The Van Buren press., 1899-11-18
BATTLE OF THE QUAGMIRES.
Americans Win Satable victory
Fighting Waist Deep In Mud
AguinaIda's Retreat.

100 rifles, and found 81 insurgent
dead lying in the trenches and rice
fields. Many more Filipinos, doubt
less, were killed or wounded.
struggled Waist Deep in Mud.
Gen. Wheaton was informed that the
enemy was gathered at San Jacinto for
the purpose of preventing the Amerl.
cans from controlling the road from
Dagup,n north, whereby Aguinaldo
might retreat. The Thirty-third, Col.
Howe, commanding. were sent to DIS
perse hem. The troops encountered
the worst road ever found in the Isl
and of Luzon. There was succession
of creeks, whose bridges the Ameri.
cans had to stop and repair, and miry
bitches and at certain places men ard
horses struggled waist deep in quag-
mires. A hundred soldiers had to drag
the CALLING gun part of the way, the
horses being useless.
sbar,shooters Picked on officers.
The Insurgents opened the fight two
miles rom San Jacinto, while the lead.
ing American battalion was passing a
clumpof houses, in the midst of CO.
coanut grove, knee deep in mud. The
Filipilp sharpshooters. hidden in trees.
houses and a trench across the road,
held heir fire until the Americans
were dose TO them. When they began
firing pther Filipinos opened fire from
thicke.s. right and left, further away
The imurgent sharpshooters picked of
the officers first. Five of the Ameri.
cans Who fell wore shoulderstraps o1
chevrols.
Ou, Soldiers Never Wavered.
But he Thirty-third never wavered.
Its crak marksmen knocked the Fill
pinos rom the trees like squirrels, and
the Americans rushed the trench, leay-
ing foir dead insurgents there. The
regiment then deployed under fire with
MAJ J,hn A. Logan's battalion in the
center Maj. Cronye's on the right and
Maj Ahrsh's on the left.
The Sirmish line, which was mile
long, advanced rapidly, keeping up a
constait fire. The Filipinos made an
unexpectedly good stand, many OF
them remaining under cover until the
Americans were within 20 feet of them.
TrencI Full of Rebels Slaughtered.
Maj. Marsh fanked small trench
of insurgents, surprising them and
slaughiering nearly all of them before
entering the town. The gatling killed
five of the force holding the bridge
and swept the country beyond the
town, driving about $50 Filipinos int
the hills. Marsh's battalion, entering
the town first, captured big battle.
flag, which was flying over a convent
Pursuit Impossible-Had to Return
The Insurgents are supposed to have
retreatel toward Dagupan. 1t was inn
possible to pursue them as the Amer
lean troops were exhausted, and theil
supply of ammunition was low. The
outposts killed five Filipinos during
the fight. The body of the Filipino
lieutenmt-colonel commanding wa'
found among the dead. The regimen
returned to San Fabian Sunday, it be
ing impossible to get supplies over th'
road.
Fed on False Reports.
A proclamation of the Filipino secre
tary of war was found in all the vii
lagos, giving glowing accounts of al
legged Filip.lo victories and saying Z,
500 Americans had been killed and IL,
900 wounded during the war.
Prevented by Bad Roads.
The dead and wounded were brough
to Manila yesterday. The officers re
turning say it was impossible for Gen
Wheaton to attempt a junction witt
Gen. Young, on account of the roads.
AguinnIdo's Retreat.
Prisoners say it is reported tina
Aguinaldo, with an army they estimat
ed at 10000 (probably great eXagger
atom is returning toward Dagupar
intending to leave by railroad for tn
northeast. Some of them said they be
lieved the Filipino army had passe
the line intended by Gen. Wheaton an
Young to be covered on Aguinaldo'
rear, and that he passed San Fabian
going northwest, fortnight ago.
Captured "a Bull Train.
Col. Vessels of the Third cay
airy, while near San Nicolas, north G
Tayug, captured Filipino bull trai
loaded with records of the insurgents
war department, and the presses an
outfit of the newspaper Independence
The insurgents have resumed thei
activity in Cavite province, threaten
ing an attack on linus. Yesterda
they attacked Calamba in the usu;
fashion. A nightly fusilade betwee
the marines and the hundred insui
gents who again intrenched themselvC
on the isthmus between Cavite an
Noyeleta, is plainly heard in Manili
On Saturday the Filipinos attempte
to entrap the marines by landing
force from canoes behind them. tn
searchlights of the Petrol discovere
the preparations to embark, and fe'
shots from the Mondanock and Petrol
guns spoiled the game.
A superstition.
IT is supposed that the leaders of tn
insurrection, who are not already g
Bonga Bong, are retreating to thG
place, though when they left Tarla,
whether they are travelling with til
army. how many soldiers the
were able TO hold together, an
whether the leaders Of the troops hay
got beyond Gen. Lawton's line, are a
unknown. 1t is hoped, however. tha
Gen. Wheaton has affected n iunctio
with Gen. Young. forming a cordo
from San Fabian TO San Isidro. Gen
Iawton has 5000 men, Gen. Wheato
ZOO,