The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-05
TO SWEEP THE PENINSULA
American Troops Ready to Bag
the Insurgents.
COVERS A LARGE SECTION
A Large Force of Insurgents Cornered
Near Morong on Laguna de Bay.
Marching Under a Ter
rife Sun.

of the American troops tonight indi-
Gates that they will tomorrow sweep
the peninsula of Morong the land pro-
jecting to the south into Laguna de
Bay, where the Insurgents are supposed
to have a large force near the town of
Morong as well as the battery on the
western shore of the peninsula which
gunboat Napidan.
General Hall is marching from Anto-
polo, about six and a half miles north
of Morong, toward the peninsula, with
his forces spread out to cover a large
section. Colonel Truman, with the 1st
North Dakota regiment and the 18th
infantry is advancing along the coast of
the lake from Taytay, incidentally
clearing several small towns Colonel
Wholly, with the 1st Washington regi-
ment, has landed on the peninsula
above the town of Morong. The army
gunboats Napidan. Covadonga and
Ceste are in position to cooperate.
The original plan was 10 surround the
forces of General Pho del Pillar so that
he must retreat to the MOrong penin-
sula, where capture would have been
inevitable. This was rot a complete
success. because General Halls column
found the country full of handicaps to
marching. There were several streams
to be bridged or forded and troops fire.
quently floundered through morasses,
waist deep in mud, an experience
which, under the terrific sun, exhausted
the Americans quite beyond endurance.
Most of General Pho de Pillars follow
ers are supposed to have escaped north
ward, probably reaching Bosoboso, a
stronghold in the mountains.
Colonel Wholly has completed his
share of the movement and brought the
Washington regiment TO the river Pa
sig, where last night about midnight
the men embarked upon canoes and
started for their destination under the
convoy of the gunbOats.
They encountered a repetition of the
experience undergone BY almost every
expedition in attempting to enter La
guna de Bay, as the bolts went aground
in the shadows al tie mouth of the
river and were detalaed there several
hours.
Major General Layton in the mean
time was indefatgaHe, riding from one
force to the other and supervising the
loading of the canoes without sleep for
two nights.
General Halls column, which assem-
bled at the water works, or pumping
station, late Friday night under cover
of a moonless sky, consisted of the I'd
Oregon volunteers, who marched to the
point Of rendezvous from the city bar
racks, a battalion of the I'd Wyoming
regiment, four troops of the 4th cavalry
-one mounted on the big American
horses which so impressed the natives,
the others unmounted-two battalions
of the 4th infantry. one battalion of the
9th infantry and six companies of the
1st Colorado regiment and two noun
tain guns. The men rolled themselve
in their blankets and lay upon the wet
grass for few hours under a drizzing
rain.
AT o'clock yesterday morning (Sat-
urday) they began to cross the San
Mateo river and about noon easily re-
pulsed a large band of Filipinos about
II miles east of Manila, between Mari
quina and Antopolo. The Oregon regi-
ment, the cavalry, the artillery and the
4th infantry accomplished this task
driving the Insurgents from the hills,
the other troops being held in reserve,
but afterWard joining the main column
in the pursuit toward the sea.
running fight was in progress all
the afternoon. A Filipino outpost first
attacked few American scouts,
whereupon the 4th cavalry formed a
long skirmish line and easily drove the
insurgents into the hills. Then the
Oregon regiment moved across a wet
soggy rice field in extended order to-
ward the hills, where it was believed a
large force of the enemy had camped.
When the Orpgonians were within
about a mile of the position the Fill
pinos opened a heavy fire, the Ameri-
cans replying and pressing forward
more rapidly.
After a few volleys the insurgents
were seen scattering over the crest of
the hills in every direction and their
panic was increased when the artillery
opened upon them and the shells began
to explode all around them, causing
great loss of life. The COMMANDMENT by
the batteries and the musketry was
maintained for nearly half an hour af-
ter which not Filipino could be seen
on the hills and not a shot came from
the position The heat was intense and
the troops suffered greatly, but they
continued on the trail taken by the for
lorn enemy in the hope of driving them
toward the lake. Colonel Wholly, with
two battalions of the list Washington, a
battalion of the 18th infantry, two guns
of Scott's battery and a party of scouts
under Major Weisenberger, left San
Pedro Macati yesterday morning and
aIteT IOFllHS lHt tlNtT TaSlS advanced
northeast upon Cainta, while General
Hall approached the town from the op-
posite direction, the gunboats Napidan,
Cavadonga and Ceste operating in the
river.
This important movement was kept so
secret that the public thought the plan
was to send General Ovenshine's lines
forward against the insurgents who are
entrenched south of the city.
The signal corps displayed admirable
enterprise in the laying of wire, but the
native sympathzers cut them behind
the army, even within the American
lines.
S:35 p. m.-GeneTal Halls column, in
the movement on the Morong peninsula,
completed the circle of 20 miles over
rough and mountainous country, hav-
ing two engagements with the insur-
gents, one of them severe, and keeping
up an almost constant fire against scat
tered bands of rebels for nearly "a hours
from o'clock Saturday morning, when
the column left the pumping station.
The Filipinos were driven in every di-
rection and the country through which
General Hall passed was pretty thor