The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1899-02-23
DRIVING THE FILIpINOS.
Gen. Charles King Tolls of the Battle at
Manila.
From the Philadelphia Press.

Manila.
From the Philadelphia Press.
| Manila, Feb. s-You Eask for story OF
/ the battle of Sunday. | can tell you only
| OF my own command for McArthur's Di-
| vi sion is across the Pasig and Oven
| vite, and we were so busy on our own front
| that We had no time to ask questions.
! For month we have expected the bat
| tie. The insurgents on the east front OF
Manila across the Estero Concordia have
been in close contact with the on posts of
our brigade, and only positive orders have
prevented an earlier conflict, for the
temper OF our men has been sorely tried
| by their aggressionS.
| Up to midnight of Saturday-Sunday,
Feb. and 5-not shot had been fired
on my front, although there was sharp
| work all the earlier evening across the
Pasig. Not until 2:40 Sunday morning did
the insurgents open. FIRE on the First Bri-
gade, First Division. At that moment my
line extended from Blockhouse No. IL, on
the extreme right, along the ConcOrdia to
| the Pasig River.
AT Pandacan, across the narrow stream,
for weeks past the insurgents have been
! allowed to throw up earthworks and pre-
pare for defense or attack. Our orders
were practically to su bmit to any thing
rather than bring on fight, and the
officers and men had been under severe
tension because of the insults and aggres-
sions of the Filipinos.
The First Brigade of Gen. Anderson's
Division, consisted Of the 1st WASH, 1st
CAL, and 1st Idaho regiments. Dyer's
fine battery of the 9Th Art. and Haw-
thorne's separate mountain battery joined
just after the fun began. 1t was business
from the start.
The insurgents were in force directly in
front of the Santa Ana bridge, and armed
with MauSers. The sky was clOuded, but
the waning moon was powerful enough to
light the way. Col. Whalley, with two bat
taiions OF his fine regiment, the 1st Wash,
defended the position at Santa Ana bridge,
While Dyer'S guns were being hurri d to
their station on his right, and Hawthorne
came into action at the bridge itself
In 10 MINUTES fighting on the right of
the road Co. A, 1st Wash, had two men
killed and Is wounded their gallant Capt.
Otis losing much of his ear, but none OF
his nerve. At O'Clock the fight was gem
eral all along the line.
AT last the order to advance came Gen.
Anderson in person directed the attack in
the direction OF San Pedro, while the bn-
gade commander, with the Washington
and Idaho regiments, made the dash on
Santa Ana. 1t was about O'Clock. The
fields towar San Pedro were open and
only lightly held, but to the left of the
road TO Santa Ana the insurgents had
strong redoubts, earthworkS, and krupp
guns. They fought with obstinate courage
and no little skill, but their valor was of no
avail against the determined rush OF the
WashingtOns a nd Idahos.
Gallant old Mai. McConviile, Of the Idahos,
got his last orders from the lips of the
brigade commander as together they rcde
across the bridge, and his death wound
was received leading his men into the
attack.
The fight was fierce in front of the left
wing. The insurgents held On to redoubt
in front of Pandacan until our line had
swept beyond the other flank. In the
dash upon this earthwork, Capt Fortman,
fst Wash, led two companies across the
stream, fording the Concordia, as almos
all the brigades had to- waist or breast deep.
One of McConvilles IS Companies attacked at
the same moment from the tight, and be-
tween them the insurgents were driven
into the Pasig, leaving 40 dead and many
wounded.
just beyond the redoubt and close to the
river, the insurgents had a strong earth
work with two Krupp guns. These they
fought with skill and courage to the very
last, when the lines swept over them with
the bayonet. Meantime in the face of heavy
fire the right wing drove squarely into the
village OF Santa Ana, the insurgents hold
ing on pluckiIy, and leaving many dead
and wounded among the nipa huts.
One hour after the order to advance the
First Brigade had captured Santa Ana
With the guns, reserve ammunition, and
sup lies Of the insurgents. Another hour
and the extreme right had driven the
enemy through San Pedro, and by noon
the church and convent at Guadalupe,
four miles up the Pasig, were in our
possession. There is nothing else on our
side of the river worth the taking.
The losses were h avy because we had
to attack over fields that the enemy had
been allowed to fortify, but they are slight
in comparison with those of the insurg nts.
One hundred and ten of the latter were
buried this morning within 500 yards of
the bridge, at which they made SO stubborn
a stand.
Let no man say the Filipinos cannot
fight They are brave and skil'ful. AS for
the California, Idaho, and Washington
regiments, and Dyer's and Hawthorne's
gunners, words are inadequate. CHARLES
King.