The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-20
A FIERCE FIGHT.
Fiiipinos Routed After a Hot Engage.
ment 600 Rebels Killed.

Fiiipinos Routed After a Hot Engage
ment 200 Rebels Killed.
Manila, March 10, $40 p. m.---Some of
the rebels recently expelled from Cavite
and the small towns in the vicinity of
PasiS combined forces-as already ca
bled-and attacked a company of the
washington volunteers, detached post
at Taguig, about a mile southeast of
Pasig. General Wheaton Immediately
reinforced the Americans with two
companies each of the Washington and
the Oregon regiments. The post had
held the enemy in check and the fire
of the reinforcing companies repulsad
them, driving them across to an island
formed by the estuary. They We're thus
in front of the 22nd regulars.
On discovering that they We're en-
trapped the rebels fought desperately
aided materially by the jungle and the
routed with heavy loss after two hours
fighting. The Americans lost two killed
and 20 wounded, among the latter being
Lieutenant Frank Jones.
General Wheaton determined to pun
ish the natives and at daybreak to-day
his brigade started in the following or
der, The 9Th artillery, holding the ex-
treme right; the Oregon volunteers.
holding the center; the Washington
regiment keeping to the edge of the
lake, and the 22nd regulars, occupying
the right of the line, which swept the
whole country along the lake, in a
southeasterly direction, toward Gen
eral Ovenshine's position The line
thus extended over two miles of coun-
try, rough and covered with thick jun
gle, advanced II miles. The enemy fed,
the last of them being seen about half
past 3 o'clock this afternoon. At scarce
ly any time did the Americans get with
in 1900 yards of them.
Ihe troops are returning to Pasg to-
night, exhausted by the hard work rn-
: der a hot sun. The Oregon regiment
had one man killed and four wounded
and the 22nd regulars one wounded Ac-
cording to reports about 200 Filipinos
We're killed.
General Otis says the American army
and gunboats now command the lake.
He estimates that property of the in
surgents valued at $500,00O has been de-
stroyed, while quantities of rice and
sugar and 400 tons of coal, which is very
valuable here. has been taken.
Many prisoners represent that the
Filipino soldiers are weakening. The
generous treatment that the Americans
administer to the native prisoners and
wounded seem to influence the insur-
gent army powerfully. In the opinion
of the Americans, however, the Filipino
leaders will continue to provoke fighting
just as long as they can retain their
hold upon their followers, because they
have everything to gain and nothing to
lose.
The enemy has twice as many men
on its firing line as it has arms, and
the fact that SO few arms are captured
by the Americans is because the guns Of
the wounded Filpinos and many of
those who surrender are spirited away.
The armed tugs Laguna de Bay and
Oeste have returned to San Pedro
Macati and reported the results of their
tour of the lake. On Friday morning
last they shelled the town of Moringi,
the rebels fleeing without making any
response ITO the fire. The Americans
landed a party which destroyed guam
tity of stores and all the store buildings
except the church.
The expedition then proceeded to
Majayguy, where a sugar mill and
sawmill We're destroyed On arriving at
Santa Cruz, town of 1000 inha bitants
1t was found that the enemy was
strongly entrenched and prepared to
defend the position. assisted by two
gunboats and several launches. More
over, the mouth of the river was blocked
with rocks and bamboo.
A few shells caused an exodus of the
citizens, but not of the enemys troops.
The Americans did not attempt land
ing.
Captain Grant, who is in charge of
the expedition, asks for reinforcements,
and will probably take Santa Cruz to-
morrow.
The troops that accompanied the ex
pedition were a detachment of the 23d
regiment, under Captain Pratt, which
was towed by the gunboat on a fiat
bottomed boat. The Americans had
captured four boasat Majayjay, where
they encamped on Friday.
The United States distilling ship Iris.
which left Honolulu for Manila with
the United States battleshp Oregon on
Feb. 20, arrived to-day.
This morning also arrived the San
Joaquin. the last of the overdue English
steamers sailing under American regis
ter that were detained by the insurgents
on the northwest coast of Luzon.