Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-12-25
The ACTUAL FACTS



ILOILO, November Is. This Island
of Panay, sister island to Negros, and
another Of the Visayan group, has for
months past been in insurgent hands.
To-day the American forces are taking
the aggressive for the first time and
are moving out 10 cover and hold more
territory. Up to the present We have
possessed the half burned town of Il
oilo. and nothing more.
The Twe1ty-sixth regiment, under
Col. Rice, arrived here two weeks ago
from the United States. I'VE at home
knew said officers of this regiment,
that cur troops were on Panay, but we
had the impression they occupied the
island; that the important coast towns
at least were ours; that our possession
was more than nominal. Hence we are
surprised to see the American forces
actually bcsieged by the insurgents
upon three miles OF land Immediately
surrounding Iloilo."
People in the United States may have
the same ideas as had the officers of the
Twenty-sixth regiment, and to them it
would be well to say that our lines, up
to the present, embrace the suburbs Of
Jaro and Molo, both within three miles
Of this port, and nothing more. In
surgent trenches face us on the north
and west, and outpost firing is to be
heard at any time.
With the coming of reinforcements,
battalion Of the Nineteenth and the
Twsnty-sixth regiment entire, Gen.
Hughes, in the midst of typhoon that
swept the country with driving rain,
flooded rice fields and made quagmires
Of the roads, sent an expedition COM
posed Of the Eighteenth regulars, under
Col Carpenter; the second battalion OF
the Twenty-sixth regiment; two battal
ions of the Nineteenth; light battery G.
of the Sixth artillery, under Captain
Bridgeman, and Captain Gordon's
mounted scouts of the Eighteenth re-
giment advanced into the enemys
country. The battalion of the Twenty
sixth and the two battalions of the
Nineteenth constituted a provisional re-
giment under Col. Rice, while the first
and third battalions CT the Twenty
sixth garrisoned Iloilo and Jaro.
The objective point Of the expedition
was the supposed insurgent stronghold
at Santa Barbara, eight miles north of
Jaro, but as the direct road between
these two points had been strongly en-
trenched, the American forces made
detour to the west in order to approach
Santa Barbara on its unprotected side.
Yesterday Gen. Hughes command lad
occupied successfully the villages Of
Oton, Tigbauan and Gurmal on the
coast and west Of Iloilo; likewise Cor
doba, four miles north Of TigOauan.
Company c, of the Twenty-sixth re-
giment, had the only contact with the
rebels on the first night out One of
the men of the company which was I'M
der command of Lieut.. Fales, was SER
iously wounded; two of the enemy were
found dead when the trenches were
captured and much ammunition fell in
to our hands as a result CT the brush.
To-day Gen. Hughes column is resting
in the four towns mentioned, waiting
for ammunition and provisions to be
conveyed to it, and also for the rains
to stop and the country to dry.
The town of San Miguel, within sight
of Iloilo, was partially fired by the
rebels when they thought our troops
were about to enter 1t.
The town of Iioilo presents to-day a
woo-begone and dismantled appearance.
A third of the place is in ruins and the
partial reconstruction of business
houses and the humber dwellings Of
the poor, with debris from the confia-
grafton of February II, reminds one OF
the work after a western cyclone.