The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-14
LAWToN SUMMONS RESERVES
AND 1900 RIFLES POUR A DEADLY
FIRE INTO REBEL TRENCHES.
Our Casualties About Sfxty-Losses of
Filipinos Heavy-General Luna Saia
to Have Been Assassinated.

MANILA. June is-The fighting at Las
Pinas continued hotly all day long General
Lawton called out the whole force Of 300
men and at o'clock he was only able to
push the insurgents back so yards to the
Zapote river. where they are intrenched-
The insurgents resisted desperately and
aggresSively. They attempted to turn the
left flank OF the American troops The
American loss is conservatively estimated
at sixty. The battle continues.
At daylight to-day the rebels at Cavite
Viejo dropped two shells from a big, smooth
bore gun mounted in front of the church
In the navy yard The only damage done
was splintering the top of the huge shears
on the mole. The gunboats Callao. Manila
and Moquito then proceeded to dismount the
gun. After breakfast the rebels opened fre
along the beach to Bakoor.
After silencing the big gun at Cavite viejo
the gunboats ran close along the shore.
bombarding the rebel position. The rebels
replied with rife fire and with the fire OF
some small pieces Of artillery. So vigo--
Gus was the enemy's fire that at 9:2o a. m.
the gunboat Helena joined the small gun
boats already named. and the Princeton.
Monterey and Monadnock, from their an
chorages. dropped occasional big shells
among the rebels. This. apparently. only
served to incite the rebels. as they kept up
an incessant fire of musketry and artillery
near the mouth OF the Zapote river, two
miles north of Bakoor. The fire of all seven
war ships was concentrated on this point
shortly after noon, when the upper bay pre-
sented the appearance Of being the scene
Of great naval battle. The insurgents were
eventually forced to abandon their guns.
to be confronted by General Lawton's force
on land and on the rear where there was
heavy fighting.
AN ARTILLERY DUEL
Later reports from the front show that
General Lawton Unexpectedly stirred up one
Of the liveliest engagements OF the war
south Of Las Pinas this morning. upon
which occasion American field guns were
engaged in the first artillery duel against
a Filipino battery, concealed In tbs jungle.
Companies and i, OF the Twenty-nrst In.
fantry, were nearly surrounded by large
body Of insurgents, but the Americans cut
their way out with heavy loss. The United
States turret ship Monadnock, and the gum
boats Helena and Zafiro trained their bat
teries on Bakoor and the rebel trenches near
Las Pinas all the morning. Bakoor was
once on fire. but the natives stopped the
spread Of the flames. During the night an
insurgent cannon fired three times at the
Americans on the outskirts OF Las PinaR
General Lawton this morning took bat
talon of the Fourteenth Regiment and two
companies of the Twenty-frst Regiment to
locate the rebel battery and then two guns
OF the Sixth Artillery and four mountain
guns were planted against 1t at 600 yards
distance. The rebels had a large gun frcn
which they were firing homemade canister
loaded with nails, and two smaller guns.
Their shooting was most accurate The first
lot OF canister burst directly in front OF
Scott's guns and another shattered the legs
of private in the Fourteenth Infantry.
Several shots struck the edge OF the town.
The country traversed was as bad as II is
possible TO imagine. being mainly lagoons,
mud and water. fringed with bamboos- A.
soon as the fighting opened the Americans
were attacked by hidden rifemen on all
sides. even the Amigos. or friendly na>
tives," IN the houses OF the town shooting
into their rear. The companies OF the
Twenty-first Regiment. sl1irmishing along
the beach, with Amigo guides. found ap-
parently handful OF rebels. who retreated-
The men of the Twenty-first followed. and
suddenly the rebels opened a terrific IRE
soldiers withdrew to the waters edge. fnd-
ing what shelter they could. apd were picked
or rapidly.
LAwTON SETS AN EXAMPLE
After their ammunition was nearly ex-
hausted the companies OF the Twenty-irst
retreated. but General Lawton dashed down
ard rallied the men. "A little group made .
desperate stand. General Lawton. Major
Starr and Leutenants Donovan and SON.
nelly. taking rifles from the wounded men
and firing at the enemy. bringing down some
OF the rebel sharpshooters from . tree.
Finally their cartridges were all gone and
they were forced TO break through the
enemy's fank, carrying the wounded TO the
main body OF the troops Lieutenant Dono-
van. whose leg was broken. ioundered for Z
mile through a bog. after leading his msn
In the face OF . greatly superior forca
General Lawton ceased fighting until ~
inforcements could be brought up. Two bat
talsons OF the Fourteenth Regiment ana one
battaliou OF the Ninth Regiment were hur-
yied to the 'front.' and In the afternoon the