Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-14

MANILA, June 13-S:1O p. m.-The ngnt-
ing at Las Pinas continued hotly all day
long. General Lawton called out the
whole force of 5000 men, and at o'clock
he was only able to push the insurgents
back 500 yards to the Sepote river, where
they are entrenched.
The insurgents resisted desperately and
aggressvely They attempted to turn the
left flank of the American troops. The
American loss is conservatively estimated
at sixty. The BATTLE continues.
Navy Takes n Hand.
4:4O D. mat daylight today the rebels
at Cavite Viejo dropped two shells from a
big, smooth-bore gun, mounted in front OF
the church, in the navy yard. The only dam
age done was splintering the top of the huge
shears on the mole. The gunboats Callao,
Manila and Moquito then proceeded to dis
mount the gun.
After breakfast the rebels opened fire
along the beach to Baoor.
After silencng the big gum at Cavite Viejo
the gunboats ran close along the shore bonn
harding the rebel position. The rebels re-
piled with rifle fire and with the fire of some
small pieces of artillery. So vigorous was
the enemy's fire that at 9:20 a. m. the gun
boat Helena joined the small gunboats al
ready named and the Princeton Monterey
and Monaduock, from their anchorages'
dropped occasional big shells among the
rebels This, apparently, only served to in
cite the rebels, as they kept up an incessant
fire of musketry and artillery near the mouth
of the Zapote river, two miles north OF
Bacoor. The fire of all seven war ships was
concentrated on this point shortly after noon,
when the upper bay presented the appear
ance of being the scene OF great naval bat
tie. The insurgents were eventually forced
to abandon their guns after holding out for
about four hours, only to be confronted by
General Lawtons force on land and in their
rear, where there was heavy hghtmg. Be
yond the destruction of several buildings
along the water front, the effect of the bonn
bardment Is not known
stirs I'm n Hornets Nest.
6.O5 a. m.-General Lawton Unexpectedly
stirred I'D one of the liveliest engagements
of the war south of Las Pinas this morn
ing, upon which occasion American neid
guns we're engaged in the first artillery duel
against a Filipino battery, concealed In the
jungle.
Companies F and I Of the Twenty-hrst In
fantry 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
+beir batteries on Balor and the rebel
trenches near Las Pinas all morning. Bacor
was once on fire, but the natives stopped
the spread of the flames.
During the night an insurgent cannon
was fired three times at the Americans on
the outskirts of Las Pinas.
General Lawton this morning took bat
TALON of tho Fourteenth regiment ana Two
companies OF the Twenty-tirst regiment to
locate the rebel battery and then two guns
fNtNp T1nnIt mi "a n
guns were mounted at 900 yards distance
The rebels had Lara gun from which they
were firing home made canister, loaded with
nails.
The shooting was most accurate. The first
lot of canister burst directly in front OF
SCOTS guns and another shattered the legs
OF a private in the Fourteenth infantry.
Several shots struck the edge of the
town.
The country traversed was as bad as 1t
IS possible to imagine, being mainly lagoons,
mud and water frnged with bamboos As
soon as the fighting opened the Americans
were attacked by hidden rihemen on all
sides, even the Amigos or "friendly" natives,
in the houses of the town shooting in their
rear.
Lawton Shows His Mettie.
The companies Of the Twenty first regi-
ment, skirmishing along the beach, with
Amigo guides. found, apparently, handful
OF rebels who retreated The men of the
Twenty-hrst followed and suddenly the
robels opened terrific fire on the troops
from the sides and rear. The soldiers with
drew to the waters edge, finding what
shelter they could, and were picked off
rapidly. After their ammunition was nearly
exhausted the companies of the Twenty
first retreated, but General Lawton dashed
ha A
made desperate stand. General Lawton,
Major Starr and Lieutenants Donovan and
Connolly taking rifles from the wounded
men, fred at the enemy, bringing down
some of the rebel sharpshooters from a tree,
Finally, their cartridges were all gone and
they were forced to break through the
enemy's hanig, carrying the wounded to the
main body Of troops,
Lieutenant Donovan, whose leg was
broken, loundered for a mile through fog
after leading his men in the face of a
greatly superior force.
General Lawton ceased fighting until re-
inforcements could be brought. Two bat
talons OF the Fourteenth regiment and one
battalion of the Ninth regiment were hur-
ried to the front and in the afternoon the
battle was resumed.
The Monadnock anchored chose to the shore
and its heavy guns pounded the rebles cou
tinuously, while the smaller war ships
steaming along the shore, poured bullets
from their rapid-ire guns at the enemy.
( The Filipino force engaged appears to have
a been the largest and best armed body of
men which has met our troops. The Ameri-
cans are compelled to advance along narrow
roads and over small bridges commanded by
earthworks ten feet thick.
Tho only means OF crossing the Zapote
was by small bridge which the FSiipinos
commanded with trenches, spreading
V"-shaped, whence they could concentrate
their fire on the bridge, They also had the
advantage Of the trees ana jungle, so the
Americans could hardly see ahead.
Resumes the Battle.
When the battle was resumed at l o'clock
with the reinforeements, our battery having
tilenced the enemy'S guns, the Americans,