The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-28
WAS A CRUSHING DEFEAT
Fierce Engagement With the
Rebels at San Jacinto.
KILLING OF MAJOR LOGAN
Gallant Officer Shot Through the Head
by a Sharpshooter-OneH Hundred
Dead Filipinos Were Lett
on the Field.

Washington. Dec. 27.--Mail advices
have reached the war department in re-
gard to the crushing defeat admins
tered by Wheatons brigade to the in
surgents near San Jaeinto, early in No
vember in which engagement Major
John A. Logan, jr, lost his life. Ac-
cording to the corresr ,udent of the
Manila American, the SD infantry, I'M
der Colonel Hare, encountered a force
of the enemy between San Fabian and
San Jacinto and brought on one of tEs
sharpest engagements Of the war, re-
sulting in the death of more insurgents
than in any other fight since the be-
ginning Of the insurrection. The battle
ragged for two hours, and at its conclu-
sion II dead Filipinos were found in the
trenches. Many wounded were found
hidden in the high grass and creek
bottoms. 1t Is estimated that more
than 100 insurgents were killed in the
fight, from 20 to 80 being found dead
together in several places. Twenty
nine prisoners and 100 rifles were cap
tured. The Americans lost ona officer
killed and six men wounded.
The officer killed was Major John A.
Logan, jr., who was shot through the
head during the first few minutes of the
engagement, while at the head of his
battalion. which formed an advance
guard. He was in the act of assisting
q wounded soldier, and was hit by
Mauser bullet fired by sharpshooter
concealed in the, top of a cocoanut tree.
He died a few hours later.
A reconnaissance on the Tuesday pre-
ceding, made by Major Bucks battalion
of the 18th infantry in the vicinity Of
San Jacinto, developed nothing of i'm
portance, but afterwards General
Wheaton received informa ton that the
enemy was assembling in strong force
there for the purpose of preventing our
control of the road from Dagupan north
through San Jacinto, by which 1t was
considered probable that Aguinaldo's
Tarlac army would attempt to retreat.
The 3Sd was ordered out, accompanied
by Calling gun, with detachment
of the 18th, under the command of Cap
tain Rowland of General Wheaton's
staff. The troops encountered five miles
of the worst road ever found in Luzon,
being succession of creeks and miry
bitches, into which the men sank to
their waists in mud and water. Every
bridge was unserviceable and had to
be repaired where possible, but in most
cases the men, with horses and guns,
plunged into the quagmire and strug-
gled through as best they could. Moth
Ing but the indomitable energy of Cap
tain Rowland enabled the Gatlin to get
into action. A score of times it was
necessary to unhitch the horses and
lead them around through rice fields,
while a hundred soldiers dragged the
gun over the bitches or broken bridges.
The fight was opened by the insur-
gents two miles from San Jacinto
while the leading battalion was pass
ing a clump of native houses surround
ed by a grove of cocoanut trees, and
the men were knee deep in mud. The
rl,o -, i,,
trees and houses and from a small
trench across the road, all at close
range There was also a heavy fire
from thickets more distant to the right
and left. The aim of the sharpshooters
was deadly and was directed at the
officers. for the first five men that fell
Wore either chevrons or shoulder straps.
The officer wounded besides Major Lo-
gan was Captain Green. He was also
shot from a tree, but his injury was
slight. The regiment never wavered
for a moment; the crack marksmen
soon routed the natives, knocking them
out of the trees like squirrels. The
men rushed at the trench, through the
soft mud, waist deep, and passed over
it, leaving four dead Fiiipinos within.
At the same time the regiment de-
ployed as skirmishers, Major Logan's
battalion in the center, Major Cronin's
on the right and Major Marsh's on the
left. Colonel Hare and Lieutenant
Colonel Brereton directed the general
movement. The skirmish line, which
was nearly two miles long, rushed for
ward rapidly through water-soaked rice
fields, bitches, creeks and thickets FIR
Ing all the time and doing deadly exc
cution. The Fvilipinos made a brave
stand for a long time, several cases be-
ing reported of the rebels remaining
in position behind cover until the Amer
leans We're within 20 feet of them.