The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-26
Yesterdays FIGHTING.
How the Americans Advanced and Di-
vided the Enemy's Forces.

surround Aguinaldo's army and put an end
10 the instruction The enemy was encoun-
tered in force and was routed at all points.
The American loss. at o'clock this even
Ing, is estimated at sixteen killed and 80
wounded. The Filipino casualties were
greater than in any previous engagement.
1t is believed at least 500 of Aguinaldos
soldiers were slain and wounded.
The movement of the American troops
swept the insurgents back toward Malabon.
Gen. Harrison Gray Otiss brigade was in
front Of La Iona, where there is a stretch
or a mile OF rough. open country. The in
surgents' trenches were four feet deep and
furnished good head cover. The American
troops advanced on the double quick, yell
ing fiercely and occasionally dropping In
the grass and firing by volley. The natives
stood until the Americans were within two
hundred yards of their position, and then
broke and ran for the woods. About thirty
of them were killed in the outskirts and sew
enty on the roads. The Montana and Kan
sas troops met the hottest resistance in a
strip from which the rebels have greatly
worried the Americans recently during the
night time.
QUICK WORK BY AMERICANS.
Ninety minutes after the start-at 6
o'clock a. m.-the whole front for distance
OF three miles to the north had been cleared.
Gen. Hale's brigade had simultaneously
swept in a northwesterly direction, routing
the enemy and burning the town of San
Francisco del Monte and number of scat
tered huts. The line was then opposite No
valiches. the artillery advancing along
good road from La Iona to Novaliehes, the
wagons carrying pontoons. telegraph sup
plies and ammunition following. The in
fantry moved in splendid order. Smoke
from the burning huts marked the line of
the American advance. Ambulances and
horse litters, led by Chinese, brought in the
wounded, among whom were few Fill
pinos.
The Americans who were wounded en-
which had been brought into the hospital
singing Comrades"
The Pennsylvania troops took nine pris-
oners, among them n great naked captain
of the Macabebee tribe and one Japanese.
All the prisoners were greatly terrified. ex-
pecting TO be executed Immediately
General McArthurs division, consisting Of
the brigades of Gen. Harrison Gray Otis,
General Vale and General Hall, supplement-
ed by General Wheaton's brigade, advanced
| at daylight and cut the enemy's forces in
| Novaliches on the left and San Francisco
| del Monte and Mariquina on the right, clear
| ing the rebel trenches in front of the line
north from the river to Calcocan They
| also secured possession of the railroad,
practically cornering the flower of Aguin-
| aldo's army at Malabon and in the foothills
at Singalon, twenty miles apart. The troops
| engaged were the Third Artillery (as in
| fantry), the Montana. Kansas, PennsyI-
vania, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado
| South Dakota, Minnesota and Oregon Vol
unteers, the Third Fourth, Seventeenth and
Twenty-second regulars. the Utah artillery
battalion and the Twenty-third regulars.
ADOPTED AMERICAN TACTICS.
Later advices from the front show that
elaborate preparations were made for the
movement. General Wheaton's brigade was
| placed in the rear and General Harrison
Gray Otis and General Halls were massed
| behind General Hales. Under the cover OF
the darkness General Otiss and General
Hale's brigades left their trenches and ad-
vanced close upon the enemy's line without
being detected, General Wheaton's and Gen
eral Halls brigades occupying the vacated
| position. At o'clock the American troops
breakfasted and the Filipinos, noticing the
camp fires. their buglers called them 10
arms. At daylight General Otis's and Gen
eral Hale's brigades advanced from La
Iona Church straight through the rebels
! this occasion the rebels adopted the Amer
lean tactics of holding their fire until the
attackers were about one thousand yards
distant. The rebels also fired lower than
usual The Americans fired volleys with
terrible effect ard then rushed forward
cheering and carrying everything before
| them. Once through, General McArthur's
division was swung TO the left. driving the
rebels away on all sides.
General Wheaton's brigade, in accordance
with instructions. remained in the trenches
Before joining in the movement at noon
General Wheaton's troops developed q
strong opposition between Malabon and the
River Tluiahan. The brigades commanded
by Gen. III. G. Otis and General Hale ad.
yanced on Novaliches and Polo. strongly in
| trenched towns. In the meantime General
Halls brigade swept the country clear tc
the water works and the foothills and
Singalon. capturing San Francisco de
| Monte and Mariquina.
Late in the afternoon the Montana Regi
ment and the Third Artillery had crossed
| Talighan river, going in a northwest direc