The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1899-02-07
A HARD FIGHT
Further Details of the Battle Be.
tween the Americans and
Filipinos.
Firing Begun by Filipinos After
One Had Been Shot by
a Sentry.
Fighting Continued All Of Satur-
day Night and Half of
Sunday.
Three Of Dewey's Boats Threw
Shells Into the Enemy's
Camp.

gagement, a selni-circle of fully II
miles. details regarding fighting have
been extremely difficult to obtain. So
far as can be gathered, the brush com
menced at S:45 on Saturday evening. by
the firing of q Nebraska sentry at Santa
Mesa. upon Filipinos who were delib-
erately crossing the line, after repeated
warnings, with the evident purpose Of
drawing our fire.
The first shot from the American SEN
try was evidently accepted as a prear-
ranged signal, for it was followed al
most Immediately by a terrific fusillade
along the entire Filipino line on the
north side of the Pasig river.
The American outposts returned the
fire with such vigor that the Filipino
| fire was checked until the arrival of re-
Inducements.
All the troops in the vicinity were
hurried out and the Filipinos ceased
firing for half an hour while their own
reinforcements came up.
At 10 o'clock the firing was resumed.
the American firing line consisting Of
the Third Artillery, the Kansas, South
Dakota. Colorado and Montana regi-
ments. the Pennsylvanians. the Nebras-
| kans. the Utah battery. the 1dshos. the
Washingtons, the Californians, the
Fourth cavalry. North Dakota volun.
teers. Sixth artillery and Fourteenth
infantry.
The Filipinos concentrated their
forces at three points. Calcacan, Santa
Mesa and Galingalan. and maintained
an intermittent fusillade for some hours.
They brought artillery into action at
Galingalan at lO:3O, but only n gun
annoyed the Americans to any appreci-
able extent. "a howitzer on the road be-
yond Santa Mesa. The Third artillery
silenced the Galinsalan battery by fir
ing two guns simultaneously which was
followed Immediately by volleys from
the infantry.
About midnight there was a lull in
the firing, lasting until 3:45 a. m. when
the whole Filipino line reopened fire.
The Americans poured a terrific fire
into the darkness for 90 minutes. and
then there was another lull until day.
light. when the Americans generally
advanced.
khelled by the Charleston and Concord.
During the night in response to Ad-
miral Dewey's signals flashed across
from Cavite, the United States cruiser
Charleston and the gunboat Concord,
stationed at Malatabon, poured a deadly
fire from their secondary batteries into
the Filipino line at Calocan.
After daylight, the United States
double-turret seagoing monitor Monad.
mock opened fire off Malate and kent
shelling the Filipino's left flank, while
the other vessels shelled the right flank
for several hours.
By l o'clock the Americans had an.
rarently completely routed the enemy
and had taken the villages of Palaw.
pong, Santa Mesa, Paco, Santana. Sa.,
Pedro, Macorta, Pandocan and Pasai,
had destroyed hundreds of native huts
and had secured possession of the water
main reservoirs, a distance of over siA
miles.
One Of the Notable Events.
One OF the most notable events of
Sundays work was driving the Filipinos
out OF their stronghold at Paco, by the
reserve, a few companies of Califor.
mans, commanded by Colonel Duboce.
The main road to the village was lined
by native huts full of Filipino sharp
shooters. After they had been firing
upon General King and his staff, killing
a driver and firing on an ambulance of
the Red Cross society, Colonel Duboce
ordered the huts to be cleared and
burned. The Filipinos concentrated
into Pace church and convent. where
they made a determined stand in tho
upper stories.
A platoon Of Californians stationed
on a neighboring bridge, maintained q
hot fire on the Filipinos. but was unable
to dislodge them. In the face of a ter.
rifle fusillade, Colonel Duboce and a few
volunteers dashed into the church. scat.
tered coal oil inside of it, set fire to the
oil and retired.
In the meantime Captain Dyer's bat
terry OF the Sixth artillery bombarded
the church, dropping a dozen shells into
the tower and roof. Company L and
Company G., of the Ca~lifornians, charged
into the church, but were unable to as.
cend the single flight of steps leading to
the story above.
After the incendiaries had retired. q
company of the Idaho's and the Wash.
ihgton guards, stationed on either side
OF the building, picked off the Filipinoe
as they We're smoked out. Many Of tho
rebels, however, escaped into the brush
IN the rear OF the church. The Amer.
J cans captured S. of the rebels and dur.