The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-25
Bandits Are Being Eliminated from
Problem, and Civil Government
by Natives Is Progressing.
KILLED BY A sHARPsHo0TER
STATEMENT AS TO
MAJOR LOGAN'S DEATH.
Gen. Otis Cables a Long Death Roll to
washington - Officers OF the
Charleston Held Blameless.

Associated Press Letter.
ILOILO. Nov. 13-This Island of Panay.
sister island to Negros and others of the
visayan group. has for months past been In
insurgent hands. To-day the American
forces are taking the aggressive for the
first time and are moving out to cover
and hold more territory. Up to the present
we have possessed the half-burned town of
Iloilo and nothing more. Ihe Twenty
sixth Regiment, under Colonel Rice, ar
rived here two weeks ago from the United
States. 1--WE at home knew" said officers
of this regiment, that our troops were
on Panay, but we had the impression that
they occupied the island; that the impor-
tant coast towns were at least ours: that
Hence we are surprised to see the Ameri-
can forces actually besieged by the insur-
gents upon three miles of land Immediately
surrounding Iloilo"
People in the United States may have the
same ideas as had the officers of the Twen-
ty-sixth Regiment, and to them 1T would
be well to say that our lines, up to the
present, embrace the suburbs of Jaro and
Molo, both within three miles Of this port.
and nothing more. Insurgent trenches face
US on the north md vest<and outpost ir-
ing is to be heard at any time. -
With the coming of reinforcements, a
battalion of the Nineteenth and the Twen-
ty-sixth Regiment entire, General Hughes.
in the midst of a typhoon that swept the
country with driving rain, flooded rice
fields and made quagmires of the roads,
with an expedition composed of the Eight
eenth regulars, under Colonel Carpenter;
the second battalion of the Twenty-sixth
Regiment; two battalions of the Nine
teenth; light Battery G of the Sixth Ar
tillery, under Captain Bridgeman, and Cap
tain Gordon's mounted scouts of the Eight
eenth Regiment, advanced into the enemy's
country. The battalion of the Twenty
sixth and two battalions of the Nineteenth
constituted a provisional regiment under
Colonel Rice, while the first and third bat
talions of the Twenty-sixth garrisoned uo-
Ito and Jaro.
The objective point of the expedition was
the supposed insurgent stronghold at Santa
Barbara, eight miles north of Jaro. but as
the direct road between these two points
had been strongly intrenched the American
forces made a detour to the west in order
to approach Santa Barbara on its unpro-
tected side. Yesterday General Hughess
command had occupied successfully the viii
lagos of Oton, Tigbaun and Gurmal the
coast and west of Iloilo; likewise Cordoba,
four miles north of Tigbaun. Company c,
nf "a TWantV-SiYrh hp
only contact with the rebels on the first
night out. One of the men of the company
which was under command of Lieutenant
Fales, was seriously wounded. Two of the
enemy were found dead when the trenches
were captured and much ammunition fell
into our hands as a result of the brush
To-day General Hughes's column is resting
in the four towns mentioned, waiting for
ammunition and provisions to be conveyed
to it, and also for the rains to stop and the
country to dry. The town of San Miguel
within sight of Iloilo, was partially fired
by the rebels when they thought our troops
were about to enter 1t.
The town of Iloilo to-day presents Woe
begone and dismantled appearance. a third
of the place is in ruins and the partial re-
construction of business houses and the
humber dwellings Of the poor with debris
from the conflagration of Feb IL reminds
one of the week after a Western cyclone.