The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-06-14


Lawton unexpectedly stirred up one of
the liveliest engagements Of the war south
OF Las PiDas this morning, upon which
occasion American field guns were en-
gagged In the first artillery duel against a
Filipino battery concealed in the Jungle
Companies f and of the 2ist infantry
were nearly surrounded by large body
OF insurgents but the Americans cut their
way out with heavy loss.
The United States turret ship Monad.
mock and gunboats Helena and Zatiro
tried their batteries on Bakoor, aud the
rebel trenches and the rebels trenches
near Las Pinas this morning. Bakoor
WAS oncs on fire but the natives stopped
the spread of the flames.
During the night an insurgent cannon
was fired three time at the Americans on
the outskirts of Las Pinas. General Law.
ton this morning took n battalion OF the
14th regiment and two companies Of tbs
9its regiment to iocate the rebel batteries
and then two guns Of tine sixth ARTILLERY
and four mountain guns we.e planted
against it at six hundred yards distance.
The rebels had a large gun from which
they were firing home made canister
loaded with nails and two smaller guns.
Their shots was most accurate. The first
lot of canister burst directly In front OF
legs of private in the 14th infantry.
Several shots struck the edge of the town.
The country traversed was as bad as 1t IL
possible to imagine, being mainly la
goons, mud and water fringed with bam.
boos.
AS soon as the fighting opened thu
Americans were attacked by hidden rifle.
men on all Sides even the Amigos, OF
| ''friendlies" natives in the houses of the
town shooting into their rear.
The companies of the 2fst regiment,
skirmishing along the beach, with Amigo
guides found, apparently a handful o
rebels who retreated. Inc men of the 21si
followed and, suddenly the rebels opened
u terrific fire on the troops from the sides
and rear. The soldiers Withdrew to the
water's edge finding what shelter they
could, and were picked Oft rapidly. After
their ammunition was nearly exhausted
| the companies of the 21st retreateu. but
General Lawton dashed down and rallied
the men,
A little group made desperate stand
General Lawton. Major Starr and
Lieutenants Donovan and Connolly
taking rifles from the wounded men anl
firing at the enemy, the general bringing
down some of the rebel shnrpshooters
from tree. Socn after their cartridges
were gone and they were forced to break
through the enemy fianks, carrying the
the wounded 20 the main body CT the
troops.
Lieut.. Donovan whose les wa
wounded, foundered for q mile through q
bog leading his mon in the facs OF q
greatly superior force.
General Lawton ceased fighting until
reinforcsments could he brought up
Two battalions of the it4h regiment and
one battalion of the ninth regiment were
hurried to the front amt in the Afternoon
the battle was resumed. The Monadnoch
anchored close to the shore anu her heavy
guns pounded them continuously, whils
the smaller warships. steamtng along the
shore poured bullets from their rapid firs
guns at the enemy. The Filipino forct
engaged appears to have been the largest
and best organized body of men which
has met our troops.
The Americans are compelled to ad
vance along narrow roads and over small
bridges commanded by earthworks ter
| feet thick.
| AH6 Edbtie was feSuIneu dU one U ClOCE
with the reinforcements. Our battery
having silenced the enemy's guns. thi
Americans wading waist deep in the mut
OF the salt flats, slowly, and pouring
steady volleys of musketry at the rebles
drove their opponents beyond the river
The two armies lay facing each othel
across the deep stream, the enemy practi
cally out of sight, while the men in blu'
and khaki lay in the mud and bushes
many of them without any shelter, fol
three hours without a moments cessation
in the firing, pouring bullets at the enesn.
rs fast as THEY could losd. The Thousand
| rifles blended into continuous roar, wa
| vastly different from the intermitten
skirmishlike rattle of most of the engage
meuts. One battalion after another Gen
Lawton summoned the reserves from La
ptnas until only enough troops were lef
in the town to prevent the Filipinos from
| attncking the Americans in the rea
| which was feared as they were creepin,
around our left through the woods, de
livering hanking fire which put Rrea
strain upon the endurance OF the Ameri
cans who were fioundering in the nut
across the river Whila on the riuht th