The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-10-11
Sharp Fighting.

NovELETA, Luzon, Oct. Stem.
Schwan's column, consisting of the
Thirteenth Infantry, battalion of the
Fourteenth, two troops of cavalry, the
Fifth artillery and loves scouts, adj
vanced from Bacoor this morning and |
occupied Cavite Viejo and Noveleta. |
The American loss was three officers |
and nine privates wounded, one of the
officers being MORALLY hurt. The loss
of the enemy is unknown but the
bodies of three Filipinos were seen.
There were two sharp fights near
Noveleta. loves scouts first en-
countered the enemy near Cavite vi
ejo and soon put them to flight, contin-
uing their advance.
Capt. Saffold's battalion of the Thir-
teenth regiment, with two companies
of the Fourteenth and The battery came
upon the enemy in strongly entrench-
ed position on the road between Ca
vite Viejo and Novelets. A fight last
ing halt an hour followed, resulting in
the enemy's being driven back. The
American forces sustained considerable
loss in this engagement, the men being
shot from trenches and shacks along
the road.
The marines and naval forces CO.
operated with the troops. The gun
boats Wheeling, Petrol and Caliao lay
off near Noveleta and threw shells into
that town and Santa Cruz for an hour,
preparing the way for the marines to
land. Two battalions, consisting of
as marines under Col. Elliott, advanc-
ed along the peninsula from Cavite to
MApaIata hauapI ha M o1
outpost the column was suddenly re-
ceived with a volley from trenches
across the road. A flank movement
was executed and the insurgents were
driven from the trenches, the marines
wading through rice fields in turning
the flank of the enemy, who retreated
to strong sand forts across the creek
dividing the peninsula, destroying the
bridge across the stream. The marines
waded through more rice fields, forded
the river in water to their shoulders
and carried the forts, meeting with
feeble resistance, the first encounter
having disheartened the enemy.
, Squads were sent to Noveleta to burn
! the town and the huts along the road
} from which the enemy commenced the
! firing. There junction was formed
with the scouts who had been sweeping
, the swamps and thickets. Thence the
, marines returned TO Cavite thoroughly
exhausted.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 8. - An Cfficia
cablegram from Otis of an account oil
: fighting on Sunday confirms the press
reports. 1t is significant that Otis re
: fers to naval participation merely as 6
demonstration" while the press tele
gram, censore !, shows the navy ant
marines, under Col. Elliott, United
, States Marine Corps took Novelets
with the aid of the Wheeling, Petre
and Callao which were subsequently
:, occupied by Lawton's forces. Admira
3 Watson's report is therefore awaited
as likely TO give the truth of the en-
gagement.
5 MANILA, Oct. 9.-General Schwan's
l column continued the advance today
8 towards San Francisco de Malabon
:, meeting with little resistance and suf
i ferlng no casualties. The enemy fel
< back steadily. This evening the column
is resting b tween Santa Cruz and SAr
Francisco de Malabon. Provisions ar,
being conveyed to Rosario. The Amer
=. lean camp tonight is within sight o
: San Francisco de Malabou, the strong
; hold of the insurgents in the PROVING,
of Cavite, where the FIlipiuos are salt
= to number 5000.
- During the march from Noveeta t
: Rosario only a few shots were fire
!. This large coast city was literally illet
. with white flags. The Americans cap
3 tured 200 or 300 men, MANY of the Fl
: lipinos changing their cl)thiug 70
!. white costumes. The bay Of Rosario
. was filed with hundreds of boats, il
= which the people had spent an excitin.
=, night.
. An expedition composed of tn
. United States gunboats Calao and Ma
MIA, with an armored hatboat ar,
steam pump, has left Cavite for th
river Pasg, or Belts, which emptie
into Manila bay on the north side, will
a view of raieing the Spanish gunboa
# Ayat, purposely sunk in the river b.
the Spaniards, which is reported 10 b
in good condition. The United State
gunboat Helena, with a body of ma
rines from the Baltimore, preceded thu
expedition TO make soundings at th,
q mouth of the river.
MANILA Oct. 10. - Scnwan's col
nmn entered San Francisco de Mata
bou without opposition this morning
The Filipnos had fled.