The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-12-27
FIGHTING In MUD.
Details of the Battle Where Major
Logan Fell.

Washington, Dec. EMAIL advices
have reached the war department in re-
gard to the crushing defeat administer
ed by Wheaton's brigade to the insur-
gents near San Jacinto early in NOvem-
Der in which engagement, Major John
a. Logan, jr., lost his life. According
to the correspondent of the Manila
American, the Thirty third infantry un-
der Colonel Hare, encountered a force
of the enemy between San Fabian and
San JacintO and brought on one of the
sharpest engagements of the war re-
suting in the death of more insurgents
than in any other fight since the begin
ming of the insurrection. The battle
ragged for two hours and at its cOnclu-
sion seventy seven F'ilipinOs were found
in the trenches. Many wounded We're
found hidden in the high grass and
creek bottom. It is estimated that over
100 insurgents were killed in the fight,
from twenty to thirty being found dead
together in several places.
Twenty mine prisoners and 100 rifles
were captured. The Americans lost one
officer killed and six men wounded.
The officer killed was Major John A.
Logan, jr., who was shot through the
head during the first few minutes of the
enga cement, while at the head of his
battalion which formed an advance
guard. He was in the act of assisting
a wounded soldier and was hit by a
Mauser bullet, fired by a sharp-shOOter
concealed in the top of a cOcoanut tree.
He died few hours later.
a reconnaissance on the Tuesday pre-
ceding, made by Major Bucks battaI-
ion of the Thirteenth infantry in the
vicinity of San JacintO developed moth
ing of Importance, but afterwards Cen
eraI Wheaton received information that
the enemy was assembling in strong
force there for the purpose of prevent
ing our control of the road from Dagu-
pan north. through San JaClntO. by
which it was considered probable that
AguinaldO's Tarlac army would attempt
to retreat. The Thirty-thi was order
ed out, accompanied by a Gatling gun
with a detachment of the Thirteenth
under the command of Captain How
| land, of General WheatOn's staff. The
troops encountered five miles of the
worst road ever found in LuZOn, being
| a succession of creeks and miry bitches
into which the men sank to their waists
in mud and water. Every bridge was
unSerViceable and had to he repaired
| where possible, but in most cases the
men with horses and guns plunged into
the quagmire and struggled through as
best they could Nothing but the in
| dOmitable energy of Captain HOwland
enabled the Gatlng to get into action.
| A score of times it was necessary to
unhitch the horses and lead them
around through rice fields while a hun
! dred soldiers dragged the gun over the
bitches, or broken bridges.
The fight was opened by the insur-
gents two miles from San JacintO,
while the leading battalion was pass
ing clump of native houses, surround
ed by a grove of cocOanut trees and the
! fire came from sharp shooters in trees
and houses and from a small trench
| across the road, all at close range.
| There was also a heavy fire from
| thickets more distant to the right and
| left. The aim of the sharp-shOOters
was deadly and was directed at the Of
| ficers; for the first five men that fell
! wore either cheVrOnS or shoulder straps.
/ The officer hit besides Major Logan, was
! Capt. Green. He was also shot from
/ tree but his wound was slight.
] f1ea aCri no rod
/ ment. The crack marksmen it contain
/ ed soon located the natives and began
| knocking them out of trees like squir-
| relS. The men rushed at the trench,
/ through the soft mud waist deep, and
! passed over it, leaving four dead Fill
| pinOs within. At the same time, the
I regiment deplOyed as skirmishers Ma
/ jOr LOgan'S battalion in the center, Ma
/ jOr Cronin's on the right and Major
/ Marsh's on the left. Col. Hare and
J L1uet- Col BrertOn directed the general
! movement. The skirmiSh line which
| was nearly two miles long, rushed for
| ward rapidly through water soaked
/ rice fields, bitches. creeks and thick
! cts, firing all the time and doing dead
/ ly execution
The Filipinos made the best stand for
| a long time. several dashes being re-
| ported of the rebels remaining in posi-
| tiOn behind cover until the Americans
| were within 20 feet of them. Major
| Marsh's battalion surprised a trench
| full of insurgents by coming upon their
| flank. They poured a terrible fire along
| the trench. slaughtering nearly all in it
/ Just before entering the town the Cat
/ ling did good execution by killing five
| of a party that was guarding a broken
| bridge and afterward swept the cOun-
/ try beyond the town, driving a hundred
| and fifty rebels into the hills.
| Major Marsh's battalion entered the
| town first and captured a large battle
| flag that was floating over a convent
/ Not a native was left in the town when
/ the troops arrived except a blind boy
! and one woman. Most of the survivors
| of the insurgent force are supposed to
/ have escaped toward MagaldOn or
/ Dagupan- It was impossible to pursue
I them further as the troops were ex-
| hausted. the ammunition was low and
I the troops only had two days rations
| with them and no possibility of getting
| further supplies from San Fabian, ow-
! ing to the condition of the road. The
! column camped for the night at San
/ JacintO.
| Five more rebels were killed during
/ the night by the outpOsts. Among the
! bodies found was that of a lieutenant
/ colonel n he in nd of