Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-02-10


the battle which continued through a large
part OF Sunday. Their loss in killed,
wounded and prisoners is estimated a
several thousand The Americans had
about 40 men killed and between POO and
300 wounded.
The engagement was brought about by
the action of three native scouts, who,
advancing close to the American lines
near Santa Mesa, made a feint to 60
through. They retreated upon being chal-
lenged, but returned again in a short time.
Once more they retreated When they re-
turned third time and attempted to make
their way past the outposts of the Nebras-
ka troops a corporal challenged them and
then fired. One of the natives was killed
and another wounded.
The affair was followed at 9 o'clock by
general attack on the American out
posts. The insurgents advanced all along
the line from Calooacan to Santa Mesa.
Our troops lost no time in replying to the
attack. Members of the North Dakota,
Nebraska and Montana regiments return
ed the insurgent fire with great vigor and
succeeded in holding the natives in check
until the main body of the American troop
arrived on the scene.
There was a lull in the fighting after the
continued for five hours with much regu-
larity. During the early hours of the
morning it became more brisk, and at day
light the American troops made firm ad-
vance.
In the daylight it was found that the in
surgents had massed themselves about
Santa Mesa and CaloOacan, and that they
had a considerable force about Gagalangin.
Our troops directed their movement pri-
marily against the natives between the fl ST
named places, and ultimately drove them
out of the two villages. Telling work was
being done at the same time against the in
surgents about Gagalangin, and when the
fighting ceased our troops were in posses
sion of Santa Ana, in which village the
natives have rendezvOused for weeks prior
to the fight.
While the American troops were doing
such effective work in repelling the attack,
news of the fight was received on board
the vessels of the American squadron, and
the monitor Monadnock, which was lying
off Malate, joined with the gunboat Con-
cord and the cruiser Charleston lying off
Malabon, in firing on the insurgents.
Several attempts were made in Manila
Sunday evening to assassinate American
officers.
While the fighting was proceeding there
was great excitement among the residents
of the city. The natives were wildly eX-
cited, and had it not been for the splendid
police system established in Manila by the
~zz-seEisans there would have been gener-
eral outbreak and looting. The police,
however, kept strong hand on the ma
tives and prevented any very serious
trouble. = as
rThara uuara sayaral oasas &c ,at;yas ~
lacking American soldiers in the streets.
Three Tagals who tried this game were
shot and killed.
The native troops were well armed with
Mauser and Remington rifles, but their
shooting, as a rule, was ridculously bad.
Gunboats Killed Many Natives.
In the district between Tondo and Mala-
bon to the north of the city great slaugh-
ter was done by the gunboat Callao, Lieut..
Benjamin Tappan, which Admiral Dewey
captured from the Spaniards. This little
vessel is terror. She mounts more guns
proportionally than any other vessel in the
American navy, being full of one, two and
three Founders and machine guns. She
duplicated her performance of Aug. -,
when she covered Gen. Merritt's advance
on Manila. Then she steamed close to the
troops advanced, pouring a deadly fire into
the Spaniards.
Sunday she again ran close in to the
beach, and getting the range of the enemy
she began to spit fire from her bow guns.
Then man9uvring, she brought her star
board battery to bear, and the rattle and
din were terrific. Soon she came about
and brought her port battery into action,
and these manHuvres were repeated until
she was ordered to cease firing.
The Concord's six-inch and the Charles
toms eight-inch guns did awful execution.
Gen. Otis's brigade had driven a large
body nf the enemy from their positions
and the Filipinos ran at top speed for the
beach, disorganized and panic-stricken
mob. When they reached the shore they
were met by the devastating fire from the
warships and moved down score upon
score. The sight was a sickening one
but this was war, war invited by the
foolhardy ignorance of the natives
On Sunday afternoon the Charleston
Joined the monitor MOnadnock off Malate,
which was the scene of the heaviest fight
ing with the Spanards in August, and
both vessels delivered their shells with tell
ing effect. The enemy were retiring be-
fore the steady advance of the 14lh infan-
try and had comparatively little shelter
They furnished excellent targets for the
craftsmanship of the Yankee gunners
whose reputation suffered nothing from
this engagement.
Admiral Dewey's Strategic Position.
The Olympia, Admiral Deweys flagship,
took no part in the bOmbardment. With
the fine strategy for which the American
naval commander is noted, he placed his
vessel in position directly in front of the
city, between the Spanish gunboat Gen
Alava and the German cruiser Irene and
the troops ashore. The significance of
this move will be readily grasped. This
was fight between Americans and Fill
pinOs, and no outsiders could be permitted
to enter the ring, so Admiral Dewey con-
stituted himself a sort of referee to say
Glands off, if it became necessary.
The captured Spanish gunboat, Laguna
de Bay, did good work for her new owners.
She is light vessel and has
proved very serviceable on more than one
occasion since the Americans have had
her. On Sunday she went up the Pasig
river and fairly riddled the village of Santa
Ana with her Calling guns, killing many
rebels and driving Others to seek new shell
ter.
One of the most notable incidents of
Sundays work was driving the Fllipinos
out of the rebel stronghold at Pace by the
reserve, few companies of Californians
commanded by Col. Duboce. The main
road to the village was lined by native
huts full of Filipino sharpshooters. After
thaV had haan firino unOn lan Zinc an1