Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-06-12
AMERICANS NOW CONTROL PARANA-
QUE AND LAS PINAs.
TROOPS STRIPPED FOR FRAY
FOUGHT BRAHELY WITHOUT FOOD.
AND WATER.
FiIipinos SkuIked in Trenches and
Treetops and Resorted to the
Tactics of Assassins Before
Scattering Like ChaR
Before Victors.

MANILA. June II, $40 p. m.-The Filipino
occupation of the province of Cavite has
been broken and, as a result Of the pres
ent movement, the Americans now control
the important coast towns of Paranaque
and Las Pinas. while long line of in
surgent trenches facing, our south line has
been cleared. {,
The insurgents have again proved their
facility as dodgers, between 5000 and 1900
warriors, who seemed destined TO be cap
tured, having disappeared. the majority
sliding away under cover of the night, after
fighting the Americans all day. Sone-oth-
ers came to meet our troops, with protesta-
tions of friendship.
The Thirteenth infantry lost one man
killed and six wounded; the Ninth infantry
one man killed and five wounded; the Four
teenth infantry three wounded, and the
First Colorado volunteer regiment eleven
wounded. @
Yesterdays work. was the hardest our
army has seen. The battlefield stretched
out across the entire fsthmus from Laguna
de Eay to the harbor.. While the troops
were advancing. the army gunboaf Eapi-
dan, In the river near Taguig. shelled the,
enemy killing several of them --,-.--t
The monitor Monadnock and the gunboat'
Helena shelied Paranaque and Las Pinas
all day with the full power of their bat
teries.
The rebel sharpshooters kept in hiding
until the American lines had passed. and
then attempted to pot straggiers from the
trees. Thanks to their poor craftsmanship,
this was without result. =. =. /,
Trusted to Luck for Food.
The whole country proved to be sue
cession of small hills, with boggy ground
- between the high, thick grass, and bushes
- in the ilollows, which greatly added~to the
dificuity Of the advance, but gave shelter
that saved many from the enemy's bullets.
Our men threw away their blankets, coats
and even haversacks, stripping to the waist
and trusting to luck for food. Water could
not be obtained and there was much dis
comfort after the canteens were emptied.
At the outset the Colorados, the Ninth
infantry and the Twenty-first infantry
. forced the line of insurgent trenches,
= wheeled to the left and drove the enemy
toward the lake. During this maneuver
A.. the Filipinos in concealed trenches on the
:. right opened an enflading fire, but the
brigade partly owing to the high grass,
had few hit.
The Ninth infantry crept around to the
right, fianking the trenches. driving out
r the FiIipinos and killing many. Of them.
The Colorado regiment advanced to the
lake. Two companies encountered trenches
= on top Of a knoll, where the Filipinos stood
waist high above trench, pouring vol
ley upon the advancing Americans. The
Colorado troops charged and drove them
out, Lieutenant Colonel Moses being
wounded in the arm as he jumped into
the trench.
In the meantime General Wheaton's col
umn advanced one and a half miles to-
ward Paranaque, where the Americans
found strong trench on a, ridge, out OF
which they drove the FilipiIIus by hard
lighting.
The enemy tried to flank the dismounted
troops of the Fourth cavalry. accompany
ing Major General Lawton, and at the
same time they made their only advance
throwing skirmish line to flank the
Fourth infantry. But they were easily re-
pulsed, the American artillery coming tt
the crest of the hill and shelling them.
Lawton Was n. shining Mark..
About o'clock this afternoon General
wheaton's brigade. headed by Genera
Lawton, who. in his white clothing an6
helmet, on a big. black horse, was a shin.
ing mark for the enemy's shorpshooters
circled TO the south of Las Pinas encoun
tering large force of Filipinos in tht
shelter of the trees. General Lawton hat
a narrow escape. In the first volley o.
the enemy the horses of three of his stat
officers were shot from under them. TIL
Colorado regiment bore the brunt of thi
attack and dispersed the Filipinos
Hardly had they finished off that 10
when a large force appeared in the rear
which the Ninth infantry and part o
the Colorado regiment drove away. B.
this time nearly the whole division wa
around Las Pinas.
The Americans camped for the nigh
south of the town and in the midst of
heavy rain.
At 6 o'clock this morning General Whea
ton advanced upon Las Pinas with a troo
of cavalry, the Twenty-first infantry. tn
Colorado regiment part of the Ninth in
fantry and two mountain guns, crossin
two streams and entering the town with
out firing a shot.
He then advanced upon Paranaque.
The women and children and, for tha
matter, many men remained in the towns
No houses were destroyed, though man
were torn by the shells from the wal
ships. Everywehere the Americans foun
So far as can yet be ascertained, tn
Filipino loss is about fifty killed. about 5;
wounded and twenty taken prisoner.
The whole country is a network G
trenches and the enemy scurried from she
ter to shelter.
To-day long trains of commissary wagon
are carrying provisions to the Unite
States troops along the road which onl
yesterday was tho stronghold of the er
envy. and the natives who yesterday wer
their hats and groveiing before the Amel
leans with effusive greetings Of welcome.
The Colorado regiment returned to bal
and dirty men marched past the Luneti
the fashionable gathering place for Ma
nilans. they were heartily cheered.