The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-27
THE FALL OF MALINTA.
One OF the Hardest Battles Yet Fought
Near Manila.

MANILA. Marcn 70, i:SO D. H.-Ihe
United States troops, under Brigadier Gen
eral Lloyd Wheaton. captured the town of
Malinta, beyond the Tuliahan river. to-day
.axker a sharp fight. Colonel Harry C. Es--
bert, OF the Twenty-second Regular In
fantry, was killed. Prince Lowenstein,
formerly aid-de-camp on the staff Of Brig.
Gen. Miller at Iloilo. somehow got in front
in the firing line and was shot in the side,
dying almost instantly. A German friend
who accompanied him was wounded.
The American casualties to-day were
much lighter than those of yesterday. the
total losses thus far reported since the en-
gagement commenced being forty-fve killed
and 145 wounded. General Wheaton entered
MaIinta, which is small village of huts, at
] o'clock this afternoon. The United States
gunboat Helena and other gunboats have
been shelling Malabon. about a mile north
west OF Caloocan. for several hours.
The insurgents made a fierce resistance to
the American advance up the railroad at
MaIinta- In addition to the fatal wounding
OF Colonel Egbert, several men of the Twen-
ty-second Infantry and several Of the Ore
gon and Kansas regiments were killed.
Evidently anticipating bombardment by
the feet, a thousand rebels vacated Malabon
last night. leaving few TO burn the town.
General Wheaton's brigade. composed Of
the Second Oregon and the Twenty-second
and Twenty-third Infantry stretched out
along the railroad from Caloocan to the Tu-
liahan river. was powerless TO prevent the
withdrawal. owing to the natural obstacles
and to the strong opposition. a column of
smoke at daybreak was the first intimation
Of the enemys intentions. but others fol-
lowed at various points. all soon blending in
a balloon-shaped cloud. The flames of the
burning of the rice fields and large build
ings could be plainly seen from Caloocan.
despite the strong sunlight.
BY IL o'clock in the morning the only
building of Importance not destroyed in the
center OF the town was a large stone
church. but even at noon fresh fires were
started among the natives huts in the out
skirts of Malabon. although the general
exodus took place much earlier. Many of
the rebels sought refuge in the suburbs OF
Navotas and Casag. or were driven inland
by the shells OF the Helena. Calloa, Ming
dapan and Laguna de Bay.
In the meantime General Wheaton's bri-
gade held the railroad TO the river, but was
unable either TO repair the bridge. which
had been destroyed by the enemy. or to ad-
vance owing to the opposition and the hills
on the other side The calculations of both
General Hale and General Harrison Gray
Otis, whose brigades constituted General
NacArthur's division. were much interfered
with by the character OF the country in
front OF both and the enemy was able 10
take advantage of this. so that the opera
tions against Novaliches and Polo were de-
iayed, though the right wing OF the division
swung out. sweeping the enemy in a north
westerly direction.
General wheaton's headquarters last
night was a half mile south OF the river. on
the railroad. The opposite bank was pro-
tectsd by block house and intrenchments.
Occasionally artillery and infantry fred
across the stream Finally the engineers
moved a construction train up to the bridge.
the iron frame OF which remained, and be-
gan TO replace the floor.
W this was goins on the Second