The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-19
Battalion Under General
Wheaton Attacked
In the Rear by Supposed
Friendly FilipinOs.
FIERCE FIGHT ENSUES.
Battle Continued For a Number
of Hours.
Five Americans Killed and 25
Wounded.

Manila, June 1880 p. ma bat
talon of the Fourteenth infantry, which
left linus, where General Wheaton is
in command, this morning, to recon-
noiter towards Peres Das Marinas,
where it was believed most of the rebels
who escaped from Paranaque and
Bacoor. had fed, was attacked in the
rear by apparently friendly natives.
This brought on a sharp engagement
which lasted several hours, resulting
in five Americans being killed and
about % being wounded. The loss of
the rebels was very heavy.
The battalion soon exhausted its am
munition and at 2:3O this afternoon Gen.
Wheaton and his staff, with the Second
battalion, two mountain guns and one
field piece went to reinforce the troops
attacked. Gen. Wheaton was fired on
in a road, and had narrow escape.
Later the Third battalion was ordered
to the front and formed on the Las
Aiinas road. Heavy firing on both sides
followed. the artillery being freely used.
The enemy was located in the woods at
/ o'clock, showing signs of retiring as
the rebels were being pressed hard. One
gun of the Sixth artillery in an advan-
tageous position, did great execution.
The fighting was still in progress at
o'clock at which time the Americans
had secured a quantity of Filipino arms
which had been abandoned in the
woods.
The scene of the fight is over twenty
miles from Manila.
THE NAPIDAN'S WORK.
Manila, June 19.-The gunboat Napi-
dan arrived here yesterday and made
a brief stay. Her commander, Frank
lin. reported the details of an engage
ment with the insurgents on the lake
June 10.
While General Wheaton was fighting
near Taguig, Franklin saw a party OF
500 insurgents advancing under cover
OF the bluffs to attack Wheaton's left
flank.
The Napidan steamed unseen by the
natives to within 500 yards of the shore.
when she opened fire upon the enemy
with every gun on board, two and three
inch HOtchkiss, revolving Colt. rapid
fire. Calling and rifles in the hands of
the crew.
insurgents. The first discharge scatter
ed the natives and threw them into ut
ter confusion.
The Filipino commander who was
fiat of his sword, striving to rally them,
but they would not stand to be cut
down by the murderous fire of the gun
boat Finally, they fled over the hill,
the Napidan shelling them until the last
man disappeared.
General Wheaton first saw the insUr-
gents as they were scrambling over the
hill in their flight. He was ignorant of
the reason of the decentralization his
own-fire drowning that of the Napidan
The gunboat then steamed down the
lake A short distance down she saw
a Filipino supply train and opened fire
upon it. destroying every cart and kill
ing every carabOu. Continuing down
she saw new barracks. containing 500
insurgents, which were shelled and
burned.
After the barracks were destroyed
Franklin. with a detail of men, went
ashore and found nearly sizIy dead
F1lipinos and several wounded who had
been left where they fell. Franklin pick
ed up an officers sword, but it was i'm
possible to distinguish officers from
priVates among the dead. He reports
that the lake is cleared of Insurgents
south of Muntuilupa