The record-union., 1899-03-20
Driven Back by Rsinforeements to an
Island.
Caught Between the Troops and
Regulars and Completely Rout-
ed, With Heavy Loss-Natives
Weakening, But Their Leaders
Will Provoke Fighting as Long
as They Can Retain Their Hold
on Them.

Some of the rebels recently expelled
from Cavite and the small towns in
the vicinity of Pasig combined forces
last night, attacked company or the
Washington Volunteers, detached
point at Taguig, about mile and
half southeast of Pasig. General
Wheaton Immediately reinforced the
Americans with two companies each
of the Washington and Oregon regi-
ments. The post had held the enemy
in check, and the fire of the reinforcing
companies repulsed them, driving them
across to an island formed by the
estuary. They were thus in front of
the Twenty-second regulars.
On discovering that they were en-
trapped the rebels fought desperately,
aided materially by the jungle and the
darkness. but they were completely
routed, with heavy loss, after two
hours fighting The Americans lost
two killed and twenty wounded, among
the latter Lieutenant Frank Jones.
General Wheaton determined to pun
ish the natives, and at daybreak
to-day his brigade started in the fol-
lowing order:
The Sixth Artillery, holding the ex-
treme right; the Oregon Volunteers,
holding the center; the Washington
regiment keeping to the edge of the
lake, and the Twenty second regulars
occupying the right of the line. which
swepu the whole country along the lake
in southeasterly direction toward
General Overshine's position. The line
thus extended over two miles of coun-
try, rough and covered with thick
I,,,x ,x<~J1 <ea1 ealn mil
enemy fed. the last of them being seen
about half-past 3 this afternoon At
scarcely any time did the Americans
get within 1,200 yards of them.
The troops are returning to Pasig to-
night, exhausted by the hard work un-
der hot sun The Oregon regiment
had one man killed and four wounded,
and the Twenty-second regulars one
wounded. According to the official re-
ports no fewer than 200 Filipinos We're
killed.
General Otis says the American army
and gunboats now command the lake.
He estimates that property of the in
surgents valued at S500,OOO has been
destroyed, while quantities of rice and
sugar and 400 tons of coal, which is
very valuable here, have been cap
tured
Many prisoners represent that the
Filipino soldiers are weakening. The
generous treatment that the Americans
administer to the native prisoners and
wounded seemed to influence the insur-
gent army powerfully In the opinion
of the Americans. however, the Filipino
leaders will continue to provoke fight
ing just as long as they can retain
their hold. upon their followers, because
they have everything to gain and moth
ing to lose.
The enemy have twice as many men
on their firing line as they have arms,
and the fact that SO few arms are
captured by the Americans is because
the guns of the wounded Filipinos and
many of those who surrender are spir-
tied away.
The armed tugs Laguna de Bay and
Oeste have returned to San Pedro Ma
cati and reported the results of their
tour of the lake. On Friday morning
last they shelled the town of Moring1
the rebels fleeing without making any
resistance The Americans landed a
party which destroyed a quantity OF
stores and all the store buildings ex-
cept the church.
The expedition then proceeded TO
Majayguy, where a sugar mill and saw
mill were destroyed.
On arriving at Santa Cruz town OF
i 100 inhabitants, it was found that the
enemy was strongly intrenchedi and pre-
pared to defend the position, assisted
by two gunboats and several launches
Moreover the mouth of the river was
blocked with rocks and bamboo.
A few shells caused an exodus of the
citizens, but not of the enemys troops
The Americans did not attempt land
ing.
Captain Grant. who is in charge OF
the expedition, asks for reinforcements,
and will probably take Santa Cruz to-
morrow.
The troops that accompanied the ex-
pedition were a. detachment of the
Twenty-third Regiment under Captain
Pratt, which was towed by the gun
boat on a fiat bottomed boat. The
Americans had captured four at Ma
jayjay, where they encamped on FRI
day.
The United States distilling ship Iris,
which left Honolulu for Manila with
the United States battleship Oregon on
February 10Th, arrived to-day.
This morning also arrived the san
Joaquin, the last of the overdue Eng
lish steamers sailing under American
register that We're detained by the in
surgents on the northwest coast OF
Luzon.
Casualties at Manila.
LONDON, March 20.-A dispatch
from Manila says: In the fight of Sun