The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-06-16
USED FIELD GUNS.
AMERICAN TROOPS FOR FIRST
TIME ENCOUNTER REBEL
BATTERY.
Best Battle of the War-The Filiplnos
Show Pluck and Persistency.


the Jungle.
Companies F and I, OF the Twenty
first Infantry, were nearly surrounded
by large body of insurgents, but the
Americans cut their way out with heavy
loss. The United States turret ship
Monadnock and the gunboats Helena
and Zafiro trained their batteries on
Bakoor and the rebel trenches near Las
Pinas all the morning. Bakoor was
once on fire, but the natives stopped
the spread Of the flames.
During the night an insurgent can
non was fired three times at the Amer
leans on the outskirts OF Las Pinas.
General Lawton this morning took
battalion Of the Fourteenth Regiment
and two companies Of the Twenty-6rst
Regiment to locate the rebel battery,
and then two guns Of the Sixth Artil-
lery and four mountain guns were
planted against it at 600 yards distance.
The rebels had large gun, from which
they were firing homemade canister,
loaded with nails.
SHOOTING WAS ACCURATE.
Their shooting was most accurate.
The first lot of canister burst directly
in front Of Scott's guns, and another
shattered the legs Of private in the
Fourteenth Infantry. Several shots
struck the edge of the town.
The country traversed was as bad as
it is possible to imagine, it being mainly
lagoons, mud and water, fringed with
bamboos. AS soon as the fighting open
ed, the Americans were attacked by
hidden rifemen on all sides, even the
amigos, or ''friendly" natives, in the
houses of the town shooting into their
rear.
The companies of the Twenty-first
Regiment, skirmishing along the beach,
with amigo guides, found apparently a
handful Of rebels, who retreated. The
men of the Twenty-first followed, and
suddenly the rebels opened terrific
fire on the troops from the sides and
rear. The soldiers withdrew to the
waters edge, finding what shelter they
could, and were picked of rapidly.
CALLED BACK BY LAwToN.
After their ammunition was nearly
exhausted, the companies of the Twen
ty-frst retreated, but General Lawtor
dashed down and rallied the men. A
little group made a desperate stand
General Lawton, Major Starr and
Lieutenants Donovan and Donnelly took
rifles from the wounded men and FREQ
at the enemy, bringing down some O
the rebel sharpshooters from q tree
Finally their cartridges were all gone
and they were forced to break through
the enemy's flank, carrying the wound
ed to the main body Of the troops.
Lieutenant Donovan, whose leg wa!
broken, fioundered for a mile through
a bog after leading his men in the fact
of greatly superior force.
General Lawton ceased fighting unit
reenforcements could be brought up
Two battalions of the Fourteenth Regi
ment and one battalion Of the Nintl
Regiment were hurried to the front
and in the afternoon the battle wa
resumed.
MONADNOCK WAS THERE.
| The Monadnock anchored close to tn
shore, and her heavy guns pounded tn
rebels continuously, while the smalle
warships, steaming along the shore
poured bullets from the rapid-fire gun
at the enemy.
Il The Filipino force engaged appear
to have been the largest and best organ
| lied body of men which has met ou
troops.
The Americans are compelled to &C
vance along narrow roads and owe
, small bridges commanded by eartwork
, ten feet thick.
Il The only means of crossing the Zapot
, was by a small bridge, which the Fill
. pinos commanded with trenches spread
ing v-shaped, whence they concentrate
9 their fire on the bridge. They also ha
r the advantage of the trees and jungl
II ENEMY's GUNS sILENcED.
. When the battle was resumed at
8 o'clock with the re-enforcements, ou
q battery having silenced the enemy
t guns, the Americans, wading wais
y deep in the mud of the salt fats, slow
n po uring steady volleys of musketry
!. the rebels, drove their opponents b
/ yond the river. The two armies Ii
It facing each other across the det
stream, the enemy practically out
sight, while the men in blue and kha
lay in the main bushes, many OF the
without any shelter, for three hour
, without moments cessation in Il
: firing, pouring bullets at the enemy
= fast as they could load.
81 The thousand rifles, blended into
continuous roar, were vastly differe
from the intermittent skirmish-lil
:, rattle of most of the engagements.
II RESERVES CALLED OUT.
,- One battalion after another, Gener
e Lawton summoned the reserves fro
a Las Pinas until only enough troo
were left in the town to prevent t.