Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-12-28
4 GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THE
BATTLE NEAR THE TOWN
OF SAN JACINTO,
WHERE JOHN A. LOGAN DIED.
THE FILIPINOs MADE THE BEST
STAND OF THE VAR.
Lost at Least One Hundred Killed,
and Were Scattered to the Hills.
Our Troops Advanced Through a
Very Tough Country-TwO More
Regiments Arrived Yesterday.
Impending Army Changes.
WASHINGTON, D. C., December 27.

Mail adyiceS have reached the War
Department in regard to the crushing
defeat administered by Wheaton's
brigade to the insurgents near San
Jacinto, early in November, in which
engagement Major John A. Logan Jr.,
lost his life. According to the CORES
pendent OF the Manila American, the
Thirty-third infantry, under Col. Hare,
encountered force of the enemy be-
tween San Fabian and San Jacinto and
sfought on one of the sharpest engage
ments of the war, resulting in the death
Of more insurgents than in any other
fight since the beginning of the insur-
rection. The battle ragged for two hours
and at its conclusion seventy-seven
dead Filipinos were found in the
trenches. Many wounded were found
hidden in the high grass and creek
bottoms. 1t Is estimated that over one
hundred insurgents We're killed in the
fight, from twenty to thirty being found
dead together in several places. Twen-
ty-nine prisoners and one hundred
rifles were captured. The Americans
lost one officer killed and six men
wounded.
The officer killed was Major John A.
Logan, Jr., who was shot through the
head during the first few minutes of
the engagement while at the head of
his battalion, which formed an advance
guard. He was in the act of assisting
a wounded soldier and was hit by
Mauser bullet, fired by sharp-shooter
concealed in the top of a cocoanut tree.
He died few hours later.
A reconnaissance on the Tuesday pre-
ceding, made by Major Bucks battalion
of the Thirteenth infantry, in the vicin-
ity OF San Jacinto, developed nothing
of Importance; but afterwards Gen.
Wheaton received information that the
enemy was assembling in strong force
there for the purpose of preventing our
control of the road from Dagupan
north through San Jacinto, by which
it was considered probable that Agu-
inaldos Tarlac army would attempt to
retreat The Thirty third was ordered
out, accompanied by gattling gun,
with a detachment of the Thirteenth
under the command of Captain How
land, Of Gen. Wheaton's staff. The
troops encountered five miles of the
worst road ever found in LuZon, being
succession of creeks and mirey bitches
into which the men sank to their waists
in mud and water. Every bridge was
unserviceable and had to be repaired
where possible, but in most cases the
men with horses and guns plunged into
the quagmire and struggled through as
best they could Nothing but the in
domitable energy of Captain Rowland
enabled the gattling to get into action.
"A score of times it was necessary to
unhitch the horses and lead them
around through rice fields while a hum
bred soldiers dragged the gun over
bitches or broken bridges.
The fight was opened by the insur-
gents two miles from San Jacinto
while the leading battalion was passing
u clump of native houses surrounded
by grove of eocoanut trees and the
men were knee deep in mud. The
fire came from sharpshooters in trees
and houses, and from a small trench
across the road, all at close range.
al fro iclv
cts more distant to the right and left
The aim of the sharpshooters was
deadly and was directed at the officers,
/ ST the first five men that fell wore
either chevrons or shoulder straps. The
other officer hit besides Major Logan
was Captain Green. He was also shot
from a tree. but his wound was slight.
The regiment never wavered. The
crack marksmen it contains soon To-
Gated the natives and began knocking
them out of trees like squirrels. The
men rushed at the trench, through soft
mud, waist deep, and passed over it,
leaving four dead Filipinos within. At
the same time the regiment deployed
as skirmishers, Major Logan's battal- /
lion in the center, Major Cronin's on
the right and Major Marshs' on the
left. Col Hare and Lieut.-Col Brere-
ton directed the general movement,
The skirmish line, which was nearly
Two miles long, rushed forward rapidly
through water-soaked rice fields, ditch
IS, creeks and thickets, firing ell the
line and doing deadly execution. The
Filipinos made the best stand for a
lang time, several cases being reported
If the rebels remaining in position be-
hind cover until the Americans were
within twenty feet of them. Major
Marsh's battalion surprised a trench
,ull of insurgents by coming upon their
flank. They poured a terrible fire
along the trench slaughtering nearly
al in 1t. Just before entering the town
the gatling did good execution by kill
Ing five of party that was guarding
1 broken bridge and afterward swept
The country beyond the town, driving
1 hundred and fifty rebels into the hill.
Major Marsh's battalion entered the
lown first and captured large battle
nag that was floating over convent