The record-union., 1899-04-12
Was From Gen. H. G. Otis, Commanding
First Brigade Second Division.
Describes the Movements of His
Command From the Fourth to
the Twenty-second of February
Gallant Charge of Colonel
Funston and the Twentieth
Kansas at Co1oocan.

WASHINGTON, April 11.-Adjutant
General Corbin has received the first
mail report of the military operations
about Manila since the Filipino lnsuf-
rectiont began 1t was made by General
Harrison Gray Otis, commanding the
First Brigade of the Second Division of
the Eighth Army Corps, and is dated:
In the field near Caloocan, P. l., Feb
p, 1S99' 1t describes the movements
of his brigade from the 4th to the I'D
of February. The regiments included
are the Tenth Pennsylvania, Third Ar
tilery, First Montana Infantry, Twen-
tieth Kansas Infantry and First Idaho
Infantry.
when the alarm was given on the
night of the 4th of February Colonel
Hawkins, commanding the Tenth In
fantry moved out four companies from
their city barracks to support his out
posts, which sustained an oblique fire
from bleckhouse No. 4 and from a
force stationed at the Chinese Hospital,
directly at their front. During the
night the enemy made two advances in
considerable force. but were easily
checked by the skirmisherS and bamboo
thickets. The troops at the Leper Hos
pital had already been engaged and a
hostile advance repelled. The follow
ing day an almost continuous fire was
kept UP by the Montana and Kansas
regiments. The dykes were heavily
wooded, bamboo thickets intervened,
and rice fields, dotted with numerous
huts, extended some distance. The con-
cealed fire of the enemy was very an
noying and caused many casualties.
AT this juncture a company of the
Twentieth Kansas Infantry, under the
veteran Captain Elliott, was ordered to
the support Of the First Montana. All
three regiments went forward at about
the same time, sweeping the ground,
driving the insurgents from their cover
and killing number of them. These
movements resulted in establishing the
line on better ground. Major Kobbe
discovered a continuous firing line OF
insurgents posted among the bushes
and along the wall of the Chinese
church on his flank. Major Kobbe or
dered volley firing to begin from two
of his batteries, driving back the en-
emy in considerable numbers. The for
ward movement was continued as far
as the stone blockhouse, which was
taken by Company G. of the Twentieth
Kansas, which company is highly
praised by it's then Immediate COM
mander, Major Kobbe.
In the action of February 10th, the
Third Artillery advanced, deploying on
the ground in front of its original po-
sition, and opening fire by command
only. As the right cleared a ravine,
upon which it had previously rested,
Major Belle of the engineers, led a
company of the Montana Regiment for
ward out of the ravine. almost at right
angles to Major Kobbe's right front.
whose flank then practically rested in
the air.
The Montana men were firing as
they advanced upon the insurgent in
trenchments, and by doing so rendered
timely aid to the forward movement of
the Third Artillery.
'On receipt of information that his
outposts had been attacked and had
fallen back to ST Lazare Cemetery.
Colonel Kessler of the First Montana,
proceeded to reinforce the same with
two companies. Firing was kept UP
throughout the night, but with small
effect, and on the following morning a
detachment made an advance from st.
Lazare Cemetery, fired the houses on
its Immediate front and retired to the
cemetery. Subsequently a detachment
of the regiment, in conjunction with
the Tenth Pennsylvania, captured tn /,
Chinese Hospital. The First Montana
which participated in the movement,
which resulted in the capture of the
Chinese Cemetery and also ia the gen
eral advance of the brigade upon Cal
ocean on February 10th
The outpost of the Twentieth Kan
cd
on the Caloocan road. was fired upon
by an insurgent patrol about 10 O'Clock
D. M February 4th. An alarm instantly
put the entire regiment under arms in
its barracks in the city One battalion
was held in quarters and two others
uneer Colonel Funston marched to the
support of the outposts' line, which. by
that time, was sharply engaged. They
We're joined by a detachment from the
Utah Battery. The .enemy's fire, which
was concealed, came from the woods
about 200 yards in front. The fire was
returned by occasional volleys The
next day Colonel Funston advanced his
line without difficulty. the two field
pieces opening fire on the insurgent bar
rieades and trenches distant only
about 900 yards. This fire became so
SotiHs7 tiietl the cOfnmanuer OF the reg
inent deemed an advance imperative.
and led seven companies on a charge
up the road and through the gardens
and barnbo thickets, aanking it and
advancing directly upon the enemy's
strong positions. The charge was gall
lantly made, the men firing as they ad-
vaLced. The insurgents stood until the
kafsas line had come within sixty or
seventy yards of them, when they gave
way. The vlctors occupied both bar
ricades and were preparing to assault
the small blockhouses, when the regi-
ment was recalled by the division COM
marder. The combat resulted in a
small loss to the regiment and mucl,
more serious mortality to the enemy.
The next day the regiment advanced to
the barricades which had been taken
the previous evening and occupied by
them.
"On the afternoon of the Ith the regi-
ment had another brush with the enc
my, who had become bold and aggres-