Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-03-31
FILIPNOS DRIVEN BACK.
Pressing on to the Insurgent Capital.
Heroic Charge by the South Dakota Regment0ver 1000
Americans Killed or Wounded Including Col Egbert
and Several Lieutenants

The most important engagement in the
4 Philippines since the capture of Manila has
been in progress since Saturday morning,
when Gen Otis began his forward move
ment against Agunaldo's army. The
American troops fought all day Saturday,
driving the Fiipinos back upon Maluta, a
small village beyond the Tuliahan river,
near Malabon. The fighting was renewed
Sunday. The United States troops, under
Brigadier. General LLOYD Wheaton, cap
tured the town of Malnta after sharp
fight, in which Col Henry c. Egbert of
the Second regular infantry was killed
The casualties Saturday were stated bv
Gen. Otis to be one officer and 20 enlisted
men killed and eight officers and 142
men wounded. The officer killed was Capt.
Stewart of the First Colorado. The casu-
altes of Sunday were much lighter than
those of Saturday, the total losses so far re
ported are A. killed and l45 wounded. No
estimate is made of the enemy's losses, but
they are known to be heavy.
The advance began at daybreak, Satur-
day morning, from Laloma. 1t was led by
Gen. MacArthur's division. composed of
Gen. HarIis on Gray Otiss brigade on the
left, made up Of the Third artillery and the
Goth Kansas and First Montana regiments
and Gen Hale's brigade, which included
the First South Dakota, Tenth Pennsyl-
vania and First Nebraska regiments. As
this force moved forward beyond the
trenches that had been deserted by the Fill
ipinos the reserves. occupied the trenches
prepared to advance when their services
might be needed The reserve force was
made up of Gen. Wheatons command
composed of the Second Oregon regiment
and the 22d and Third infantry, and Gen
Halls brigade, which included the Fourth
infantry, two battalions of the 18th infan-
try and the 18th Minnesota and First
Wyoming regiments.
According to the plan, as outlined by
Gen. Otis Gen Macarthur was to swing
to the left from Novalches and strike
north of Polo, while Gen. Wheaton was to
advance to the north to Polo and thus sur
round the enemy. A despatch received
from Gen. Otis stated that, owing to the
roughness of the country, MacArthurs
column was unable to gain point north OF
Polo, and that this left a way open for
most of Aguinaldo's troops to escape north.
Gen. Otis reports that the insurgents have
strong Entertainments from Caloocan to
Malolos, which have taken them months to
construct.
Evacuated MaIabOn.
Evidently anticipating bombardment
by the fleet 1000 rebels evacuated Msl25On
last night, leaving few to burn the town.
Gen. Wheaton's brigade, stretched out alor
the railroad from Caloocan to Tulahan
river, was powerless to prevent the with
drawal, owing to the natural obstacles and
to the strong opposition column of
smoke at daybreak was the first intimation
of the enemv's intentions, but others fol-
lowed at various points, all soon blending
in a dense balloon shaped cloud. The flames
of the burning rice mills and large build
ings could be plainly seen from Caloocan
despite the strong sunlight.
The Town Nearly In Ruins.
By II o'clock in the morning the only
building of Importance not destroyed in the
centre of the town was large stone church,
but even at noon fresh fires were started
among the native huts in the outskirts of
Malabon, although the general exodus took
place much earlier Many of the rebels
sought refuge in the suburbs, Novotas and
Casig, or were driven inland by the shells
of the Helena, Callao, Ningdapan and
Laguna de Bay.
In the meantime Gen Wheaton's brig
ade held the railroad to the river, but was
unable either to repair the bridge, which
had been destroyed by the enemy, or to ad-
vance, owing to the opposition and the hills
on the other side
The calculations of both Gen Hale and
Gen. Harrison Gray Otis, whose brigades
constituted Gen. MacArthur's division,
were much interfered with by the charac
ter of the country in front of both, and the
enemy was able to take advantage of this,
so that the operations against Novaliches
and Polo were delayed, though the right
inn
the enemy in a northwesterly direction.
The Move on MalInta.
Gen. Wheaton's headquarters Saturday
night was a half mile south of the river on
the railroad. The opposite bank was pro-
tected by block house and intrenchments.
Occasionally the artillery and infantry
fired across the stream. Finally the en-
gineers moved a construction train up to
the bridge, the iron frame work of which
remained, and began to replace the floor.
While this was going on the Second Oregon
regiment crossed the river on the left and
the 22d on the right, with four companies
of the 23d infantry, supporting the latter
regiment. A rising, clear ground stretched
away distance of half mile to Malinta
situated on the crest.
In front of the villages were strong
Filipino intrenchments, but no tlllplnos
were to be seen. Apparently they had
fled. The 22d regiment approached diagon-
ally, with Gen. Wheaton and his staff close
behind, and scouts closely observing the
ground.
When the Americans were within about
300 yards of the intrenchments the Filipin-
os suddenly volleyed heavily. The 22d,
which was holding the CENTRE suffered
considerably, but with the Oregons on the
left and the Kansas on the right in the
woods, the fighting was kept up for half an
hour, the 22d infantry advancing up the
slope, through the thick grass under the
hottest fire.
Death of Col. Egbert.
Gen Wheaton and his staff were all the
time under a rain of bullets. Col Egbert
who was in the thickest of the fighting, was
shot in the abdomen. He was placed upon
a stretcher and an attempt was made tc
carry him to the cars, but he died on the
way. 1t was most affecting scene. Gen
Wheaton, barring his head, said; "You
have done nobly." Col. Egbert gasped in
reply, 81 must die; l am too old"
No Filipinos were found in the trenches
Though apparently their force was muct
smaller than that of the Americans, they
had an immense advantage in position anC
in opportunity to retreat.
The soldiers were much exhausted, an(
there were several IrostratiOns from thu