Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1899-03-29
VIVA GREAT VICTORY
Americans Have a Decisive En-.
gagement with FiIipinos.
ENEMY SUFFERS TERRIBLE LOSS.

Conservative Estimates Place Our Loss at
Sixteen Killed and $50 Wounded Our
Forces Advance Straight Through the
Rebel Lines. Cutting the Enemy's Force
in Two-severai Towns Captured-Reb-
els Adopt American Trctics.
Manila, March PA terrible battle
has been raging near Caloocan since
early morning. The Americans have
practically won a splendid victory. Five
hundred rebels have been killed and
wounded. AS many more are prisoners.
American losses are conservatively es-
timated at sixteen killed and about 100
wounded The insurgents losses are
greater than during any previous en-
gagement.
Manila, March 27.-The American
troops won sweeping victory over the
Filipinos Saturday. Elaborate prepara-
rations were made for the movement.
General Wheaton's brigade was placed
in the rear and General Harrison Gray
Otis and General Halls were massed
behind General Hale's. Under the cover
of the darkness General Otis and Gen.
eral Hale's brigade left their trenches
and advanced close up on the enemy's
line without being detected, General
Wheaton's and General Halls brigade
occupying the vacated positions. AT
o'clock the American troops breakfast
ed and the Filipinos, noticing the camp
fires, their buglers called to arms. At
= terI,f tfc
Halls brigades advanced from La
Iona church straight through the rebel
lines, cutting the enemys force in two.
Rebels Held Their Fire.
Upon this occasion the rebels adopted
the American tactics of holding their
fire until the attackers were about 1000
yards distant. The rebels also fired
lower than usual. The Americans fired
volleys with terrible effect and then
rushed forward cheering and carrying
everything before them. Once through,
General McArthurs division was swung
to the left, driving the rebels away on
all sides. General Wheaton's brigade,
in accordance with instructions, re-
manned in the trenches. Before join
ing in the movement, at noon, General
Wheaton's troops developed strong
opposition between Malabon and the
River Tuliahan. The brigades COM
manded by General Harrison Gray Otis
and General Hale advanced on No
valiches and Polo, strongly entrenched
towns. In the meantime General Halls
brigade swept the country clear to the
water works and the foot hills and
Singalon. capturing San Francisco del
Monte and Mariquina.
Advance Was Irresistible.
Ninety minutes after the start, at G
o'clock. the whole front for a distance
of three miles to the north, had been
clear. The line was then opposite
Novaleche, the artillery advancing
along a good road from La Iona to
Novaleche, the wagons carrying pom
toons. telegraph supplies and ammu-
milton following. The infantry moved
in splendid order. Smoke from the
burning huts marked the line of the
American advance. Ambulances and
horse litters. led by Chinese. brought In
the wounded, among whom were a few
Filipinos. The Americans who were
wounded endured their injuries brave
ly, one group which had been brought
into the hospital singing Comrades"
The Pennsylvania troops took nine pris-
oners. among them great naked cap
tain of the Macabee tribe and one Jap
anese. All the prisoners were greatly
terrified. expecting to be executed i'm
mediately.
Americans Under Heavy Fire.
General Halls brigade moved to Ban
lac. protecting General Hale's right,
meeting with strong opposition. The
Oregon regiment and part of the Utah
battery under Lieutenant Gibbs, held
the extreme left. The entertainments
nearest to Malabon suffered the most
severe attacks, including a cross-fire
from the insurgents massed at Mala-
bon. The Montana regiment, near Bal
intanac, came upon a block house dis
guised as a leper hospital, across the
river. after marching through the jun
gle. Four men were killed and seven
teen wounded among General Near
thurs artillery. Hampered by the
thickness of the jungle, General Nc
Arthur's and General Hales stats
were frequently under a CALLING fire.
and upon one occasion all of the off,
GERS excepting the generals dismounted,
being overcome by the heat There
were many prostrations during the day.