The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-21
HOT FIGHT WITH BANDITS.
JURTLIfNG EPISODE or THE WAR
nv the PHILIPPINES.

Can't. Byrne's story Of HI. Night March and
Battle with a Robber Band in Their
Mountain Fastness In the Island OF
Negros-LnrgrIy n HaDd-to-Hand Fight.
WAsHISoToN Nov 20 The story OF one OF
the most thrilling episodes OF the war in the
Philippines Is graphically told In report Just
received at the War Department from Capt
b. f. Byrne OF the Sixth United States imam
try who commanded tho American forces IN
La Carlota district, Island OF Negros In com
mand of lO5 men Capt. Byrne marched against
a robber band. 400 strong. and found them In
their mountain fastncss. The battle that fol-
lowed was largely n hand-to-hand conflict. in
which dubbed guns and bolos were used with
effect When II was over tho bodies OF the
robbers lay thick on the field. This band OF
robbers had been the terror OF Negroes for
years. Capt. Byrne has practically annihilated
IL. and in recognition OF his services he was
made Lieutenant Colonel OF the Fortleth Hegt
ment. United States Volunteers.
At x +. N. on July IL the column under
Cant. Byrnc started from Poptevadra. on q
nfteen-mile night march to the bandits strong
hold The rain came down in torrents. turn
ing the road into quagmire. After going
ak or seven miles the column left the road
and made its way with difficulty. rice heids
waist deep In water being encounted. tn tho
foothills OF the mountains Ordinary r!vulets
had become mad torrents by this time ana the
ANTIQUITIES increased. II was necessary to
follow the bed 81 a stream in water waist deep.
10 climb over big boulders and to traverse q
jungle.
After entering tho Jungle" says Capt.
Bvrne. tho night was as black rs ink. The
hand one foot from the face could not be seen
at times Tho rule was that each man should
hold on to the man in front as constantly as
possible
The men gave necessary information only in
WHISPERS At the end ot the column was As
sistant Surgeon william l.. Wilmington, who
let no man get behind him. At A. NJ. the base
Of the mountain. where the bandits had their
fort was reached. An hour was spent in break
fasting aud resting. At 4 o'clock the ascent OF
the mountain was begun. IL was steep ut first
and then became almost PERPENDICULAR. Foot
by foot the men worked their way up. Twenty
yards from the summit tho column was halted.
while Cant Byrne. Lieut.. Nesbitt and some men
went forward to reconnoitrc. What followed
/, given in Capt. Byrnes own words:
we climbed to the top OF the hill. and look
ing cautiously over were nstopished to find one
OF their block houses and observation towers
not over fifteen or twenty yards away. 1t had
commanding view Of the valley. and oil the
trails in that vicinity. hut not OF the route We
came some of the bandits were cooking
breakfast in perfect ignorance OF our presence.
We instantly rushed upon them. and before
those in and around tho house had realized
what happened. seven out OF the nine
had been shot down not far from the
house. Two escaped, zgzaggng so quickly
in their maryellousy rapid flight that they
could not 10 hit before reaching some high
grass. into which they fell. as Is their custom.
and disappeared As quickly ns would a snake.
Know ng that our presence was now discove red.
we ran back and rushed Lieut.. Nesbitt Tor
ward with about twenty men who; hearing the
h,,l at,, eylalf IN ha tom nj ha
lieutenant went forward. with his men de-
r'oyed as sSirmishers. in the direction OF the
il was thought that the main body would he
found in tho direction the bandits had hed;
men. as last az they could be gotten upthe Hill.
10 Join tho advance line. soon heard contin.
taken and leaving the battalion Sergeant Ma
Jpt Bennett. to gather up the remainder OF the
II H ssf% T% When
! came in plain Wow ~ the village about three
%Hs 81 Idol ESs cs
and sto"kad" neither bullet proof; against
tSa %sSt he sSeis i way H6
"Nre"ted apparently that an enemy would
appear. The mountain side was pretty we'll
hundred yards from tho village The mountai n
dii not descend directly 20 the village. but its
The level Of the town where , IL Tas net by the
the slopes from The mountain and village
would have met there was a chasm
%b-, S%SG c 2Ssi% ~ ns eh' oo;Drdss
\ clear, beautiful stream o. water ran through
s.ope was uut. prccpitous for n distance Of
about fifty or sixty feet, and terminated in a
Ihsn. hold he Sase' Which Was built
around plaza. Tn" Lighthouses were on the
corners; e"mmnndIrGg the view o. the Slope
trns entering the village. one to the valley
below, aud aroth"rto Salupitan. another han;
~ nv nj hti Dr.
yards distant. These were defended by BAN
When irst sighted the town it was filed
"f M lust stirred up with "a stick. The,
the town, tut charging back and forth 10 wild
confusion. HorN"1 w"r" running around loose
Of PREPARATION for mounting. ] found that
Lieut.. Neshi;t had taken q very advantageous
10 both IRE into ia" confused mass OF bandit.
with terrible cller, and AT the same time TO cu
shas e'SNr% s Oi Bennett Se' s s6n
arrived with tn" remainder Of the men who
mSsf men for or work ahsa The al nna
being tno much exhausted to Join tho com
maud, sent Sarsr h"nne, H. to III, right I,
be so posted that he could cut of their escape
10 the hills on that side and cover the road l.
the Wiley. This duty hu well performed.
remained between tho detachmcnts will
'rrumpeter s,ccls Of Contrary X ! felt quit
tween. they would not try 10 come in the direc
ton in which they had ilrst seen my men.
Our lire was vigorously replied to by
party II about fifteen rlhemcn located benin,
yoodpile. in the village, They use black pow
shortly after We opened nre the age seemed
TO be deserted with the same suddenness tina
IL had but n short time before been swarminI
with men. the riiiemen alone remaining a
their posts. They did not. however, leave tn
place. but much to my surprise went into tn
houses. which afforded no protection except Il
screen them from view, and, stranger still
the deadly fro Of our men could not dislodg
N nv m
ofthem out
1T occurred to me then that at this rate oul
supply of ammunition would become OK
hausted and the village still remain In possess
sion rossibly OF II considerable force Of tn
enemy, 50 ! concluded they would have to b.
attacked ut close quarters and poked out o
ths houses My force was too small for me q
retain u resorveunder my Immediate comman
aud sorely felt the need Of i now. I cou
not take the force from the hills. for fear tn
bandits would avail themselves OF the oppor
trnity to escape, So having two men with me
| sent on" To each OF the detachmcnts 10
fifteen men. and then, with Trumpeter Steele
ran down the hill toward the village. the rife
tukinE Spyprul shots mt bniorc we 10