The Portland daily press., 1899-06-12

Manila, $40 p. M, June 1.-THE
Filipino occupation OF the province of
Cavite has been broken and, as a
result OF the present movement, the
Americans now control the Important
coast towns of PAranaque and Las Pinas,
while long line OF insurgent trenches
facing our south line has been cleared.
The insurgents have again proved their
agility as dodgers, between 1000 and 4000
warriors who seemed destined to be cap
tured. having disappeared, the majority
sliding away under cover of the night,
after lighting the Americans ell day.
protestations of friendship.
The 18th infantry lost one man killed
and six wounded; the 9th infantry one
man killed and five wounded; the l4th
infantry three wounded and the first Col.
orado volunteer regiment eleven wounded.
Yesterdays work was the hardest our
army has seen. The battlefield stretched
out across the entire isthmus from
Laguna de Bay to the harbor. While the
troops were advancing the army gunboAt
Napidan In the river near Taguig, killed
several Filiipnos.
The United States monitor Monadock
and the gunboat Helena shelled Parana-
que and Las Pinas all day with the full
power Of their batteries. The rebel sharp
shooters kept In hiding until the Ameri-
can lines had passed and then endeav-
orsd to poplstragglers from the trees.
Thanks to their poor marksmauship this
was without result. The whole oountr y
proved to be succession of small hills,
with boggy ground between, the high
which greatly added to the difficulty Of
the advance, but gave shelter that saved
many from the enemy's bullets. Our
men threw away their blankets. coats
and even Laversacks, stripping to the
waist and trusting luck for food. Water
could not be obtained and there was
much discomfort after the canteens were
emptied. AT the outset the Colorados,
| the ninth infantry and the 2ist infantry
forced the line OF insurgent trenches,
| wheeled to the left and drove the enemy
| toward the lake. During this manoeuvre
the Fllipinos concealed in trenches on the
| right opened an enfilading fire, but the
brigade. partly owing to high grass. had
| few hit.
The ninth infantry crept around to the
right, fisnking the trenches, driving out
the Filipnos and killing many of them.
The Colorado regiment advanced TO the
lake. Two companies encountered
| trenches on top of a knoll, where the Fill
ipjnos stood waist high above trench,
pouring q voliey upon the advancing
Americans. The Coloradoans charged
and drove them out. Lieut.. Col. Moses
being wounded in the arm es he jumped
| into the trench.
In the meantime Gen. Wheaton's col
umn advanced one and half miles to-
wards Paranaque where the Americans
which they drove tho Fiiipinos by hard
| lighting. The enemy tried to flank the
dismounted troops of the fourth cavalry
accompanying Major General Lawton,
and, at the same time they made their
only advance. throwing skirmish line
| to flank the 14th infantry. But they
were easily repuIsed, the American artii.
lery coming to the crest OF the hill and
shelling them.
| About three O'Clock in the afternoon
Gen. Wheaton's brigade headed by Gen
eral Lawton. who, in his white clothing
and helmet, on q big black horse, was a
shooters, circled to the south of Las
Pinas, encountering a large force of
Filipinos in the shelter of the trees
General Lawton had a narrow escape, In
the first volley of the enemy the horses
Of three of his staff officers were shot
from under them. The Colorado regi-
ment bore the brunt Of this attack and
dispersed the Filipinos.
Hardly had they finished of that lot
when q larger force appeared in the real
which the ninth infantry and part ol
the Colorado regiment drove away BY
this time nearly the whole division was
around Las Pinas. The Americans
lcamped for the night south of ths fowr
and in the midst of q heavy rain.
At six o'clock this morning Genera
Wheaton advanced upon Las Pinas with
a troop of cavalry. the twenty first infan
try, the Colorado regiment, part of the
ninth infantry and two mountain guns
crossing two streams and entering tbs
town without firing shot. He then ad
vanced upon Paranaque. The women ans
children, ana for that matter, may men
remained in the towns. No houses wer'
destroyed, though many were torn b.
the shells from the warships. Every
where the Americans round white flag
: flying.
SO far as can yet be ascertained the