The times., 1899-05-27
TACTICS OF THE FILIPIN0S.
The Americans Fired Upon From
Churcke. and u HOSPITAL.

Churches and Hospital.
The War Department made public yes
terday the report of Col a. l.. Hawkins,
commanding the Tenth Pennsylvania Vol
untecrs. The report is dated February II,
in the field near Caloocan, and covers the
first week OF hostilities following Febru-
airy. Colonel Hawkins says:
AT 10:l5 p. m, on the 4th instant. was
notified by the brigadier commander that
an attack vas being made by the insur-
gents on our line of outposts and | was di-
rec;ed to move four companies OF my com
mand on the line previously selected, and
which was occupied by sixty Of my men
under Lieutenant Buttermore. as an out
post. This was promptly done. When my
trCups arrived ON the line found the
,utpusts had sustained heavy cblique ire
from the hockhouse No. 4. and from
considerable force stationed al the Chinese
hospital directly In oar front At this
! time NO advance had been made by the
enemy. and TO casualties resulted from
} their nrc. the outpost being we'll protect
/ cd tn the rear or dykes in the rice fields.
| Soon after cur arrival the crosstre from
the hluCkhuusC ceased and n heavy fire
Mas opened from the Chinese hospital and
ether buildings on Its flank. / sent out a
ilne OF skirmishers in command of Lieut..
/ tflatne Aiken, and disposed of my main
] line in rear of dykes behind the advanced
! line. During the night the enemy made two
advances ON our lines in considerable
force. but they were easily checked by our
( line Of skirmishers Just at the grey Of
! dawn the enemy made a somewhat de-
! ternined advance in force, which was al
so checked by the advance line. Our main
! line did not fire shot during the night
| After daylight | asked Captain Grant,
| commanding the Utah battery stationed
I ~
| Bulumbayan Road to shell the hospital
and line in my front as / desired to make
an advance. After half an hours firing of
shell and shrapnel I-signaled cease firing
/ and advanced my entire line rapidly on the
] enemy's position. He replied with heavy
/ volley firing, but when within 300 yards of
! his line he made a preciptate retreat. The
| fire of the enemy very high and wild.
and the only casualties at this time were
one man slightly wounded in the hand and
one man shot through the right lung.
I'VE advanced about six hundred yards
| and were met by a heavy fire from the
| insurgents from the Red Church to the left
of the Chinese Cemetery and from the
| bushes and old Spanish breastworks on
I the ridge TO the right. A stand was made
! at this place. Major Everhart Bierer, who
was in command of my left wing was
/ wounded here and forced to retire The
1
much stronger at the Chinese White
Church and on the ridge to its left than on
the line extending TO the right and ending
at the Ped Church. The artillery now
opened a heavy fire on the Chinese White
Church de la Iona and ridge to the left.
and continued for fully half hour. then
moved my command inside the Chinese
| Cemetery, formed a new line facing the
church and ridge to its left and ordered
I ~ 11K nttr ltraa aIyr pr1 EVfpdy IL,
the face OF a CALLING fire from the enemy
and when within about three hundred yards
of his line a charge was ordered which
swept him from his position and he re-
treated rapidly to the north by way oi
the stone bloclhouse north OF the Chinese
White Church de la Iona The centre oi
our force reached the wall enclosing this
church, advanced inside of the enclosure
sufficiently far 10 discover that no troop:
were lodged in the building and l ther
divided my force. the left passing arount
to the west side and the right TO the cas-
side
NO further advance was made by thi!
command. Major General Macarthur, com
manding Second division, indicated lin,
TO be occupied by the troops OF this com
mand which extended from the tower il
the rear OF the church in an easterly di
rection. slightly inclined south. which ha
|
evening of the 5th instant We have re
mained passive in this position.
Il desire to speak in the highest term
of praise of the gallantry displayed by th'
officers and troops of this command. The.
were subordinate and obeyed every orde
with intelligent alaerity, ( especially de
sire to commend the gallant conduct o
First Lieut. Blaine Aiken, Company H, ant
First Lieut.. George L. Gordon. Compan,
H of this command, who, during the Oper
ations TO this date, were in command o
the advance firing line of my command
Their cool, courageous conduct and cheer
ing words were an inspiration to the troop
under their command. On February
we buried forty-two OF the enemy
, dead found in front of our line, including
one field officer, one captain, and one frs
lieutenant. In addition three wounded in
surgents were captured and taken TO tn
! rear. where they received the care OF ou
surgeon. and one unwounded insurgent wa
taken and turned over to our authoritie
in the walled city