The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-05
Pillar SLIPS OUT.
LaWtOn Sets a Trap for the
Willy Filipino.
But Fails to Catch Him Owing
to Bad Roads.
WILL SWEEP MORONG.
Important Forward Movement
1naugurated.
Insurgents Keep up Running
Fight.
WILL SWEEP MORONG.

Manila, June 5.-The position Of the
American troops indicates that they
win sweep the peninsula of Morong,
the land projecting to the south anto
Laguna de Bay, where the insurgents
are supposed to have a large force, near
the town of Morong, as well as the bat
terry on the western shore of the PENN
sula, which recently smashed the pro-
peller of the gunboat Napidan.
General Hall is marching from Anti
polo. about six and half miles north
east of Morong, toward the peninsula,
with his forces spread out to cover
large section.
Colonel Truman, with the First North
Dakota regiment, and the. Twentieth IN
fantry, as advancing along the coast
of the lake from Taytay, incidentally
clearing several small towns. Colonel
Wholley, with the First Washington
regiment, has landed on the peninsula
above the town of Morong. The army
gunboats Napidan, COvadonga and
Ceste are in a position to cooperate
The original plan was to surround the
forces of General Pho del Pillar so that
he must retreat to the Morong PENN
suIa. where capture would have been in
evitable. This was not a complete sue
cess because General Halls column
found the country full Of handicaps to
rnarching. There were several streams
to be bridged or forded, and the troops
frequently f1Oundered through mofasses,
waist deep in mud, an experience, men,
under the terrific sun, exhausted the
Americans quite beyond endurance
Most of General Pho del Pillars followers
are supposed to have escaped north
ward, probably reaching Bosonloso,
stronghold in the mountains.
Colonel WhOlley, having successfully
mil tod n 81 n
brought the Washington regiment to
the river Pasig, where the men en-
parked upon caScOes and started for
their destination under the convoy OF
the gunboats.
They encountered a repetition of the
experience undergone by almost every
expedition on attempting to enter La
guna de Bay, as the boats were aground
in the shadows at the mouth OF the
river and were detained there several
hours.
Major General Lawton, in the mean
time, was interchangeable, riding from
one force to the other and supervising
the loading of the cascoes, without sleep
for two nights.
General Halls column, which assem-
bIed at the waterworlxs. or pumping
station, late Friday night, under cover
of a moOnlesS sky, consists of the Sec
ond Oregon volunteers, who marched to
the point of rendezvous from the city
barracks, a battalion of the Second
Wyoming regiment, four troops of the
L
big American horses which so impressed
the natives. the others unmounted-
two battaIions of the Fourth infantry,
the first six companies of the First Col
oradO regiment and two mountain guns.
The men rolled themselves in their
blankets and lay upon the wet grass
for few hours under a drizzling rain.
At 4 o'clock Saturday morning they
began to cross the San Mateo river and
about noon easily repulsed a large band
of Filipinos, about twelve miles east of
nil hnfN Ia -irt and AT7ff
polo.
The Oregon regiment, the cavalry,
the artillery and the Fourth infantry
accomplished this task, driving the in
surgents from the hills, the other troops
being held in reserve, but afterward
joining the main column in the pursuit
toward the sea-
a running fight was in progress all
the artillery-anityiellr us9hqnHiMaye
the afternoon. A Filipino outpost first
attacked a few American scouts, where
upon the Fourth cavalry formed long
skirnish line and easily drove the in
surgents into the hills. Then the Ore
gon regiment moved across a wet,soggy
rice field, in extended order, toward the
hills, where it was believed a large
force of the enemy had concentrated
When the OregOnianS were within about
a mile of the position the Filipinos
opened a heavy fire, the Americans re-
plying and pressing forward more rap
idly.
After a few voIleys the insurgents
the hills in every direction and their
panic was increased when the artillery
opened upon them and the shells be-
gan to explode al laround them, I'M
doubtedly causing great loss of life.
The bombardment by the batteries and
the musketry was maintained for near
ly half an hour, after which not Fill
pino could be seen on the hills and not
a shot came from the position.
The heat was intense and the troops
suffered greatly. but they continued on
the trail taken by the fleeing enemy in
the hope of driving them toward the
lake.
Colonel Wholley with two batta1ions
of the First Washington regiment a
battalion of the Twelfth infantry, two
guns of SCOTS battery and a party of
scouts under Major Jeisenberger, left
San Pedro Macati Saturday morning
and after fOrding the river PaSig, ad-
Vanced northeast upon Cainta, while
General Hall approached the town from
the opposite direction, the gunboats
Napidan, Covadonga and Ceste Coop
Grating in the river.
This important movement was kept
so secret that the public thought the
plan was to send General Ovenshines
line forward against the insurgents
who are intrenched south of the city
The signal corps displayed admirable
enterprise in laying wires with the
troops, but the native sympathizers cut
them behind the army, even within the
American lines.
General Halls column, in the move
ment upon the Morong peninsula, COM
pleted circuit of twenty miles over
rough and mountainous country. hav-
ing two engagements with the insur-
gents, one of them severe, and keeping
up an almost constant fire against scat
tered bands of rebels for nearly TWEEN
ty-four hours, from o'clock Saturday
morning, when the column left the
pumping station.
The FiliDinos were driven in every
md r n