The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-07
DETAILS OF TIE FIGHT.
A Brisk FusiIlade Followed the ShOOt-
ing of a. sentry.

ing OF a. sentry.
MANILA, Feb 6.-7:15 p. moving to
the area embraced in the scene of Sundays
engagement, a semlcrlce of fully seven
teen miles, details regarding fighting have
been extremely difficult to obtain. So far
as can be gathered the brush commenced at
S;45 o'clock on Saturday evening by the
firing Of a Nebraska sentry at Santa Mesa
upon FIlipinos who were deliberately cross
ing the line after repeated warnings, with
the evident purpose of drawing fire. The
first shot from the American sentry was evi-
IDENTIFY accepted as pre-arranged signal,
for it was followed almost Immediately by a
terrific fusillade along the entire Filipino
line on the north side of the Pasig river.
The American outpOsts returned the flr6
with such vigor that the Filipino fire was
checked until the arrival of reinforcements.
All the troops in the vicinity We're hur-
rled out and the F1lipinos ceased firing
for half an hour, while their own reinforcs-
ments came up.
At 10 o'clock the fighting was resumed, the
American firing line consisting of the Third
Artillery, the Kansas and Montana regi-
ments, the Minnesota regiment, the Penn-
sylvanians, the Nebraskans the South Da-
kotas, the Colorados, the Utah battery the
Idahos, the Washingtons. the Californians,
the Fourth Cavalry, North Dakota Volun-
teers, Sixth Artillery and Fourteenth IN
fantry.
The Filipinos concentrated their forces at
three points, Caloocan, Santa Mesa and
Galingatan, and maintained an intermittent
fusillade for some hours They brought ar
tillery into action at Galingatan at 10:9O,
but only one gun annoyed the Americans 10
any appreciable extent, a howitzer on the
road beyond Santa Mesa The Third Artil-
lery silenced the Gallingatan battery by fir
ing two guns simultaneously, which was
followed Immediately by volleys from the
infantry. At about midnight there was a
lull in the firing lasting until 3:45 O'Clock,
when the whole Filipino line opened fire.
The Americans poured terrific fire into
the darkness for twenty minutes and there
was another lull until daylight, when the
Americans generally advanced.
During the night in response to Rear Adj
miral Dewey's signals flashed across from
Cavite the United States cruiser Charles
ton and the gunboat Concord, stationed at
Malabon, poured a deadly fire from their
secondary battery into the Fiipinos'
trenches at Caloocan. After daylight the
United States double-turreted seagoing mon
itor Monadnock opened fire off Malate and
kept Smelling the Filipinos' left flank, while
the other vessels shelled the enemys right
flank for several hours.
BY 10 o'clock the Americans had apparent-
ly completely routed the enemy and had
taken the villages of Pallawpong. Santa
Mesa. Peco Santan, San Pedro, Maeorte.
Pandocan and Pasa; had destroyed hum
dreds Of native huts, and had secured possess
sion Of the water main and reservoir, a dis
tance of six miles. The Tennessee Joined
the firing line at 10 o'clock on Sunday morn
ing and assisted in capturing Santa Mesa
one of the most notable events of sun
days work was driving the Filiplnos out OF
their stronghold at Paco by the reserve
few companies Of Californians commands
ed by Colonel Du Boce. The main road
to the village was lined by native huts full
of Filipino sharpshooters. After they had
fred on General King and his staff, killing
a driver and also had fired on an am
bulance of the Red Cross Society, Colonel
Du Boce ordered the huts cleared and
burned The Filipinos concentrated in Pa
cocochand Convent, where they made a de-
termined stand in the upper stories A pla-
toon of Californlans stationed on a neighbor.
ing bridge maintained a hot fire on the FIl-
ipinos. but was unable to disiodge them.
In the face Of a terrific fusillade Colonel
Du Boce and few volunteers dashed into
the church. scattered coal oil inside, set fire
to the oil and retired. In the meantime
Captain Dyer's battery Of the Sixth Artil-
iery bombarded the church, dropping aoz-