Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-04-11
Gen. Otis Makes His Official
Report.
OUR BOYS in THE FIGHT
They Forced Their Way Through the
Jungles and We're in at the
Fall of CalOOcau.

Washington, April 11.-Adjutant Gen
eral Corbin has received the first mail
report of the military opera tons about
Manila since the Filipino instruction
began. 1t was made by General H. G..
Otis, commanding the First brigade of
the Second division Of the Eighth army
corps, and is dated I'm the Field, near
Caloocan P. l., February %, 1S99," and
describes the movements of his brigade
from the 4th to the 22nd Of February.
The regiments included are the Tenth
Pennsylvania, Third artillery, First Mon
! tana infantry, Twentieth Kansas in
fantry and First Idaho infantry. When
the alarm was given on the night of the
4th instant, Colonel Hawkins, comma nd
| ing the Tenth Pennsylvania infantry,
moved out four companies from their
city barracks to support his outposts,
which sustained an oblique fire from
Blockhouse No. / and a force at the Chi
nese hospital, directly at their front
During the night the enemy made two
advances in considerable force, but were
easily checked by the skrmishers and
bamboo thickets. The troops at the
leper hospital had already been engaged
! and hostile advance repelled.
The following day an almost continue
Gus fire was kept up by the Montana and
Kansas regiments. The dykes were
heavily wooded. bamboo thckets inter-
vened and rice fields dotted with numer-
| Gus huts extended some distance. The
concealed fire of the enemy was very
annoying and caused many casualties
At this juncture a company of the Twen-
tieth Kansas infantry, under the veteran
Captain Elliott, was ordered to the sup
port Of the First Montana. All three
regiments went forward at about the
same time, sweeping the ground, driving
the insurgents from their cover and kill
ing a number of them. These movements
resulted in establishing the line on better
ground. Major Kobbe discovered a con-
tinuous firing line of insurgents posted
among the bushes and along the walls
of the Chinese church on his flank.
Major Kobbe ordered volley firing to be-
gin from two of his batteries. driving
back the enemy in considerable num-
bers. The forward movement was con-
tinued as far as the stone blockhouse,
which was taken by Company of the
Twentieth Kansas, which company is
highly praised by it's then immediate
commander, Major Kobbe.
In the action of February 10, the Third
artillery advanced, deploying on the
ground in front of it's original position
in opening fire by command only On
the right it cleared a ravine on which it
had previously rested. Major Bell of the
engineers, led a company of the Montana
regiment forward out of the ravine al
most at right angles to Major IKobbe's
right front, whose fanks then practically
rested "in the air. The Montana men
were firing as they advanced upon the
insulge entertainments. and by doing
so rendered timely aid to the forward
movement of the Third artillery.
On receipt of informa ton that his out
posts had been attacked and had fallen
back to st. Lazare cemetery, Colonel
Kessler of the First Montana proceeded
to reinforce the same with two COM
panies. Firing was kept up throughout
{ the night, but with small effect, and on
the following morning a detachment
made an advance from st. Lazare ceme-
terry, firing the houses on it's immediate
front and retired to the cemetery. Sub
sequently a detachment of the regiment
in conjunction with the Tenth Pennsyl-
vania, captured the Chinese hospital.
The First Montana also participated in
the movement which resulted in the cap
ture of the Chinese cemetery and also
in the general advance of the brigade
upon Caloocan on February 10. The out
post of the Twentieth Kansas, located
near the tramway station on the Caloo>
can road, was fired upon by the insur-
gent patrol about 10 o'clock p. m. Feb
ruary 4. An alarm instantly put the en-
tire regiment under arms in its barracks
in the city. One battalion was held in
quarters and two others, under Colonel
Funston, marched to the support of the
outposts' line, which by that time was
sharply engaged. They We're Joined by
a detachment from the Utah battery.
The enemy's fire which was concealed
came from the woods about 200 yards in
front. The fire was returned by occa-
sional voleys. The next day Colonel
Funston advanced his line without diff
Guilty, the two field pieces opening fire
on the nsurgent barricades and the
trenches. distant only about 500 yards
This fire became so calling that the COM
mander of the regiment deemed an ad-
vance Imperative; led seven companies
on charge up the road and through the
gardens and bamboo thickets, fianking
it and adv vancing directly upon the enc
my's strong positions. The charge was
CALAMITY. made, the men firing as they
advanced. The insurgents stood until
the. Kansas line had come within 20
yards of them. when they gave way.
The victers occupied both barracks and