Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1899-04-26

anu FOrty Are WOunded-COlOneI StOts-
enburg Shot While Leading His Regi-
ment Against Force of Filipinos--Most
Sharply Contested Combat Since the
Rebellion Began.
Manila, April 24.-General Hale has
crossed the Bagbag and has reached a
position quarter of a mile from CAL
nmpit, thus commanding the ford. Pris-
oners captured by General Hales troops
say Aguinaldo, General Luna and the
Filipino staff are at Calumpit with a
great force of Filipino troops.
Manila, April 24.-Colonel Stotsen-
berg, Lieutenant Sisson and two enlist
ed men of the First Nebraska, and two
men of the Fourth cavalry were killed
in sharp engagement with the rebels
near Quengua. Fully forty Americans
were wounded. the Nebraskans suffer-
ing most severely The Fifty-first Iowa
regiment, the Utah artillery and the
Fourth cavalry also had men wound
ed. 1t having been reported that a
body of the rebels was in the neighbor-
hood of Quengua, Major Bell, with
small troops of cavalry, was ordered to
make a reconnaissance. He examined
the country in the vicinity of Malolos
and went almost to Quengua before the
enemy was discovered
Americans on Their Guard.
The country examined by the cavalry
was rough and covered with a dense
growth Of brush, which afforded an
ideal hiding place for the Filipinos. The
Americans were on their guard against
an ambuscade, all the time keeping a
close watch for the enemy, who, there
was reason to believe, were hiding
somewhere in the jungle near Quengua.
AS the troop approached that last
named town strong force of rebels
attacked them. At the first volley of
the insurgents, who, 1t was later
learned, had intrenched themselves in
the brush, one of the cavalrymen was
wounded. He would have fallen from
his horse and most likely been captured
by the Filipinos had it not been for two
OF his comrades, who, riding one on
each side of him, held him in his saddle
and took him to place of safety. Two
others of the troop were wounded in
the fighting that followed. The Ameri-
cans were not surprised by the attack.
They dismounted, and, deploying as in
1antry, poured a telling fire into the
brush, where it was known the greater
part of the attacking force was con-
cealed.
Had Only Sixty One Men.
Major Bell had only sixty-one men in
his party, and his object was to recon-
hotter the enemy's position along the
Quengua river and ascertain the
strength OF the rebel forces. The cav
alrymen held their ground until almost
surrounded by the rebels. News of the
engagement was hurried back to Ma
ioios, and while the Americans held
their ground CALAMITY against a far
stronger numerical force, General Hale
FASTENED forward with reinforcements
for the cavalrymen. Two battalions of
the First Nebraska regiment and six
companies of the Fifty-first Iowa, with
four field guns, were quickly on the
scene and attacked the enemy with vim
and vigor. The Filipinos made a strong
defense, but were ultimately driven
from their position. The first reinforce
ments to arrive was battalion of the
First Nebraska, under Major Morford. 1
led by Colonel Stotsenberg in person,
six companies of Iowans, and four guns
Of the Utah battery, quickly followed.
Death of Colonel Stotsenberg.
Colonel Stotsenberg Immediately ad-
vanced at the head of his men to storm
the rebel trenches, but was almost i'm
mediately fatally wounded near the
heart, and died in a few minutes. His
regiment swept on to avenge their COL
oners death. and quickly drove the reb-
els from their trenches. Lieutenant
Sisson and two enlisted men of the Ne
braska regiment were killed in the
storm of the rebel trenches Our losses
were six killed, including Colonel Stots-
enberg and Lieutenant Sisson Of the
First Nebraska infantry, and forty
wounded. The loss of the enemy, though
they were forced to abandon their po-
sition, was not heavy. The combat
was in many respects the most sharply
contested since the rebellion began.
Bells troop of cavalry lost two men
killed. The loss of the Iowa regiment
was slight.