Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-08-10
Yesterdays PHILIPPINE BATTLE
AN IMPORTANT ONE.
REBELS DRIVEN NORTHWARD
THEY HAD BEEN HARASsING AMER
ICAN TROOPS NIGHTLY.
American Loss Up to 3 o'clock Was
Eight Killed and Twenty-six
Wounded-Rebels Had PIen-
ty of Ammunition and
Fought Hard.

MANILA, Aug 9.-General MacArthur's
miles beyond San Fernando, the northern
most point of American occupation, to-day
and defeated a Filipino force estimated at
5000 men. The enemy retreated, leaving
many dead and wounded. The American
loss in killed and wounded was between
thirty and forty.
The Americans covered five miles in the
first five hours and at . o'clock had ad-
vanced six miles along the railway. The
troops stretched on each side OF the all
road for two miles and rested at night three
miles from Angeles, which will be made
the northern base of operations instead of
San Fernando, where garrison of Coz men
has been left.
The Filipinos were surprised, expecting
the American forces to move against Fico.
They followed their usual tactics of hold
ing their trenches until they became too
warm and then retreating in disorder. They
are now falling back westward, toward
Porto.
The Twentieth and Seventeenth infantry
regiments had the sharpest engagements.
| The country our troops passed over is
| covered with rice fields ana bamboo thick
cts, the hardest possible ground for march
ing. The mud in places was knee deep.
of Manila and is considered to be better
base of operations than San Fernando. The
soldiers at San Fernando consisted of the
Fifty-frst Iowa regiment, the Seventeenth
United States infantry, the Ninth United
States infantry, the Twelfth United States
infantry, Colonel Pells new Thirty-sXth
regiment of volunteers, a battalion of the
Sixteenth United States regiment, Troop
E of the Fourth cavalry and fifteen guns.
The movement had been planned for
some time. but was delayed by rains,
| Finally, two days of sunshine dried the
rice fields sufficiently to permit of the at
| tempt.
The Americans position had long been
| unpleasant. The enemy almost surrounded
| the town and fired nearly nightly into it,
| the Americans not replying except on ex-
treme provocation. 1t was necessary to
keep 500 to 600 men on outpost duty con-
stantly.
| Captain Deems, with a provost guard.
| lact night captured noted Filipino fakir
with several aliases who by means of VEN
| triloquism had persuaded the natives that
| he has supernatural powers. He raised
much money, ostensibly for the insurrec-
| ton, which he kept for himself. Our SOL
| ders surrounded his house and corraled
| thirty Filipinos. Many others escaped. The
| the fakir is generally known, has been pre-
dieting the fall of Manila His prophecies
! have created much excitement among the
natives who believe them.
| Reports from rebel sources say $50 Fill
| pinos were killed in. General Halls regi-
| ment at Calamba last week and in subse-
quent engagements.
| The American loss in the fighting about
San Fernando up to o'clock was said to
| be eight men killed and twenty-siX wound
| ed The loss may possibly exceed these
| figures, as the line is five miles long. and it
! is impossible tonight to near from every
| point Our troops are now about Angeles,
waiting for the artillery. which has the
| greatest difficulty in moving owing to the
wet ground,
The attack was opened at o'clock IN
the morning, battery of the First artil-
taneously Bells Thirty-sixth infantry
struck Bacolor from the rear and drove
the rebels out. Armoured cars. each with
| a 6-pounder and two gatling revolving can
non on board, then mounted on the rail-
road track in the center of our lines. Soon
| afterwards these guns did sharp execu-
| ton
Battery NJ, of the Third artillery. and a
hundred men of the Iowa regiment made
a feint toward Mexico. while the main
| ment, the Seventeenth regiment and a
battalion of the Twenty under Gem
|
Ninth regiment. Twelft regiment and
Bells volunteer regiment under Colonel
Liscum upon the left, advanced steadily,
| pouring thir fire into the rebels and re-
| ceiving a heavy fire in return
| The rebels were well protected by the
| trenches and seemed not to lack ammuni-
| ton. But they were unable to withstand
| for any length of time the hail of shot our
artillery and infantry poured in on them
and retreated. leaving dead and wounded
upon the field. A dozen prisoners were
| captured by our troops.
| The reports indicate that the Ninth in
| fantry suffered the most though the cas-
| ualtes of all the regiments are not re-
| ported. The weather was extremely hot
and our troops suffered greatly. but there
was no faltering.
| WASHINGTON, Aug. 9.-General Otis
| confirms the report OF battle at San Fer
nando in the following cablegram:
| Manila, Aug. Q.
"Adjutant General. Washington.
Macarthur, with 1900 men, attacked in
| surgent army, 5000 strong, concentrated
morning.
"At 10 o'clock he had driven It five miles
! in direction Of Angeles. Casualties few.
| Attack ordered for 7th instant 0ast
Monday, but rain did not permit the move
| ment
Railway from Angeles north badly wash
| ed by unprecedented floods of last six
weeks: beyond ability of insurgents to re-
pair. OTIS"
| has been in possession of the insurgents,
and has been of value to them in trans
portation.