The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-06-16

Manila, June 13.-InformatiOn, be-
lieved to be reliable, has reached here
of the assassination of General Luna,
and his aide de camp, Lieutenant Pas
co Ramon, June 8th, by Aguinaldo's
guard at the headquarters of Aguinaldo.
Luna and Ramon, it appears, went
to the Philippine headquarters to con-
fer with Aguinaldo, got into an alter
catDn with the captain of the guard
and one of them drew a revolver. The
guard killed Luna and Ramon with
their bayonets.
A HORNETS NEST.
General Lawton Unexpectedly stirred
up one of the liveliest engagements of
the war, south of Las Pinas this morn
ing upon which occasion American field
guns were engaged in the first artillery
duel against a PHILIPPINE battery, con-
cealed in the jungle.
Companies E., and l., of the Twenty
first infantry were nearly surrounded
by a large body Of insurgents, but the
Americans cut their way out with
heavy loss.
The United States turret ship Mon
adnock and the gunboats Helena and
Seairo trained their batteries on Ba-
koor and the rebel trenches near Las
Pinas all the morning. Bakoor was
once on fire and the natives stopped
the spread of the flames. During the
might an insurgent anon was fired
thrln times ar tho A M erica nC on tho
outskirts of Las Pinas.
AN ARTILLERY DUEL.
General Lawton this morning took a
battalion Of the Fourteenth regiment
n two companies of the TWenty-first
regiment to locate the rebel battery and
then two guns of the Sixth artillery
and o mountain guns were planted
against it at 600 yards distance. The
rebels had a large gun from which they
were firing homemade canisters loaded
with nails, and two smaller guns. Their
shooting was most accurate. The first
lot of canisters burst directly in front
Of SCOTS gums and another shattered
the legs of a private of the Fourteenth
infantry. Several shots struck the edge
of the town. The country traversed
was as bad as it is possible to imagine,
being mainly lagoons, mud and water
fringed with bamboos.
SURROUNDED BY PHILIPPINES.
AS soon as the fighting opened the
Americans were attacked by hidden
ri1emen on all side even among the
amigos l. the houses of the town shoot
ing into their rear.
The companies of the TWenty-first
rnoin1ant cHirpoiChinn o10nr tho
beach with amigo guides, found, ap-
parently, a handful of rebels who re-
treated. The men of the Twenty-first
followered and the rebels opened a ter
rifle fire on the troops from the sides
and rear. The SOLD 'ers withdrew to the
waters edge, findiI J what shelter they
could, and were picked off rapidly. At
ter their ammunition was nearly ex-
hausted the companies of the Twenty
first retreated, but General Lawton
rushed down and rallied the men.
A DASH THROUGH INSURGENT
LINES.
A little group made a desperate stand,
General Lawton, Major Starr and
LieutenantS Donovan and DOnnelly
taking rifles from the wounded men
and firing at the enemy, bringing down
some of the rebel sharpshoOters from
a tree. Finally their cartridges were
all gone and they were forced to break
through the enemy's flank, carrying the
wounded to the main body of the
troops. I
Lieutenant Donovan, whose leg was
broken, aoundered for a mile through
a bog after leading his men in the face
of a greatly superior force.
REINFORCEMENTS RENEW THE
BATTLE.
General Lawton ceased fighting until
reinforcements could be brought up.
Two battalions of the Fourth regiment
and one battalion of the Ninth regi-
'ment were hurried to the front and in
the afternoon the battle was resumed.
The Monaduock anchored close to
the shore and her heavy guns pounded
the rebels continuously, while the
smaller warships, steaming along the
shore, poured bullets from the rapid
fire guns at the enemy.
The Philippine force engaged ap-
pears to have been the largest and best
organized body Of men which has met
our troops.
The Americans were compelled to ad-
vance along udIlOW lOduo oAu v
small bridges commanded by earth
works ten feet thick. The only meanG
of crossing the Zapote was by a small
bridge which the Philippines command
ed with trenches spreading V shaped
whence they could concentrate their
fire on the bridge. They also had the
advantage of the trees and jungle SO
the Americans could hardly see anead'
A FIERCE MUSKETRY ENGAGE-
MENT.
When the battle was resumed at 1
O'Clock with the reinforcements our
battery having silenced the enemy
guns, the Americans wadfng waste deep
in the mud of the salt flats slowly, and
pouring steady volleys Of musketry al
the rebels, drove their opponents De
yond the river.
When the two armies lay facing each
other across the deep stream the enc
o,+ re ciOht while the