The evening times., 1899-06-17
DETAILS OF BATTLES
With fHE FILIPINOS
Two Reports Issued by the
War Department.
Fight Of the Infantry Regiments
Near Singalon.
Bravery Exhibited by American
Troops In Desperate Engage
ments With Insurgents.

The War Department today made public
an interesting report OF the movements Of
the Twenty-third United Infantry in the
first battle with the Filipinos. near Singa-
Ion, on February 4, 1899. The details Of
the engagement are given by Captain W.
H. Sage. Acting Assistant Adjutant Gen
eral of the Second brigade. First division,
Eighth Army Corps, who especially COM
mends Private Hans P. Jensen. Company
A. Fourteenth Infantry. for extraordinary
| conduct during this engagement. The re-
port reads as follows:
Manila. p. l., February l2, 1893.
In compliance with orders, l have the honor
| to report movements Of troops in vicinity of
| Sngalon. On alarm February l. 1899. all the
| troops of our brigade took the positions pre-
viously assigned them. Captain Wheeler. Troop
| +, Fourth Cavalry. had blockhouse No. II and
! l3: one Company l, First North Dakota. was
| sent to the old Spanish trenches between block
| house u and l3. and Company c, Four
| teenth Infantry, Lieutenant Biddle, sent to
| blockhouse T.. Men slept in street until morn
! ing There was practically no firing on Second
| Brigade until between and o'clock a. m,
! 5th instant. when the guns and troops on the
! right of line and in Fort Maate were or
| dered 10 fire. Some shots were fired on old
| Spanish trenches between IL and l3. and on l3,
before this, but systematic attack was made.
! When firing was ordered Companies VI, F. and
part of |, Fourteenth Infantry, under Captain
Murphy, went down road back of lS TO occupy
H. and extend to the right along Spanish trench
e.. One company. +, Fourteenth Infantry. Lieu
tenant Field was sent to report to Captain
Wheeler at--l3; later Company \, Fourteenth
Infantry under Lieutenant Gilbroth. sent
to connect blockhouse l3 with Captain Murphy.
and Company G, Fourteenth Infantry. Lieutenant
Biddle, was Withdrawn from - and sent same
mission.
After the last of the Fourteenth Infantry had
gone TO the front | directed two troops OF the
Fourth Cavalry to report at Singalon sup
port Troops and l., Captain Gale and Lieuten-
ant Parker reported
Captain Murphy having reported that a gun
necessary to drive insurgents from trench at
end OF road in front OF IL, one sent. He
also stated he had enough troops with him After
the gun, under Lieutenant Scott, Sixth Artillery,
was placed in front of II, Captain Birkhimer
said they had no support on their left. as
snrcd him company, l.. North Dakota, was
in Spanish work the left of the gun. and
that iS could not he fanked; TO give confidence
ordered the North Dakota company at Spanish
trench TO extend to the gun. Two companies
from the First Brigade. First California and
First Washington, reported; sent one to re-
port 10 Captain Wheeler at l3. and TO form
on left of gun. / then received notice from Gem
eral Ovenshine that he had instructions from
General Otis to await detailed instruction; he
expected to 20 to Pasay, and 10 send one com
pany, Fourteenth Infantry. 10 go with him. Two
troops. Fourth Cavalry, then reported 10 Cap
Joined them
\ battalion OF Tennessee troops under Lieu
tenant Colonel Childer-. reported to aid in car
wing trenches at end Of road in front Of -:
they went 10 Il, but returned and said it had
hecn decided 10 the Tennessee troops to
the other side Of the stream and flank the in
suTgents' right Before they came back | re-
'cIyed notice from General Anderson that Gen
rral nvsn-hiHe TO take command of opera
tIons on the left Of his line | sent these dircc-
tions to General Oycnshne; also sent Captain
hraurh6ff TO inform Colonel Chders and Cap
tain Wheeler that General oyenshine would be
there soon TO direct movements.
soon after this received notice from General
Gvensiiine that the trenches carried. and
that he waited Pasay Road for instructions.
This message received before Colonel Child.
crs had arrived the place assigned him On
the LETT OF stream. On the return of this bat
TALON from the front with the consent of the
department commandeT) | assigned them 10 out
post duty at Singalon and vicinity there be-
ing none Of the Second Brigade left for that
duty.
Lieut. W C. Ham, Third Artillery. reported
at Singalon with his company. A. Engineer
Battalion, crossed stream to blockhousc - and
Joined in charge OF First Brigade Santa
Anna Flats. 1t was reported number OF times
that the guns Fort Malate Fleet were fir
ing too close to our lines. Captain Eastman
Fourteenth Infantry. reported from sick and went
forward with his hattalions. wish To mention
Private Hans p. Jensen, Company \, Four
teenth Infantry; he shot in the head. and
back To have it dressed: he then re-
turned to his company. which the firing |
line.
Capt. L. A. Matile. IN temporary COM
mand of battalion of the Fourteenth In
fantry. during the first engagement with |
the Filipino rebels. has submitted his re-
port of the gallant part played by his |
command on the Singalon Road. which has |
been made public by the War Department. |
1t reads as follows:
have the honor to report that on the night |
of February 4. at about 10 o'clock p. m. the !
First Battalion, commanded by me, consisting of |
Companies First Lieutenant Alfred Has
brouck); tSecond Lieut.. F. NJ. Savage Fiji |
teenth Infantry. and |. under command of First |
Sergeant John NJ. Averitt Malata, as or
dered.
There firing our front during the |
night. About : o'clock a. m. February 5. the !
battalion received orders to and |
occupy line of Spanish works in our immediate |
front. During the early part of the advance
quite spirited fire was kept up by the insur-
gents. When within about 400 yards of the works
n charge made and the enemy withdrew.
At about 10:30 a. the battalion again moved
forward and charged across piece of cleared
ground TO narrow strip OF timber. from which |
the enemy pouring heavy fire upon us.
The move was successfully accomplished without
a loss Of any killed and but three wounded.
The loss OF the enemy was quite heavy, thirty
being reported found dead place.
The brigade commander then gave orders to re-
tire to our previous position.
At about 1:3o p. m. the battalion order
ed to take turn to the left to flank the Phil
ppine trenches, which had been pouring heavy
fire on blockhouse No. II for more than three
hours. This move made most difficult
ground, through thick chapparal. bean patches,
and good deal of thick, swampy ground, |
and across two deep, muddy streams, the bat
talions being all the time under a very severe
fire for nearly half an hour. 1t was a complete
success forcing the enemy from their trenches
and driving them from their last stronghold.
Our loss three killed and sixteen wounded.
The command then Joined the regiment and
marched to Passay. where the enemy was sup
posed to be strongly entrenched. No further
fighting occurred during the day. and the bat
talon was posted as pickets guarding the road
between San Pedro Macati and Passay.
Both the company officers and men are en-
titled to the highest praise for their gallantry
and the bravery displayed by them during the
entire battle; but especially during the last
engagement, which ended so disastrously to the