounds. 1t Is
that the insurgents, with their
more than 1000 rifles, fired more than
double our total Of ammunition.
Private Biehl brought in DAILY wounded
and gave warning to hurry up some am
munltlon, as most of the men were short.
He then returned to the lighting line and
was struck in the chest He FELL saying:
I'm done for and died in ten minutes.
II is impossible to tell accurately the
Insurgent losses, as the American troops
at given point without
the ground shot over, but on
the day after the battle l could see from
Jaro belfry the enemy carting away the
dead. The minimum estimate of their
losses is 200 killed and $40 wounded
The evo,utons were prettily executed
and the highest credit Is due the battal-
ion and company commanders. The men
are chatting at being robbed Of the fruits
OF their victory. A charge would proba-
bly, have resulted In the capture of the
enemy's arms and ammunition, but from
the confguratlon of the ground and the
position OF our troops, II was impossible
to allow an advance In the darkness. The
behavior of the troops was admirable.
There has been only desultory outpost
shooting since the engagement.
The instructions printed on the cap
tured cases Of ammunition were in Ger
man and showed that the cartridges