Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-03-20


of the rebels recently expelled from
Cayite and the small towns in the VI
entity OF Pasig, combined forces last
night-as already cabled-attacked
company of the Washington volunteers,
a detached post at Taguig, about mile
and half southeast of Pasig. Gen.
Wheaton Immediately reinforced the
Americans with two companies each
of the Washington and the Oregon reg
iments. The post had held the enemy
in check and the fire of the reinforcing
companies repulsed them, driving them
across to an island by the estuary.
They were thus in front of the Twenty
second regulars.
On discovering that they were en-
trapped, the rebels fought desperately,
aided materially by the jungle and the
darkness, but they were completely
routed with heavy loss, after two hours
fighting. The Americans lost two kill
ed and twenty wounded, among the lat
ter Lieut. Frank Jones.
General Wheaton determined to pun
ish the natives and at daybreak to-day
his brigade started in the following or
dec:
The Sixth artillery, holding the ex-
IRENE right; the Oregon volunteers,
heading the center; the Washington
regiment keeping to the edge of the
lake, and the Twenty-second regulars
occupying the right of the line, which
swept the whole country along the
lake in a southeasterly direction to-
ward Gen. Ovenshine's position. The
line, thus extended over two miles of
country, rough and covered with thick
jungle, advanced eleven miles. The en-
envy fled, the last of them being seen
at about half-past three this afternoon.
At scarcely any time did the Ameri-
cans get within 1900 yards of them.
The troops are returning to Pasig
tonight, exhausted by the hard work
nuder hot sun. The Oregon regiment
had one man killed and four wounded
and the Twenty-second regulars one
wounded. According to the official re-
ports no fewer than two hundred Fill
pinos were killed.
Gen. Otis says the American army
and gunboat now command the lake.
He estimates that property of the in
surgents valued at $500, 900, has been
Iact - 81 nA
sugar and 400 tons of coal, which is
very valuable here, has been captured.
Many prisoners represent that the
Filipino soldiers are weakening. The
generous treatment that the Americans
administer to the native prisoners and
wounded seems to influence the insur-
gent army powerfully. In the opinion
of the Americans, however, the Fill
Pine 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 have twice as many men
on their firing lines as they have arms
and the fact that so few arms are
captured by the Americans is because
the guns of the wounded Filipinos and
many of those who surrender are Spir-
tied away.
The armed tugs Laguna de Bay and
Oeste have returned from San Pedro
Macati and reported the result of their
tour of the lake. On Friday morning
last they shelled the town of Moreng,
the rebels fleeing without making any
response to the fire. The Americans
landed a party, which destroyed a
quantity of stores and all the stone
buildings except the church
The expedition then proceeded to
Majayjay, where a sugar mill and saw
mill were destroyed.
On arriving at Santa Cruz town of
1900 inhabitants 1T was found that
the enemy was strongly entrenched
and prepared to defend the position as
sisted by two gunboats and several
launches. Moreover. the mouth OF the
river was blocked with rocks and bam-
boo
few shells cause an exodus of the
citizens. but not of the enemy's troops.
The Americans did not attempt land
ing.
Captain Grant, who is in charge of
the expedition, asks for re-inforcements
and will probably take Santa Cruz to-
morrow
The United States distilling ship Iris,
which left Honolulu for Manila with
the United States battleship Oregon on
February 20, arrived to-day.
This morning also arrived the San
Joaquin, the last Of the overdue Eng
lish steamers sailing under American
registers that were detained by the in
surgents On the northwest coast of Luz
zOn.
Washington, March 19-The War
Department to-day received the follow
ing despatch from Major General Otis
regarding operations against the insur-
gents:
Manila, March 10
To Adjutant General, Washington:
Our improyised gunboats under Cap
tain Grant, Utah artillery, have full
possession Of Laguna de Bay; troops,
inhabitants and property on shore of
lake at our mercy Wheaton brigade
on Pasig river line drove enemy north
east into province Morong- Last even
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