The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-13
WASH|NG1ON'S LAST FIGHT
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THE
CAPTURE OF CALANBA.
ciafea So Highly That Nearly
Every omcer In IL Was rendered
. Comnissioa In New Regtnents.


PASrG, r. l.. Aus. ---tDeiayei in trans
mission. "A provisional, battalion Of the
Washington volunteers, commanded by
Maj. weisenberser and iaclud nx all the
available men Of the regiment, organised
INTO four companies under CAPITA otie,
Sseinnan. Ssurgss and Gormley. returned
today from Csiamha, where they have
been fer twen;y-six days participating In
the operations agAins, ana afoand that
place.
The Last Expedition.
The expedition started frem San Pedro
MacAti PAssg. Pateros. TaguiG and Me-
rong On July "a and the treope. Including
the WASHINGTON battalion, a battalion OF
the Twsnsy-hrss infantry ana three troops
Of the Fourth cavalry. under Capt. Nc
GrAth. were loaded on cascoes and towed
across the lake ~ four steam launches.
conveyed by two Of the 'tin-ciad'' river
gun6oats. the Nar.dan and the osNe.
The destination Of the expedition Was kept
secret and but few Of the officers even
knew where Il WAS intended 10 dsscmbsrk.
the general impression being that Y was
a move 10 .retake Santa Cruz. which was
taken and abandoned IN April. Gen. Han
was in immediate command Of the axpedi-
tlon. though Gen. Lawson accompanied It
as far ~ Calamba In hts launch. When
the feet was collected ana well out in the
Laguna de- BAT. orders were given
were dtsemharked on two Sides OF the city
simultaneously ana waded ashore in mud
and water from knee TO shoulder deep.
while the gunboats shelied the town from
Laaaias UnAsr Fire.
A. the cascoes approached the shore tho
insureent garrison in che town opened fire
from the shore, which was replied TO by
few selected men on the cascoes. During
the advance on the town the fire con-
tinued, being particularly severe on that
part OF the line covered by the Twenty
hrst infantry and Fourth cavalry, killing
1--WE and wounding nine men. One man
was wounded in the Washington battalion.
Private Fred NJ Rafiew. Company n. who
was shot through the shoulder and hand.
Capture Of Calamha.
Notwithstanding the resistance the ad-
yaneins troops pushed sn!o ,ne sow Garrison
made an undigniied and confused retreat
into the hills beyond with almost the en-
tire population OF the town preceding
the town II found there some eighty chi
namen. who thought II safer 70 remain,
few natives and about thirty Spanish pris-
oners. including seven Officers
Spanish Prisoners Escape.
In their haxy retreat the insurgents
had attempted to drive these Spanish
prisoners before them, hut In the confusion
81 the haaty withdrawal this number
escaped them, though forty or more were
and cheered the advance OF the Amer.
icans with cries Of viva los Americanos
insurgents Expected IN Attack.
From these prisoners II was learned that
the insurssnt garrison a. the pisee 80. mJa
company OF $50 men: that the attack was
. complete surprise. there being no knoNl-
edge or II until the Americans had begun
sny orranised resistance There had been
q rumor around town that the place was
70 b. attacked on the following sunday
and steps nad pesn ,arsn c 20 eour dsys
too early for their expectations. This IN
cident proves how difYicult II has been TO
keep secret the plans OF the military ..! au-
known In our own forces that even after
smbarkation our own line ofacers did not
know where they were bound. the In.
knew that the movement was being plan
ned and were ignorant only OF the date
FOR some time past there has been ne
nrar;son, pssrsnxh % the American Ines and
great deal OF tYaf51c In rice. tobacco. etc,
has been carried on up the Pasig river
past our ousposts. For several week. be-
Frlipinos had been plying regularly be-
tween Manila and Caiamha earning food
and when the expedition was sighted al
caiamba II was thought TO be only an
other cargo OF rice. and boats put on from
shore to meet II and bring In the cargo
One boat even ran quite ways out into
the lake before II discovered this mistake
and raised the white nag.
Fighting On the Outposts.
A&er occupying the town q lin. Of out
posts was put out and the streets patrollcd
until the next day when Capt Steinnan
was appointed provost marshal and De-
tail of seventy mon 10 Dc the interior police
The ouspos,s were no, disturbed during
the Arst night and on the morning Of July
81 CAPT. siursea VAS sent on, WIN biz
country and develop the position or d.
rscsion of the enemy. About a male south.
west 81 the town be developed the enemy
brush ana drove them out after smart
sk.rmish,. fyring which Capt. OTIS esm-
pany and Mai Weisenberser went ou, 10
reinforce him ard the other two Washing
ton companies under Capt SssinmAn.
were sens cut 20 the south OF the town
TO continue the reconnaissance IN thai d.
rsetioa. These companies returned about
noon. but had re sooner eaten their dinner
than the insurgents who had followed them
hack 10 town opsnss up on the outtosts,
The command was ;nrrsi out again ard
the enemy driven back Ia hot engage
men. by the Washington battalion and fhe
cavalry squadron In which cur troops By
skiilfui naBk raBeuver beat Them back
from their cover with severe mss in
kiileh ana wounded About two hundred
insurgents were engaged In these sksym-
ishes Our loss vas two nsr wounded Ia
the Fourth cavalry
ToWa Set ON fire.
While TIRE TROOPS we're out ~ the town
on the afternoon sksrrr,ssh some insurgent
patkisere In town ~ho had s,Ssn left
urais;urh~f on sse ssIcpo..tion that they
were disposed IN he friendly 10 American
occupation SET Are To soute banstee huts.
ara about a doxsn buildings were destroyed
sefeys the FIRE was aeenchsd by y heavy
rain which began falling about . O'Clock.
After these skirusishss the outyosis we're
EXPOSED TO AT tnisrmitten, FIRE from am
hs.sk@<5 shar.skocssrs unstl sunday. Jaiy
- when ar attack Was made about noon
rs se.ne ~ insurgents from two sides ~
the town simultaneously. The entire force
vsas turned out ard another sg.sk engage
rsert occurred, In which suily twenty FIJI
tranns were killed. three captured and
great many wounded. Three men az TIE
fxersy-Hrss infantry were killed ard sev~
sy wounded. One Washington man was
woaud.a, Cnr7 Spawn. 81 Company G..
who Vas shot through tbs neck-not &C.
ssrras.
Tnd~r YSve Many Nights.
After this skirmtsn there was no gen
srsl engagement gAflr ths Washington
Ssst.xsiors remained fn Galasnha, . period Of
,xenty~sge days Bat the naen o! the corn
uard we're on osspnst ssgiy every alter.
nsee night. ara hardly an hear passed