The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-06-15
AN ALL DAY FIGHT.
General Lawton's Troops En-
counter Sharp Resistance.
AMERICAN LOSS REPORTED As SIXTY
Our Forces Attacked by Hidden Fill
pinos aud Forced to Retire Until
Rc-cnforccmcnts Arrive-The
Death of General Luna.


MANILA, June 14.-General Lawtor
Unexpectedly stirred up one of the live
iest engagements of the war south of
Las Pinas yesterday morning. upon
which occasion American field guns were
engaged in the first artillery duel against
o Filipino battery concealed in the jun
gle.
Companies + and | of the Twenty-irst
infantry were nearly surrounded by
large body of insurgents. but the Ameri-
cans cut their way out with heavy loss.
The United States turret ship Monad'
mock and the gunboats Helena and Iatito
trained their batteries on BAcoor and the
rebel trenches near Las Pinas all the
morning.
Bacoor was once on fire, but the ma
tives stopped the spread of the flames.
During the night an insurgent cannon
was fred three times at the Americans
on the outskirts at Las Pinas.
General Lawton in the morning took
battalion of the Fourteenth regiment and
two companies of the Twenty-hrst regi-
ment to locate the rebel battery and then
two guns of the Sixth artillery and four
mountain guns were planted against It
at 600 yards distance.
The rebels had large gun, from which
they were firing homemade canister load
ed with nails.
They also had two smaller guns. Their
shooting was most accurate.
The first lot of canister burst directly
in front of Scott's guns, and another
shattered the legs of a private in the
Fourteenth infantry. Several shots struck
the edge of the town.
The country traversed was as bad as It
= 60, L.,;,, i,,lx. IL,
yoons, mud and water fringed with bam-
hOos.
As soon as the fighting opened the
Americans were attacked by hidden rifle
men on all sides. even the amigos, or
friendly natives" in the houses of the
town, shooting at them.
Two companies of the Twenty-frst reg
iment, skirmishing along the beach, with
amigo guides, found apparently II hand
ful Of rebels, who retreated
The men of the Twenty-iirst followed,
and suddenly the rebels opened terrific
fire on the troops from the sides and
rear.
The soldiers withdrew to the waters
edge, finding what shelter they could
and were picked off rapidly. After their
ammunition was nearly exhausted the
two companies retreated, but General
Lawton dashed down and rallied the
men.
A little group made a desperate stand
General Lawton, Major Starr and Lieu
tenants Donovan and Connolly taking
rifles from the wounded men and firing
mt the enemy, the general officers bring
ing down some of the rebel sharpshoot
ers from a tree.
Finally their cartridges were all gone
and they We're forced to break through
the enemy's flank, carrying the wounded
to the main body of the troops.
Lieutenant Donovan, whose leg wa
broken, foundered for mile through
bog. leading his men in the face of
greatly superior force.
General Lawton ceased fighting unit
rs-enforcements could be brought up
Two battalions of the Fourteenth regi
ment and one battalion of the Ninth reg
iment were hurried to the front and i
the afternoon the battle was resumed.
General Lawton called out the Who'll
force of 5000 men, and at o'clock h
was only able to push the insurgent
hack 500 yards to the Zapote river, wher
they are intrenched.
The insurgents resisted desperatel
and aggressively. They attempted t
turn the left flank of the America
troops
The American loss is conservatively e.
timated at 60.
Information, believed to be reliabl
has reached here of the assassination
General Luna and his aid de camp, Lie
tenant Pasco Ramon, June by Agu
naldos guard at the headquarters
Aguinaldo.