The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-04-26
BATTLE AT
CALUMPIT
Macarthur Has Advanced
Through Four Miles of
Entertainments.
EVERY FOOT DISPUTED
Americans Lost Six Killed and
Twenty-Eight Wounded
tive Lost Very Heavily.
FILiPIN0S ARE WELL DRILLED
Brilliant Charge by the Twentieth
Kansas Along the Railroad Clears
the Way for the Artillery.
FILiPINOS ARE WELL DRILLED

MANILA. Aprn 25.-lo2O y. m.--General
MacArihur's division fought its way TO
the Filipino trenches before Calumplt 90.
day. advancing four miles. mostly
through woods aud jungles. and crossing
the Bagdag river This was aocom.
! pllshed al cost to the Americans OF
sla killed and p wounded. the First
South Dakota regiment being the heaviest
loser
After fordIug the river the South Da-
kotans pursued the insurgents to the out
skirts OF the city OF Calumpii. but that
town was found TO be so strongly pro.
,ectcd that General Macarthur deemed (,
best 20 withdraw the tired fighters and
go into camp for nights rest before
making a anal assault. The largest build
ings in Calumplg were being fred by the
FNlipinos while the Americans we're cross
Ink the river, fully mile away. showing
the enemy's intention to abandon the
village.
The FilipInos have adopted settled
policy OF retiring from one position after
another inhie,ing the creates, possible
damage upon the advancing army
The forces today were well drilled.
Every foot OF ground was tenaclously
disputed by the thoroughly organized
troops who stood remarkably firm even
before the artillery fire.
The enemy had planned 10 wreck our
artillery transport train. This attempt
was a failure but the span Of the iron
bridge across the river was destroyed.
hamperng American transportation for
some time. The FilipInos cut the girders.
intending to have the structure fan with
the train, but 1t collapsed prema,urely OF
It's own weight
Bagdag river, which is about 100 yards |
wide at that place, was spendidly for
titled aud the Americans were compelled |
to approach an open space from whlcb !
the rebels had cleared on every obs,ruc- !
tiou In sight. The banks OF the river, |
"a high blum, was surmounted with |
trenches capped with rocks loop-holed !
and partly hidden 10y bushes
General Whealons brigade approached |
the river along the railroad, leaving |
camp beyond Malolos city. General
Hale's division, which started yesterday, |
was earlier on the march and sweeping |
westward toward the railroad. The ar
mored train was being pushed by China |
men, the Twentieth Kansas regiment ad-
vanolng on the left. and the First Mon
tana regiment. with the Utah light ar
tillery on the right.
The rapid fire guns on the train "opened |
the ball" at 1850 a, mo about mile !
from the river, their popping alternating |
with the boom Of the six
Founders
The Montana regiment and the Utah
battery at the same time entered the
jungle from which the insurgents, who
were occupying large straggling village
ce huts poured heavy volleys. In the
course Of an hour the troops had forced
their way to an open space in front of
the river and the artillery Immediately
upon wheeling into the open, began she'll
ing the Filipino trenches, In the mean
time Company X, Twentieth Kansas. led
by Captain Beltwood, performed one Of
the most brilliant achievements of the
campaign The regiment was being held
in reserve and company X charged
distance OF a quarter of mile over a
corner of the field to the bank OF the
river. near bridge, where the insur-
the armored train, then about 800 yards
down the track The company found
shelter in ditcn.
Colonel Fred Funston called for volun-
teers to cross the river and the colonel |
himself. Lieutenant Ball private of
company X, private OF company f, |
Trumpeter Barsheld and Corporal Fer !
guson, of company I, crawled along the
iron glrders. While this was going on,
the men of company X, from the ditch.
were fusiladlng the trenches IN an en-
deavor to divert attention, but the Fill
pinos got range from the trench down,