The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-27
SUNDAYS FIGHTING.
General Wheaton's Brigade Captures
Malinta-


Manila. March 27.-The United States
troops, under Brigadier General Lloyd
Wheaton, captured the town of Malinta,
beyond the Tuliahan river yesterday
after a sharp fight.
Col. Harry G. Egbert of the Twenty
second regular infantry, was killed.
Prince Leowenstein. formerly aide-de-
camp on the staff of Brigadier General
Miller at IlOilo, somehow got in front of
the firing line and was shot in the side,
dying almost instantly. A German who
accompanied him was wounded.
The American casualties were much
lighter than those of Saturday, the total
losses thus far reported since the en-
gagement commenced. being 40 killed.
and las wounded.
Gen. Wheaton entered Malinta. which
is small village of huts at 1 o'clock.
The United States gunbOat Helena
and other gunboats have been shelling
Malabon, about a mile northwest of
CalOOcan, for several hours
KANSANS KILLED.
The insurgents made a fierce resist
ance to the American advance up the
railroad at Malinta. In addition to the
fatal wounding of Col Egbert. several
men of the Twenty-second infantry and
several of the Oregon and Kansas regi-
ments were killed.
Evidently anticipating a lombard
ment by the fleet thousand rebels va
Gated Malabon, leaving few to burn
the town. Gen. WheatOnS S brigade, com
posed of the Second Oregon regiment
and the Twenty-SecOnd and Third in
fantry stretched out along the railroad
from Caloocan to the Tuliahan- river,
was powerless to prevent the withdraw
al, owing to the natural obstacles and
to the strong opposition. A column of
smoke at daybreak was the first intima-
tion of the enemy'S intentions, but 9TH
ers followed at various points, all soon
blending in dense balloon shaped
cloud. The flames of the burning rice
mills and large buildings could be
plainly seen from CaIoocan despite the
strong sunlight.
DRIVEN OUT BY GUNBOATS.
BY IL o'clock in the morning the only
building of Importance not destroyed in
the center of the town was a large stone
church, but even at noon fresh fires
were started among the native huts in
the outskirts of MalabOn, although the
general exodus took place much earlier.
Many of the rebels sought refuge in the
suburbs NaVOtas and Casag, or where
driven inland by the shells of the Hell
ena, Calloa, Ningdapan and Leguna de
Bay.
In the meantime Gen. Wheaton's bri-
gade held the railroad to the river, but
was unable either to repair the bridge,
which had been destroyed by the enc
my, or to advance. owing to the opposi-
ton, and the hills on the other side.
The calculations of both General Hale
and General Harrison Gray Otis whose
brigdase constituted General MacAr-
thurs division, were much interfered
with by the character of the country
in front of both, and the enemy was
able to take advantage of this, so that
the operations against NOvaliches and
Polo were delayed. though the right
wing of the division swung out, sweep
ing the enemy in a nOrthweSterly direc
tiOn.
General Wheaton's headquarters were
a half mile south of the river, on the
railroad. The opposite bank was pro
tected by block house and 1ntrench-
ments. Occasionally the artillery and
infantry fired across the stream.
Finally the engineer moved a construc-
tiOn train up to the bridge. the iron
frame work of which remained, and be-
gan to replace the floor.
While this was going on the Second
Oregon regiment crossed the river on
the left and the Twenty-second on the
right, with four companies of the Twen-
ty-third infantry supporting the latter
regiment; A rising. clear ground
mile to Malfnta, situated on the crest
In front of the village were strong
Filipino entertainments, but no Filipinos
were to be seen. Apparently they had
fled.
The Twenty-second regiment ap-
preached diagonalIy with Gen. Whea-
and staff close behind and scouts close
ly observing the ground.
BATTLE BEGINS.
When the Americans were within 300
yards of the intrenchments, the Fill
pinos suddenly volIeyed heavily. The
Twenty second, which was holding the
center, suffered cOnSidera bly but with
the Oregons on the left and the Kansans
on the right in the woods, the fighting
was kept up for half an hour, the
Twenty-second infantry advancing up
the slope, through the thick grass, under
the heaviest fire.
General Wheaton and staff were all
the time under a rain of bullets. Col
Egbert, who was in the thickest of the
fighting, was shot in the abdomen. He
was placed in stretcher and at
tempt was made to carry him to the
cars. but he died on the way.
1t was a most affecting scene, Gen
Wheaton, barring in head, said: You
have done nobly.''
Colonel Egbert gasped in reply: Il
must die; am too Old
No Filipinos were found in the
trenches
Though apparently their force was
much smaller than that of the Ameri-
cans, they had an immense advantage
in position and in opportunity to re
treat.
KANSANs LED.
Gen. MacArthur's advance guard, the
Third artillery and the Twentieth Kan
sas regiment, joined Gen. Wheaton's
brigade shortly after Malinta was
taken, approaching along the NovaI-
1cheS road. westerly.
The soldiers were much exhausted and
there were several prostra tions from
the heat. which was intense. The dead
and wounded were collected in the shade
VI lue trees du0 carried on SLI6ICneGS Dy
Chinese across the river to the train.
After lunch Gen. MacArthur's division
advanced toward Polo. The Second Ore
gon regiment encountered a thousand
Filipinos west of Malinta, who were re-
treating from Malabon. The enemy had
taken up a position behind four rows of
intrenchments, but were driven out
after an hours heavy firing. One Ore
gonian was killed and five were
wounded.
The Third artillery, acting as infan-
try, with two guns of the Utah artillery
and the Kansans, had a sharp fight
east of Malinta- The Americans had but