The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-09-28
MARINES LANDED UNDER HEAVY FIRE.
They Destroyed a Cannon Planted in
the Town by Insurgents and
Returned to the Ships.
Tho Gunboat Urdancta, After lombard
ing the lnsurgsnis OF tho Town Of
Orani, is Sunk aud tho Crew
Taken Prisoners

Zafiro, with marines and blue jackets
from the cruiser baltimore left Ca.
viIe September IS and proceeded to
subig bay TO destroy an insurgent can
non there.
Owing 10 the bad weather the opera
ton was postponed until Saturday
when the war ships for three hours
BON oardcd the town of Olangapo and
the entertainments where the gun was
situated.
Men from the Charleston, Concord
and Zatiro were then landed under
heavy insurgcnt fire, proceeding TO the
cannon which was utterly destroyed
by gun cotton, and then returning to
the war SHIPS.
The Americans had one man wound
cd during the engagement. While
waiting in Subig bay for better
weather the Americans deserted Fill
pino re-inforcements moving toward
Olangapo.
AT Gao a. m, Saturday, the Monterey
began the advance upon the town,
which was about three miles east OF
the monitors anchorage. The Char
lesion, Concord and ZaGro followed.
At 725 the Monterey opened fire
with her secondary and main batteries
the Charleston and Concord Joining
Immediately. At 7:SS the insurgent
cannon answered, the first shot pass
ing close to the Monterey's smoke
stack. The gun was fred twice only.
The American bOmbardng then be-
came general. AT $3.50 the Monterey
advanced to a range OF 600 yards, using
her main battery. Two hundred and
fifty men were landed about 500 yards
east of the cannon at II o'clock under
a severe shore Mauser fire. The men
from the Charleston were the first to
reach the beach, but the Concord's men
were the first at the gun, which they
reached at 1910. The cannon was
found to be a 16-centimeter Krupp
gun, presumably obtained from the
Spaniards.
Meanwhile the war ships continued
TO shell the shelving beach on the east
and west side to silence the insurgcnt
fire upon the sailors from the trenches
skirting the beach.
Gunner Olsen exploded 80 rounds of
gun cotton, in three discharges, in the
cannon, which had suffered from the
fire of the war ships.
Cadet Brinzer, with the Concord's
launch armed with Calling, did cx-
cellent work on the left of the landing
party. Capt. Myers, Of the marines,
captured a muzzle-loading field piece.
Lieut. Mcdonald was in command of
the landing party, and the movement
was splendidly executed and con-
trolled.
The numbers of the Filipinos there
could not be ascertained and no dead
were seen.
The Monterey fred for four hours
twenty-one shots from her ten-inch
guns and seventeen from her twelve
inch guns.
The town which was riddled with
shells, took fire at several points.
MANILA, Sept. 26-The American
punboat Urdaneta has been sunk by
the insurgents at Orani, and the crew
made prisoners The Urdaneta bonn
bardcd Orani Sunday, and the crew
landed to take possession, whereupon
they were seized by large body OF
natives who had set trap for them.
The rebels then looted and scut'
tied the gunboat. The prisoners
have been taken TO Porac. The gun
boats Petrol, Callao and Basco are
searching for the sunken vessel. Orani
is in the northwestern corner OF Ma
Mia bav. about S5 miles from Manila. |
The Urdaneta is one of the small river
punboats which was purchased from
Spain.
The United States gunboat Petrol,
sent to investigate the matter. re-
turned and reported that the Urdaneta
was beached opposite the town of Ora
nj. on the Orani river. She was rid
died with bullets and burned, and the
following guns with their ammunition
were captured: A one-pounder' one
Colt automatic gun and one Norden'
feldt 25-millitre gun. The crew OF the
Urdaneta are prisoners, or have been
killed. Further details arc lacking.