The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-16

say that the friendlies, boiling through
the British and American lines, rather
broke it up, but Lieutenant Freeman
ordered the retreat after the engage
ment had been in progress some little
time, because the men were running
short of ammunition and darkness was
approaching. He declares ''all ranks
behaved splendidly."
First Lieutenant Perkins, U. S. NJ. c.,
in describing the fight, says that the
enemy approached within fifty yards.
left and rear when the retire at G or
dered, firing boldly. The marines ,seie
compelled to pass into a deep ravine,
commanded by a bluff from which the
enemy fired continuously upon them.
Says he: Had we been a few minutes
later in crossing this ravine it is my
opinion that we would have been cut off
and killed to man.
He. commends the conduct of the ma
rine guards in the highest terms, par
ticularly mentioning Sergeants Michael
Mentally and Bruno Forster, the latter
holding the stand of the fence until sur
rounded, and afterward. when the men
reached the sea, volunteering to lead
the friendly natives into the brush to
protect the flank. The gallantry Of
Private Henry l.. Hubert, who re-
manned behind at the fence to the last
and was with Lansdale and Monaghan
when they We're killed, is especially
mentioned.
The last report of the series is made
by Past Assistant Surgeon Lung, who
was with the expedition, and details
closely every movement. He says that
he
vent a surprise while passing through
the ravine and along the crossroad
where the affair occurred. Both sides
of the road We're lined with a heavy
barbed- wire fence, which could not be
broken down. The situation was a most
unfavora BILE one for the expedition, as
the hoStiles were posted on the crest
of the bluff so we'll entrenched that
they could not be seen and their pres
ence was only made known by their
firing.
The Americans and British at the first
fire advanced along the road a little
then dropped in the ditch at the road
side and returned several voleys The
Colt gun failed again, and this fact,
says Surgeon Lung, probably helped to
bring on the disaster that followed. The
hostiles We're closing around the east
ern end of the line, but they could not
be charged because of the barbed- wire
fence, so a retreat was ordered, which
encouraged the enemy to increase their
fire. The retreat was orderly at first
and was agreed to by Lieutenant Cave
and Lieutenant Perkins, but, says
Lieutenant Lung, in a few minutes ev-
cry body remaining on the high ground
came through the second wire in d con-
fused retreat, foundering, staggering
and falling in the deep mud among the
trees. The enemy followed persistently
and poured in a terrific fire. In this
hollow LansSale, Monaghan and Ed
sail received their death wounds. Mona
CHAN losing his life in a heroic effort to
save his shipmate, Lansdale.
Reaching the beach, Lieutenant Per-
kins gathered his few marines with the
British marines, while the surgeon as
sumed command of the bluejackets who
had been led by Lansdale and Mona
CHAN, and also rallied some ten or fiji
teen marines and sailors who were with
out an officer.
Surgeon Lung expressed the convic-
ton that the entire command would
have been killed if they had not re-
| treated when they did.
The enemy beheaded the officers killed
and in the case of enlisted men cut
off the right ears of the British and
both ears of the Americans.