The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-03-25
THE FIGHT AT ILoILo.
story of an Engagement I'm which a
body Of worn-0ut American
NIX Troops Won a victory.

New York, March %. - A dispatch TO
the Herald from Iloilo. Island Of PaAay.
says: A battalion Of the Eighteenth In
fantry. a platoon of the Sixth artillery
and the machine gun battery made a
reconnaissance in the direction OF Man
durriao and Santa Barbara Thursday.
While they were returning the insur-
gents attacked the outposts on the
right.
Although fatigued from marching in
the broiling sun, for two hours, the en-
tire command proceeded 10 the assist
ance of their comrades, the artillery
pouring shell and shrapnel into the In
surgents. who were strongly intrenched
In large numbers.
Companies C. III and X. of the Eight
eenth, deployed TO the right, driving the
insurgents back, and then wheeling TO
the left made junction with compa-
MES and /. A heavy engagement en-
sued.
Companies II, c, M and /, Of the Ten
nessee volunteers, Maj Cheatham COM
handing, arrived later and formed on
the left, and two more companies OF the
Eighteenth marched from lloilo 10 act
as support 10 the other troops. Col.
Van Nalzah and Maj. Keller command
ed the battalions of the Eighteenth
regiment.
Gen. Miller was on the scene early
and directed the operations from imme-
diately behind the fighting line. He
had several narrow escapes.
The line advanced by rushes 5000
yards under n hot fire, pouring in de-
liberate volleys upon the enemy's posi-
ton, the artillery making good prac-
tice.
BY the time the forces were within
800 yards OF the enemy's final position
darkness fell preventing the charge for
which the Tennessee men and the COM
panies of the Eighteenth on the right
had already prepared by fixing bayo-
nets. The retirement upon Jaro was
accomplished in good order.
The American troops were exhausted
by the fighting and having to wade
knee deep through the rice fields and
sugar cane. There were several cases
Of prostration by the heat. The only
man killed was Private Louis Biehl OF
company b, Eighteenth infantry.
The severity of the engagement may
be judged by the fact that the Eight
zenith regiment alone fired 02,s0O
rounds. 1t is estimated that the in
surgents, with their more than 1000
rifles, fired more than double our total
of ammunition.
Private Biehl brought in DAILY wound
ed. and gave warning to hurry up some
ammunition. as most Of the men were
short. He then returned TO the fight
ing line, and was struck in the chest
He fell, saying: I'm done for" and
died i'm ten minutes.
IL is impossible to tell accurately the
insurgent losses, as the American
troops conyerged at given point with
out traversing the ground shot over,
but on the day after the battle | could
sec from lara belfry the enemy carting
away the dead The minimum estimate
OF their losses is 200 killed and 300
wounded.
The evolutions were prettily exc
cuted. and the highest credit is due the
battalion and company commanders.
The men are chatting at being robbed Of
the fruits Of their victory. A charge
would probably have resulted in the
capture OF the enemy's arms and ans
munition, but from the confguration
of the ground and the position of our
troops il was impossible 10 allow an
advance in the darkness. The be-
hayior OF the troops was admirable.