The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-06-14
In The Far East.

ward movement was made al day
break this morning under Generals
Wheaton and Ovenshine.
They swept the country from San Pc
dro Macati between Manila and La
guna de Bay almost TO Paranaque. The
Americans lost two officers killed and |
twenty-one soldiers wounded. The |
re bells resisted desperately from behind |
several strong trenches. Fifty bodies |
of dead Fllpinos were left by the re.
treating insurgents, also many wound
ed. Terrific humidity prevailed and
many American soldie 8 were over
come.
WASHINGTON, June 9.-Gen. OLis
has informed the war department that
he has decided not to take advantage
of the authority given him by the sec
rotary of war to enlist native troops in
the Philippines. He thinks it is not
timely to do this. He has, however,
enlisted 200 Maccabbe natives, but
only for scouting purposes. They will
not be organized into companies.
The military authorities are not sur
prised at Gen. Otis determination not
to organize any Filipino troops. 1t is
apparent from what Gen. Otis says
that he believes it would not be safe to
intrust any Filiplnos with arms at this
time and teach them American military
methods while the instruction is in
progress. The idea in directing that
If any na'ives were enlisted in the Phil
ippines they should not be organized
in large bodies was that the chance of
mutiny or treachery would be reduced
to q minimum. The intention of the
government has been that native troops
shall have American officers and suf-
ficient number af American non-com-
missioned officers to set them an ex-
ample in soldierly bearing and Disc
pine. Several officers with the i'm
mune regiments in Cuba have been
commissioned in the Porto Rican ma
tive battalion and the highest grade to
gible is that Of corporal.
MANILA, June IA severe battle
was fought on Saturday, with the re-
suit that the Filipinos are now practi-
cally driven out of the province of
Cavite. The Americans control the
important coast towns of Paranaque
and Las Pinas, and long line of in
surgent trenches facing our south line
has been cleared of the enemy. New.
ertheless, the Filipinos sustained their
reputation as artful dodgers, between
5000 and 1000 slipping away under
cover of night after fighting the Amer.
leans all day. Saturdays work was
the hardest our army has seen. The
battlefield stretched out across the en-
tire isthmus from Laguna De Bay to
the harbor.
Following is the official report of the
engagement:
MANILA, June 1.-THE terrific heat
yesterday did not permit our troops tC
reach positions at the hours designated
enabled majority of the insurgents tc
escape in acattered organizations south
and westward, which they effected dur
ing the evening and night. The move
ment was great success, however, the
enemy was disorganized and routed
suffering heavy loss; troops rested to
day at Las Pinas and Paranaque. The
navy did excellent execution along the
shore of bay, but many insurgent dc
tachments retired in that direction
protected by presence of women ant
children whom they drove along witt
them. Our loss was four killed ant
some thirty wounded. Conservative
estimate of enemy's loss about 400.
MANILA, June 12.-Lawton's cam
paign in the province of Cavite wa
characterized by the brilliancy ant
dash of all that officers movements
Wherever the rebels made stand they
were beaten by heavy loss. Tht
Americans suffered severely from heat
Many were Frustrated and brought
back TO Manila. The Colorado troops
who did excellent work with Lawton
returned to Manila last night, tired
ragged, hungry, but happy over the re
suits of their work. The regulars un
der Lawton remain at Paranaque an(
Las Pinas, ready for further fighting
The facility with which the rebels sir
away is due to thorough knowledge
of the country, and trick of conceal
ing their arms and slipping into white
clothes such as peaceable natives wear
Officers declare that the rebels will
play this trick once too often. They
expect to bag them in punches in the
MANILA, June 13.-General Antonio
Luna, one of the bitterest foes of the
Americans in the Philippines, has
been Iasassinated by order of Aguinal
do. General Luna has recently found
himself in opposition to his chiefs
views. He not only disobeyed his
orders, but one time he stopped Agui.
naldo's peace commissioners on their
way to Manila to treat with the Ameri-
cans. Aguinaldo ordered his death
and the order was carried out by some
of his fanatical followers. The report
of the assassination caused great excite
ment among Filipinos in Manila. The
report has now been confirmed.
The assassination of Luna occurred
June at Kabanatuan where he had
gone TO confer with Aguinaldo just af-
ter being promoted major general. BY
a preconcerted plan he was kept wait
ing at the door of Aguinsldo's head
quarters until his patience was ex-
hausted. After demanding admission
several times he drew revolver, at
tempting to force the door. He was
seized by Aguinaldo's guard and one
named Ney stabbed him several times.
1t is said that Luna's aide who was near