The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-17
CLEARING THE JUNGlS.
Several SkirmishesW With
Philippines.
GUNBOATS IN ACTION

Assisting Infantry I'm Driving Insuf-
gent Further From Misunderstanding
the VilIages-Our Troops Come Up
with the Enemy Beyond IIoilO-A
sharp Fight Occurs-The Town of
Jaro Captured-The Enemy's Loss
Severe, Ours Slight.
Manila, February Is, 11:55 a. M
Colonel Potter Lieutenant Colonel G..
L.. Potter, of the signal corps arrived
from Iloilo yesterday evening with dis
patches from Brigadier General NJ. D..
Miller to Major General E. S. Otis,
commanding the United States forces
in the Philippine islands.
On Sunday afternoon, General Miller
ordered a reconnaissance in force TO
ascertain the enemy's position.
Major Cheatham's battalion of the
Tennessee volunteer regiment, march
ed beyond Molo without finding the
enemy and returned to Iloilo. Keller's
battalion of the Eighteenth United
States infantry, with two Hitchkiss
guns and one Calling gun, marched
toward Jaro. Midway between Iloilo
and Jaro his battalion a
large body of the enemy occupying
both sides of the road, who met the
advance of the American troops with
a severe and we'll directed fire. The
Americans deployed and returned the
fire with a number Of volleys. The
troops advanced steadily, supported by
the Hotchkiss and Calling guns and
drove the enemy through JarO to the
open country beyond.
The town Of Jaro was found to be
deserted and all portable property had
been removed. When the Americans
entered the place there were only a
few Chinese there.
At 4:10 o'clock p. M, Captain Crit
fiths raised the American flag over
the Presidential.
During the fighting outside the town
Lieutenant Frank Bowles, of the Eigh-
teenth infantry, while working the
light battery, was shot in the leg. In
addition one private was seriously
wounded and two more slightly injur-
ed. The rebel loss vas heavy.
All was quiet OF Monday when Colo
mel Potter left Iloilo.
w natives attempted to slip past
the United States cruiser Olympia
during the night in a O They fail
ed to respond when hailed, but kept
on padding along. After a warning
shot, a sentry fired at the boat and
killed one of the occupants and wound
ed the other
CLEARING THE ENEMY OUT OF
THE JUNGLE.
- 5:25 D.. m.-Several rebels yesterday
afternoon having fired from houses
bearing white flags on the American
outposts, Colonel Smith, with Compa-
MES L. D, and M, of the California
volunteers, proceeded to clean out the
enemy along his front. The rebels op-
posed him from the brush and several
Skirmishes occurred, during which nine
of the CalifOrnians were slightly
wounded before the rebels were driven
out.
The work proceeded today in a sys-
tematic name a gunboat Smelling the
villages and working her rapid-fire
guns very effectively on the jungle. The
entire California regiment, with the
exception of two companies, four COM
panies of the Washington regiment,
two companies of the Idaho regiment
and a battery of the Sixth artillery,
We're engaged. The rebels were driven
toward Lake Laguna de Payo. The
rebels held their fire, apparently being
short of ammunition, but they fought
desperately.
The American %outposts in this direc-
ton are fully twelve miles out.
All is quiet along the rest of the line,
with the exception of an occasional ex-
change of shots between sharp-shoot-
ers.
Manila, February 15.-Four compa-
mics Of volunteers which had been
clearing the country in the vicinity Of
Pateros, ten miles southeast of Mani
la, and which a been recalled, were
followed by the enemy today as they
retired. On reaching San Pedro Ma
cati, the Americans made a stand near
h church yard and the rebels were
driven back. The Californians again
advanced and are now occupying the
same ridge, commanding the valley of
the river which they held yesterday. A
gunboat near Pasig is clearing the
5ungles.