Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-09
WARFARE ONIUZON ISLAND
Report of operatiops)by Major KObbe, Third
Artillery.
Gallant Charles Made by the volun-
teers, Who Showed the Nerve
of Eetefap Regulars.

7 II
The War Department today made public
an interesting report made by Major W. A.
Kobbe, Sd Artillery, of the operations
against the Fiiipihas from February 4 to
February 10. of two battaions of the Sd
Artillery, under his command During the
entire time, he says, the command had
from two to three hot meals daily. 80
re unds of ammunition Immediately availa-
BILE on the firing line, three days emergency
Gravel ration near by), some extra shoes
and stockings. He, says:
About 10 pm, February s. the battalions
marched from Quartet, the firing being
heavy in front. G and X via the railroad
II and l. a road to the right to outpost
line and deployed behind line of dykes in
the dark and in the wet muck of rice fields
left at railroad, right near wall of Leper
Hospital Lieut. sOverton had been in charge
of outposts and had repealed or sienced an
undoubted hostile advance. This is further
confirmed by the wounding of one man in
the right battalion as we came I'D and by
many bulletS-Mauser and acknowledgements
ting through the timber.
This fact the attack on our outposts),"
SAYS Major kobbe, the excellent working
of the supply department and the perfect
fire discipline of the command, instilled by
much insstence in, many drills. appear to
me the most important parts of this re-
port.
The command was not disturbed, except
ing by occasional bullets during the night
and expended no ammunition. There was
almost continuous firing on our left Kan
sas) and on our right (Montana), and about
u 30 am | sent Lieut.. LAMA to ask Col.
Funston If he required assistance He
asked to have a force sent up the railroad
to cover his left. which was complied with.
A Gallant Charge.
THE position and situation after daylight
were most difficult, at the entrance to
three defiles (the railroad and two dykes
perpendicular to our front-the dykes heav-
lily wooded with many native huts-with
rice swamps in between as far as Gale
Soils. and an increasing fire of sharpshoot-
ers from the wooded dykes, which was
only partially kept down by selected marks
men on our side. To judge from firing
right and left the advance there was slew
and an advance ON my part premature;
Casualties began to occur. when at II
o'clock am Captain Elliot, Company G.
Goth Kansas reported to me and was sent
to the extreme right to endeaTor to con-
meet with the Montanas- About this time
Lieut.. Abernethy was wounded there Sc
verely-he was rejoined from the dressing
station in time to resume command of his
battery and advance with 1t. From Bat
terry c the wounded and dead were bcrg
sent to the rear fast. At 1 pm, tired of
losing men, l. sent word to Col. kesslcr and
ordered advance-the firing from the
Kansas Indicating that they were going
under opposition.s1i ssnopposad On he CEN
trail dyke. H ani- Company G, 10Th Kan
sas, the right-tfand dyke, sweeping
across Gale Soils, driving insurgents from
houses and tree&j thellne was soon re-eS-
tablished on the Ibst ttT ground beyond, and
connection established with the main line
on the right. L ordered * and G. over from
the rairOad-ths: kan3as firing Indicating
,lS-ar tts.tg ND n q
toward us. and held the command In read
mess TO attack Einoado (Chiaese) cemetery
from that fiank.E r8s-
Lieut.. kessler discovered and pointed
out to me a contiguous line of firing
(smokeless powder and barely discernible)
from along the bushes and wall Of the Chi
nese church, directed against the troops in
front-probably 81 Thought, the Pennsyl-
vanians. Dakotans, OF, possibly Montanans-
and asked permission to fire voiieys. L
sent word to o. Hara, on the right. to fire
also At the first vSliey some insurgents
ran back past the.lSpen gate in our front,
and were soon followed by large num-
Der, probably over 800, two officers. very
neatly uniformed, calamity attempting to
stop them and pointing to our fire. The
advance began along the whole line, almost
unopposed, Battery H occupying the church
and continuing over through the graves.
where Battery l. drove out the enemy los
ing five men, and toward the stone block
house
AT this time l met Gen. Macarthur, who
directed me to recall Battery II from the
church, rectify my alignment, and halt for
the night. Company G, 10th Kansas, had
advanced cOolly and CALAMITY on the right,
did excellent service and finally occupied
the blockhouSe
The fact that the Chinese churchyard
cleared of insurgents by the flank fire
of this battalion, delivered in volleys by
tactical commands and from a position of
entire safety, can be established by an in
finite number of witnesses
Il have reported so far, with~perhaps un-
necessary detail, the movement inaugurated
on February 4, being Of national and per-
haps international Importance.
Advance on CaiOOcan.