Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-05-04

Manila, April o9.-Gen. Lima, Agui-
nalGo's chief of staff, has sent an in
sursent colonel through the lines I'M
der a flag of truce to ask for cessa-
! ton of hostilities.
| Col. Funston has been overcome by
the heat.
Manila, April 90. Col. Frederick
Funston, of the Twentieth Kansas vol"
unteers, is the hero of Calumplt. He
crossed the Rio Grande river yester-
day morning with small force, after
q brilliant but unsuccessful attempt
the night before, hanked the insur-
gents. and drove them from the strong
position they held. The crossing was
effected under tremendous fire from
the rebel trenches, which We're
manned by the strongest force the i'll
surgents could assemble to guard the
railroad bridge, their line extending
for a mile on either side. This was
the most daring enterprise of the en-
tire campaign in the Philippines. 1t
was Col. Funston's second attempt to
cross the river. On the opposite side
lay, supposedly, the whole of the in
surgent army, heavily intrenched. 1t
was also armed with artillery. The
control of the river was of immense
strategic value. 1t was necessary to
cross. Col. Funston's first attempt to
get over failed because the barking of
dogs disclosed the movement to the
enemy on the opposite side. But he
was entirely successful yesterday
morning.
held the entire town of Calumpit ex-
cept the bridge. Heavy insurgent
forces occupied trenches at the further
end of the bridge, extending a mile on
either side Of the railway. The entire
strength Of the insurgent army was
believed to be holding these trenches.
| They had one or more artillery pieces
with which
They Threw Schrnpnel
into the American lines. Undaunted
by two previous failures, Col. Funston
persevered in his enterprise and sue
ceeded in taking the Rio Grande de-
fenses opposite Calumpit. 1t was one
of the most daring and courageous
achievements of the present, war. The
insurgents, numbering several thou
sand, occupied almost in1pregnable
earthworks on the north bank of the
river, with the bridge so stripped of
it's flooring that a passage across I'M
der fire was impossible. The insur-
gent earthworSs We're so constructed
as to be bombproof, and the American
artillery was consequently less eff
fective than usual Three RATS load
ed with fifty men crossed the river I'M
der heavy fire, and Immediately adj
yanced upon the trenches, driving the
insurgents forward until Interrupted
I! by a small but deep stream flowing
into the Rio Grande two hundred
yards west Of the railway, where the
heaviest trenches are located. Here
the insurgents attempted to check the
Americans. using Maxim guns, which
caused Col. Funstons small force to
retire. Immediately afterward, how
ever, Col. Funston, with Capt. ORIG
and eight men. crossed the small
stream in a boat. They charged upon
the trenches, where an immense force
OF insurgents,
Completely Terrified,
began to break. Col Funston. yelling
and shouting, dashed up to the rail
way, and the Montana and Kansas
troops at once began crossing the
bridge with Gen. Wheaton, the bridge
being no longer protected by the in
surgent fire. The insurgents appeared
wholly demoralized, their ranks break
ing repeatedly, although their gener-
ais, on horses, frantically ordered
them forward. Then was started an
effective fire from the Kansas and
Montana regiments which wrecked all
discipline. The line crumbled and the
enemy fed. Many retreated to train
which was waiting at the next station,
and the train Immediately left for the
northward. Others surrendered, thir-
ty-seven being either captured or talk
en- prisoners. Many others fled to the
eastward, probably going to the noun
| Tot, %~