The Topeka state journal., 1899-08-09
DETAILS OF THE BATTLE.

Manila, Aug. 9-7:1O p m.-Generat
Mac Arthur's force, consisting of 1000
men, advanced five miles beyond San
Fernando today and encountered and
defeated a Filipino force of 5000 men.
The enemy retreated, leaving many dead
and wounded.
The Americans covered five miles in
the first five hours and at O'Clock had
advanced six miles along the railway,
stretching on each side of it for two
miles and resting at night three miles
from Angeles, which viii be made the
northern base of operations instead OF
San Fernando, where garrison OF 600
men has been left. The casualties are
between 80 and 40. The Filipinos were
surprised, expecting the American
forces to move against TicO. They fol-
lowed their usual tactics of holding
their trenches until they became too
warm, and then retreating in disorder.
They are now falling back westward
toward POric.
The Twelfth and Seventeenth regi-
ments had the sharpest enga gements.
The country our troops passed over
is covered with rice fields and bamboo
thickets. the hardest possible ground
for marching. The mud in places was
knee deep Angeles is one of the rich
est towns north of Manila and is con-
sidered to be a better base of opera
tions than San Fernando.
The forces at San Fernando consisted
Of the Iowa regiment. the Seventeenth
regiment, Ninth regiment, Twelfth
regiment, RelFs new Thirty-siXth regi-
ment, a battalion of the Sixteenth regi-
ment, troop E of the Fourth cavalry,
and fifteen guns.
The movement had been planned for
some time, but was delayed by rains.
Finally two days of sunshine dried the
rice fields sufficiently to permit of the
attempt.
The Americans position had long been
unpleasant. The rebels almost sur
rounded the town and fired nightly in
to it, the Americans not replying ex-
al a. fra Tl1sr1 rat 70
necessary to keep 500 or 600 men on
outpost duty constantly.
Captain Deems with q. provost guard
last night captured a Filipino fakir
with several aliases who by means of
ventrilOquism had persuaded the ma
tives that he had supernatural powers
he raised much money ostensibly for
the nsurrectiOn, which he kept for him
self. Our soldiers surrounded his house
and cOrralled 80 Filipinos. Many others
escaped. The troops also captured 81
600.
Emmanuel, as the fakir is generally
known, has been predicting the fall of
Manila His prophecies" have ere
ated excitement among the natives. who
believed them.
Reports from rebel sources saw $50
Filipinos were killed in General Halls
enga cement at Calamba and in the
subsequent slkirmishes.
SATURNUS A TOTAL WRECK.
Manila. Aug. 9.-The steamer Sat
urnus OF the Compan1a Martina, coast
ing under the American flag, was dis
covered August by the United States
gunboat Pampanga, beached at San
Fernando under the insurgent trenches
there The steamer was boarded by
an armed boats crew and the passen-
gers were taken off. The cargo, con-
sist1ng of general merchandise and $780,
O00 in specie, had been sacked At
temptS to tow the Saturnus off We're
unsuccessful. The Pampanga then left
San Fernando in search of other as
slstance, whereupOn the insurgents re-
turned and set fire to the vessel.
The United States gunbOat Yorktown
arrived here yesterday after bombard-
ing San Fernando. The Saturnus she
reported, was still smoldering and the
steamer was a total wreck