Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-14
BATTLE NEAR MANILA,
One Of the LiVeIieSt Engage
nentS Of The War,
FILIPINOS USE ARTILLERY
ng Fire The Cannon, Too, With
Great Accuracy.
THEY FIGHT MOST DESPERATELY.
Number of Americans Killed Conser-
NaIvcly Estimated Mt sixty-Thc
hattie Not Yet Endcd-Lunu Said to
Have Been Assnssiuntcd.
THEY FIGHT MOST DESPERATELY

MANILA, June 1866 +. M.-Genera
Lawton Unexpectedly stirred UP one OF
She lyeliest engagements Of the wal
south Of Las Pinas this morning. upor
which occasion American feld-guns were
engaged in the first artillery duel against
q Filipino battery, concealed in the jungle
Companies + and l. of the IWcn'y-Nrs'
Infantry. were nearly surrounded oy
I.rre body of insurgents but the Ameri-
can, cut their way ont, with hedfy P'S'
The United states tuu,t-ship Mohou-
mock and tho gunboats Helena ana Hehro
Trained their batteries on Rakoor and the
rebel trenches near Las Pinas all morn
~. Bakoor was once on fire, and the
natives stopped the spread Of the flames.
During the night insurgent cannon were
ar,d three times at the Americans ON
Tie outskirts OF Las Pinas.
FILIPINOS SHOOT WELL.
General Iawton this morning look a
battalion Of the Fourteenth Regiment
a. TWO companies of the Twenty-hrst
meut TO locate the rebel battery,
and chen two guns of the Sixth Artillery
.I four mountain guns were planted
.-..ust it. The rebels had a large gun,
..u which they were firing homemade
-fsr. loaded with nails, and two
sn guns. Jkcir shooting was most
accurate. The first lot Of canister burst
directly in front of SCOTS guns, and an
ua. ,hatterod the legs Of a private
1. TIT 1,nt
s.s The edge of the town. The
traversed was as bad as it IS
mic 10 imagine being mainly lagoons,
L and water fringed with bamboos.
s.. soon as the fighting opened the
4l ucans were attacked by hidden rifle
11 on all sides. even the amigos"
Or friendly" natives IN the houses Of
,- town shooting into their rear.
The companies of the Twenty-hrst Reg
E.nt, skirmishing along the beach with
.also guides, found apparently u hand
t- Of rebels, who retreated,
AMERICANS RETREAT
Tile mon OF the Tweuty-hrst followed.
and subsequently the rebels opened a
tuldc fire on the troops from the sides
and rear. The soldiers withdrew TO the
waters edge finding what shelter they
could, ANA were picked off rapidly. After
th-r ammunition was nearly exhausted,
Inc Cuml4ll.s Of the Twenty-hrst re
ttaicd, bat General LawtOn Cashed down
and rallied the men.
a little group made a desperate stand.
General Lawion Major starr. and Lieu
tenants Donovan and Donuelly taking
aides from The wounded men and firing
a- The enemy, bringing down some Of the
,,.-l sharpshooters from Tree. FINALLY.
t.r cartridges were all gone, and they
r.rs forced 10 break through the enemy $
:.nh carrying the wounded to the main
body of the troops.
Lieutenant Donovan whose leg was
-akcu houudered for minute through
bog. after leading his men IN the face
greatly superior force.
REINFORCEMENT NECESSARY.
General LaWton ceased fighting until
Endorsements could be brought up.
Three battal0ns Of the Fourth Regiment
can. one battalion OF the Ninth Regiment
were hurried 10 the front, and in the
afternoon the battle was resumed.
The Mouadnock was anchored close to
tho shore. and her guns pounded the
rebels continuously, while the smaller
eA'As A4AN ''ApA -
poured bullets from their rapid-fire guns
at tho enemy.
Ihe tliipino lorlc engaged appears 10
nave been the largest and best organized
body of men which bias met our troops.
AMERICAN ADVANCE DIFFICULT.
The Americans We're compelled to ad-
vance along narrow roads and over small
tlases commanded by earthworks ten
l- thick.
Tie only means of crossing the Zapote
ST.. by a small bridge which the Fill
l.ls commanded, with trenches spread
.- N-shapc. whence they could concen-
''l their fire on the bridge They also
ll ,hc advantage OF the trees and jun
l through which the Americans could
y sce ahead.
When tho battle was resumed, at l
O'clock. with the reinforcements, our bat
tr. having silenced the encmy's guns.
Americans wading waist-deep in
o. mud of the salt fats. slowly moving,
pouring steady vollcys OF musketry
o. Hc rebels, drove their opponents be-
The river
-ONTINUOUs BATTLE ROAR.
..r the two armies lay facing each
OBJ across the deep stream. the enemy
ally out Of sight, while the men in
md Khaki lay in the mud and
many Of them without any smell
'r .r three hours, without moments
.u ia the firing. pouring bullets at
.my as fast as they could load.
.9.se OF the thousand rifles blended
. continuous roar was vastly diff
.' from the Intermittent, skrmish-
-. ituo Of most Of the engagements.
battalion after another General
-"ia -ummoned the reserves from Las
irul only enough troops were lett
- ' 'own % prevent the f1lipinos from
sing the Americans In the rear
litack was feared. as they were
2 around our left through the
. delivering a Ranking fire, which
srcat strain upon the endurance OF
americans, who were fioundering IN
Wld across the river while OF the
'he Filipino sharpshOOters. hidden
ieea' were peppering our men. But |
20 the poor Workmanship OF the
iNe loss was not as great as IL the |
DOS had shot straight
"@'fICANS MUCH HANDICAPPED. |
"| army has seldom fought under a
..i handicap or more courageously |
a., 'Ia our regulars, "A majority OF |
" were comparatively speaking. re-
VINO could have been pardoned for |
tug in the face Of such a fierce fire,
~, NOR exposed positions.
49, fVvlIeeDth Regiment lay 10 the ]