The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-25
AMERICANS
TO TAKE ISLAND
OF PANAY
Which Has Been Almost Entirely in
the Hands of the In
surgents.
THE ADVANCE PROGRESSES
Under General Hughes, With Rein
fOrcements, Occupying Sue
cessive Towns.

ILoILo, Nov. l3.-Thls island Of
Panay, sister island TO Negros, and an
other of the vlsayan group. has for
months past been in insurgent hands.
To-day the American forces are taking
the aggressive for the first time. and
are moving out to cover and hold more
territory. Up to the present We have
possessed the half-burned town Of
Ilollo, and nothing more.
The Twenty-sIxth regiment, under
Colonel Rice, arrived here two weeks
ago from the United States. I'VE at
home knew" said officers Of this regl-
ment, that our troops were on Panay,
but we had the impression they oc-
cupled the island; that the important
coast towns at least, were ours; that
our possession was more than nominal.
Hence we are surprised to see the
American forces actually besIeged by
the insurgents upon three miles Of land
Immediately surrounding 1lollo."
People in the United States may have
the same Ideas as had the officers of
the Twenty-sIxth regiment. and to
them it would be well to say that our
lines, up to the present, embrace the
suburbs of Paro and Molo, both within
three miles OF this post, and nothing
more. Insurgent trenches face us on
the north and west. and outpost firing
Is to he heard at any time.
With the coming Of relnforcements,
battalion of the Nineteenth and
Twenty-sixth regiments entire, Cen
eral Hughes, in the midst of typhoon
that swept the country with driving
rain, flooded the rice fields and made
quugmlres Of the roads. an expedition
composed of the Eighteenth regulars,
under Colonel Carpenter; the second
battalion of the Twenty-sIxth regi-
ment, two battallons OF the Nineteenth.
light battery G. OF the Sixth artillery.
under Captain Bridgeman, and Captain
Gordon's unmounted scouts Of the
Eighteenth regiment, advanced into
the enemy's country. The battalion OF
the Twenty-slxth and the two bat
talions of the Nineteenth constituted
provisional regiment under Colonel
Rice, while the first and third bat
tnlions of the Twenty-slxth garrisoned
Ilollo and Jaro.
The objective point of the expedition
was the supposed insurgent stronghold
at Santa Barbara, eight miles north of
Jaro, but as the direct road between
these two points has been strongly en-
trenched, the American forces made
detour TO the west in order to approach
santa Barbara on its unprotected side.
Yesterday General Hughes command
had occupied successfully the villages
OF oton, Tigbauan and Gurmal on the
coast and west OF Iloilo, likewise Cor
doba, four miles north of Tigbauan.
Company c, OF the Twenty-sIxth
regiment, had the only contact with
the rebels on the first night out. One
OF the men Of the company, which was
under command of Lieutenan. Fales.
was seriously wounded; two Of the en-
envy were found dead when the
trenches were captured, and much am
munition fell into our hands us re-
suit OF the brush To-day General
Hughes column is resting In the four
towns mentioned, waiting for ammunl-
tlon and provisions to be conveyed to
It. and also for the rains to stop and
the country TO dry.
The town of San Miguel within sight
OF IloIlo, was partially fired by the
rebels when they thought our troops
were about to enter 1t.
The town Of lloIlo presents to-day
woe-begone and dismantled appear
ance. A third OF the place Is In ruins
and the partial reconstruction OF puSa-
ness houses and the humber dwellings
OF the poor with debris from the con-
migration Of February II reminds one
Of the work after a western cyclone.
BACoLoR, Island OF Negros' P. L.
Nov. THE commercial interests Of
Negros and Pnnny are identical Only
twenty-five miles OF water separate
them, and Iiolio, on Panay is the ship
ping port tor all products OF Negros'
NegrOs island was first garrisoned by
the California volunteers, which regI-
ment was replaced in July. 1898. by the
sixth United States infantry. BrlGadier