The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08

gunbOat Laguna de Bal, under
Major Grant. had begun shelling the
.enemy's position. Two companies OF
the Twentieth Infantry and three com
panies of the First Nebraska, under
Colonel Statenburg, swung in from the
road to the water works, driving the in
surgents toward the Pasig River.
The First Wyoming advanced directly
on the insurgent position in front, one
company swinging forward with a yell,
followed by the whole line, and in the
meantime the Laguna de Bal was
pounding the foe from the river.
Thus taken on three sides the in
surgents after some resistance were
driven back. Captain J. D. O'Brien of
the First Wyoming was shot in the
wrist and Major Bell of the Bureau of
Information was slightly wounded.
Private John Curran of the Twentieth
Infantry was wounded.
General Hale subsequently sent out
a strong accommodating party, which
examined the jungle for five hundred
wards beyond our lines. No live Fill
pinos were seen. but the bodies of many
dead rebels were found where they had
fallen in the underground. 1t is esti-
mated by General Hale that 250 of the
enemy were killed. The village of La
Guig has been burned by the Ameri-
. cans.
The natives resumed desultory firing
in the afternoon on Wheaton's and
Hale's brigades. Our infantry and ar
tiIIery replied and soon drove the enemy
from their position.
At the time of sending this dispatch
the Wyoming troops occupy an ad-
vanced position. The insurgents opened
fire across the river from Guadalupe
and killed Private LOvejoy of Company
c. First Washington, and wounded two
others.
The insurgents have been concentrat-
ing to the east of the city and will prob
ably try an attack from that side. Their
principal object is 70 cut off the water
supply of Manila. The American posi-
tions are strong and the attempt will
be futile. The insurgent losses have
been severe during the last few days.
The Madrid authorities have offered
Aguinaldo a ransom of $1,000 each for
officers, 500 each for privates and $500
each for civilian servant prisoners. No
offer has been made to ransom priests.
Aguinaldo declares he has paid fill
busters $4,000 and has received only
500 rifles and 1000. 900 rounds of ammu-
nitfion. The filbusters say the re-
nainder have been captured. but prob
ably they were never bought.
Another example of the treachery Of
the natives was given to-day. Two
flags of truce were displayed by the
enemy in front of General Ovenshines
brigade. Lieutenant Koehler and sew
oral men w re detailed to advance and
learn whac the Filipinos desired. The
lieutenant and his party had gone
about 500 yards beyond their lines
when it was discovered that the bear
ers of the flags were armed and that
number of natives were concealed in
the brush, with the undoubted inten
ton of massacring the Americans who
replied to the flag of truce.
AS soon as the danger of the situa-
tfon was revealed, Lieutenant Koehler
and his men started to return to the
American lines. They had no sooner
turned than the enemy in ambush
opened fire on them, but fortunately
none of our men were hurt.
Later the Americans attacked the
rebels and drove them across the
Paranaque River, but they returned as
soon as our men retired from the
chase. ..