The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-26
Losses of Filipinos Hard to Estimate,
but at Least Seventy Killed,
Mainly by the Artillery.
TORCH APPLIED BY REBELS
BUILDINGS IN CALUMPIT FIRED ON
APPROACH OF AMERICANS.
Col. Funston and His Kansans Again
the Heroes OF she Hour-Gen.
Otis's List of Casualties.

MANILA, April 25. 1870 p. m.-General
MacArthur's division fought it's way to the
Filipino trenches before Calumpit to-day. ad-
vancing four miles. mostly through woods
and jungle, and crossing the Bagbag river.
This was accomplished at a cost to the
Americans OF six killed and twenty-eight
wounded. the First South Dakota Regiment
being the heaviest loser.
After fording the river the South Dakotans
pursued the insurgents to the outskirts OF
Calumpit, but the town was found to be so
strongly protected that General Macarthur
deemed it best 20 withdraw the tired fighters
and go into camp for nights rest before
making the final assault
The largest buildings in Calumpit were be-
Ing fired by the Filipinos while the Amer
leans were crossing the river fully mile
away, indicating the enemy's intention to
abandon the place.
The insurgents seem to have adopted a
settled policy of retiring from one position
after another. after infiicting the greatest
possible damage on the advancing army. The
forces to-day were we'll drilled. Every foot
OF ground was tenaciousIy disputed by thor
oughly organized troops, who stood re-
markabIy firm even before artillery.
The enemy had planned to wreck our ar
tilIery transport train This attempt was a
failure. but a span of iron railway bridge
over the river was destroyed, hampering the
American transportation for some time.
The Fflipinos cut the girders intending to
have the structure fall with the train, but
1t collapsed prematurely Of its own weight.
WELL FORTIFIED.
The Bagbag river. which is about hun
dred yards wide at that point, was splendid
ly fortified. and the Americans were COM
PEELED to approach an open space from
which the rebels had cleared every obstruc-
tion to sight. The bank of the river, high
bluff. was surmounted with trenches, capped
with rocks. loophoIed and partly hidden by
bushes
General Wheaton's brigade approached the
river along the railroad. leaving camp be-
yond Malolos City. General Hale's, which
started yesterday. was earlier on the march.
and swept westward toward the railroad.
The armored train was pushed by Cinnamon.
the Twentieth Kansas Regiment advancing
in an extended order on the left and the
First Montana Regiment. with the Utah
light artillery. on the right
The rapid-hring guns the train Opened
the balr' at 1l:30 a. m. about a mile from
he river. their popping alternating continu-
.Jusly with the boom of the six-pounders.
The Montana regiment and the Utah ar
tiilery batteries at the same time entered
the jungle. from which the insurgents. who
were occupying large. struggling village
of tents. poured heavy voleys.
In the course or an hour the Americans
had forced a passage through the woods 10
the open space in front of the river. and
the artillery. Immediately on wheeling into
the open. began shelling the FIlipinos
trenches.
In the meantime Company X. OF the
Twentieth Kansas. led by Captain Beltwood
performed one Of the most brilliant achieve
ments of the campaign. The regiment was
being held in reserve. and Company X
charged distance of a quarter of a mile
ONCA u tuilltAQ 10 the Ddlh u lEt river
near the bridge. where the insurgents. from
a trench. were peppering the armored Iain
then about two hundred yards down the
track The company found shelter in a
ditch.
FUNSTON LED THE WAY.
Col. Frederick Funston called for vo:un.
teers to cross the river. and the colonel him
self. Lieutenant Ball. private Of Company
X. n private OF Company T.. Trumpeter.
BarsfieId and Corporal Ferguson, of Com.
pany /. crawled along the iron girders
While this was going the men OF Com.
pany X. from the ditch. were fuslllading the
trenches In endeavor 10 divert attention
but the Ffliplnos got the range from
trench down the river and their bullets soor
spattered the water under the structure
Having reached the broken span Tn,
small but valorous party Of Americans sliC
down the caisson, swan a few yards Il
the shore and crawled up the bank. the lit
fle colonel leading the way TO the trenches