The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-10-11
Americans Advance
Over Rough Ground.
Brigade moves From Racoor
Town of Novelita

.,sEs.
Noveleta Island of Luzop, Get. s
S.I5. B.. m.-Gen Schvan's col
umn, consisting of the Thirteenth
infantry. q battalion of the -Four
teenth, two troops of cavalry, Capt
Reiliy's battery Of the Fifth artillery
aud Dewey's scouts, advanced froa
Bacoor this moraing and occupied
Cavite Vieio and Noveleta.
The American loss was three OH
Gers and nine privases wounded, one
of the officers being morially hurt
The loss Of the enemy is unknown.
bot the bodies of three Fiilplnos
we're seen.
There were two sharp fights neal
Noveleta: Loves scouts first en-
eountered the enemy near Cavite
Vieio and soon put them to fight,
continuing their advance.
Capt Seaford's battalion of the
Thirteenth regiment with s~o COM
panies Of the Fourteenth and 8 mum
ber of Tagalo scouts, Capt McGrath
commaading the troops from the
Fourth cavalry and Capt Reilly's
battery, came upon the enemy in a
strongly entrenched position on the
road between Cavi.e Viejo and
Noyeleta. A fight lasting half sn
! hour followed, resulting ir the
enemy's being driven back. The
American forces snstained considera
bic loss in the engagement, the men
being shot from trenches and shacks
along the road
The column then pressed on to
Noveieta, which they found deserted
and viii remain there tonight
The marines and naval forces
co operated with the troops The
gunboats Wheeling, Petrol and Cal
lao lay of the shore near Noveleta
and threw shells into that town and
Santa Cruz for an hour, preparing the
way for the marines 10 land. The
battalions consisting Of 45O marines
nnder Col. Elliott, advanced along
the peninsula from Cayite to Noveleta
the only way was by narrow road
through swsmps
A mile beyond the marines out
post the column was suddenly receiv
ed with a volley from trenches across
the road A flank movement was
executed and the insurgents were
driven from the trenches. the marines
.wading through rice fields in turning
She flank of the enemy, who retreated
TO strong sand forts scross the creek
dividing the peninsula. destroying
the bridges across the stream The
marines waded through more rice
fields, forded the river in water to
their shoulders and carried the forts,
meeting with feeble resistance. the
fret encounter having disheartened
the enemy Squads were sent to
Noveleta and burned the town and
the huts' all along the ROAD ifom
which the enemy commenced the
6ring. There a junction was formed
with the scou.s who had been sweep
ing the swamps aud thicket Thence
the marines returned to Cavite thor
oughly exhausted
Lieut.. Wynne, with three
pounder. did good execution during
the advance.
Gen. Lawton was not in personal
command of today's movements
Capt. Cowles' battalion, Fourth
. infantry, while reconnoi:ering today
found a body of several hundred In
surgen.s near San Nicholas. After q
briak fight. lasting three quarters OF
an nour, the enemy was driven off
In this engagement the American
casualties were four men slightly
wounded.
Six of the enemy were killed. but
the nuraber wounded is not known
The bad condition of the roads made
the progress of the artillery Glow.