The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-10

4ng to the area embraced in the scene
ii Sundays engagement, a semi-circle
bf fully seventeen miles, details re-
garding individual fighting have been
Extremely difficult to obtain. So far
rs can be gathered, the brush COM
nenced at 8:45 o'clock on Saturday
evening, by the firing Of a Nebraska
entry at Santa Mesa upon Philippines
Eho were deliberately crossing the
ipI-after repeated warnings, with the
absent purpose Of drawing our fire.
Zhe first shot from the American
was evidently accepted as a pre-
arranged signal, for it was followed al
most Immediately by a terrific fussilade
along the entire Philippine line on the
north side of the Pasig river. The
american outposts returned the fire
with such vigor that the Philippine fire
WAS checked until the arrival Of rein
forcements. All the troops in the vi
cinity were hurried out and the Phil
ippinos ceased firing for half an hour
while their own reinforcements came
uD.
AT 10 o'clock the fighting resumed,
the American firing line consisting of
the Third artillery, the Kansas regi-
ment, the Montana regiment, the Min
nesota regiment, the PennSylvanians,
the N~ebraskans, the Utah battery, the
IdahOs, the WashingtOns, the Califor-
mans, the Fourth cavalry, North Da-
kota volunteers, South Dakotas and
Colorado regiments, Sixth artillery and
Fourteenth infantry.
The Philippines concentrated their
forces at three points, Caloacan, Santa
Mesa and Galingatan, and maintained
an intermittent fusillade for some
hours. They brought artillery into ac-
ton at Galingatan at 1890 o'clock, but
only one gun annoyed the Americans
to any appreciable extent, a hoWitzer.
on the road beyond Santa Mesa. The
Third artillery silenced the Galingatan
battery by firing two guns simultan-
eously which was followed Immediate
ly by Volleys from the infantry.
At about midnight there was a lull
in the firing, lasting until 3:45 o'clock,
a. M, when the whole Philippine line
re-Opened fire. The Americans poured
a terrific fire into the darkness for
twenty minutes and then there was an
Iother lull until daylight. when the
Americans generally advanced.
kNring the night, in response to Rear
AHliral Dewey's signals flashed across
from Cavite, the United States cruiser
charleston and the gunboat Concord,
stationed at Malabon, poured a deadly
& flre from their secondary battery into
the Philippine trenches at Ca1oacan.
After daylight the United States dou-
Bile turret monitor Monadnock opened
fire off Malat and kept Smelling the
Philippines left flank, while the other
vessels shelled the enemy's right flank
f~OR~sev~ral hours.
BY 10 o'clock the Americans had ap-
parently completely routed the enemy
and had taken the villages of Palaw-
pong, Santa Mesa. Pancato, san Pc
drO, MacOrte, PandOcan and PaSdi: had
destroyed hundreds of native huts and
had secured possession of the water
main and reservoir-a distance of over
six miles.
The Tennesseeans joined the firms
line at 10 o'clock on sunday morning
and assisted in capturing Santa Mesa
DRIVING INSURGENTS OUT OF
THEIR STRONGHOLD.
One of the most notable events O.
nda work was driving the Philip
plnos out of their stronghold at Pac,
by the reserve, a few companies O
Californians commanded by Colone
Duboce. The main road to the villag,
was lined by native huts full of Phil
1ppinO sharp-shooters. After they haC
been firing upon General King and hi
staff, killing a driver, and firing on a.
ambulance c. the Red Cross Society
Colonel Duboce ordered the huts to b
cleared and burned.
The Philippines concentrated in Pa
co church and convent, where the,
made a determined stand in the uppe
stories. A platoon of Californians sta
tloned on a n~eighboring bridge main
tahhasA a hot fire on the Philippine:
busNas unable to dislodge them. I
the face of a terrific fusillade, Colone
Duboce and a few volunteers dashe
INTO the church, scattered coal oil in
> side of it, set fire to the oil and re
tired.
In the meantime CAPTAIN Overs ba
m tprV of the Siyth artillery hon,h 81
the church, dropping a dozen shells int
the tower and roof. CompanyL, an
part of company G., of the Californian
charged in the church. but were una
Die to ascend the single flight of ster
leading to the story above.
After the incendiaries had retired,
company of the Idahos and the Wasl
ington Guards stationed on either sit
or the building, picked off the Philil
plnos as they were smoked out. Mar
OF ne rebels, however, escaped in
the brush in the rear of the churc
The Americans captured fifty-three
the rebels and during the fghtir
about the church twenty of the rebe
were killed.
Some $500 women. children and no
combatants were allowed to enter ii
American lines after promising TO
to the houses of friends and rema
there.
A BOLD CHARGE.
AS another interesting incident du
ing the engagement, the Washingto
and Idahos and Companies X and
of the CALIFORNIA;, made charges aero
the rice fields between Pace and Sa
tanana, in the face of a terrific fu
rilade. The ground, today, over viii
they passed is covered with dead a.
wounded natives. The former are b
ing buried in groups of five or s
about where they lay and, the latt
ahSpbeing brought to the hospitals.
was at this stage of the fighting a
at Caloacan that the Philippines ST
feTsd their heaviest losses. The For
sTe1k1h regulars were in a particular
place near %Singalon and Color
Duooce was compelled to rush ps
them with the reserve in order to pl
vent the regulars from being cut off.
the last line twelve men were kill
before the rebels retired