The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-20


this was hardly possible Just south of Pa
rahaque, because the south fork OF the
river flows through very low and swampy
country through which our men could not
make any satisfactory advance. So Whea-
ton headed for the beach below Las PiHas
His line got we'll over to the westward
and well below Las Pihas before Oven
shine got his tangled troops Strengthened
out and began to close In. Col. Wheaton
found he was going a little too far to the
south, and made a slight change In direc-
ton. advancing to the north mad west still
aiming to hit the beach below Las Pihas.
While ovenshine was waiting for his line
to get into shape, and for Wheaton to get
well started in his new position, Geiger's
scouts. Of ovenshine's command. went on
ahead and struck long line Of insurgent
outposts along the top of a range Of hills
to the east Of Parafaque. In some unac-
oountable way. the Nevada cavalry, which
belonged to Wheaton. got away from him
and came in on the right OF Geiger, we'll in
advance OF Ovenshine's line. In front OF
Geiger and the Nevada troop was a low
swale with line Of bamboo running
through 1t. and clumps Of cinaguela and
acacia bush at intervals. Behind these
bushes and bamboos the insurgents had
outposts. and the cavalrymen and scouts
got into pretty lively little scrap with
them. ovenshine was coming up now, and
his men could see the rebel outposts On the
hills beyond the swale, where the scouts
were at It. The Fourteenth opened with
volleys over the heads of the scouts, and
kenly got his mountain guns into position
and gave the insurgents some cogent rea-
sons for hurrying out of their places. 1t
didn't last very long. and there was no
damage to our side of the argument. Then
ovenshine waited to let Wheaton get fur
Their In behind the rebels.
AN ORDER THAT WAS NOT oBEYED.
Just ahead Of Geiger's position in the
swaie there was hill OF considerable size
and rather commanding position. Geiger
saw the Insurgents making for this hill a.
they reiterated from their outposts before
kenly's ire. He realized that II they got
possession Of It, they would be in position
to make US q lot Of trouble, and he started
for 1t himself ovenshine was behind q
hill and did not see what was going on,
but the Nevada boys saw, and set their old
Springhelds at work at a lively pace as the
scouts ran for the hill. The line of insur-
gent outposts ran around the hill from the
north to the south on the westward side,
and Geiger was obliged to go up the north
ern side II he wanted to cut on the rebels.
The scouts advanced steadily by rushes,
keeping UP a hot fire. and covered as far as
possible by the Nevada cavalrymen. In the
end they beat the insurgents out, and gain
cd the position. One man was hit Just be-
fore they got to place Of comparative
shelter behind the brow Of the hill. He had
Just fred his rife and was reloading 1t
when a bullet struck the shell in
the open chamber. It was Maui
ser bullet, and the Jacket stripped
on It, stopping in the shell cham
Der of the Krag gun. but the bullet went
on. and struck the man in the abdomen,
making a very dangerous wound.
Geiger had Just got his position on top Of
the hill. when a man came up from the
rear and brought him orders to retire. He
knew the strategic value Of the position
be had. however. and there he stayed. FL
nally Gen. Lawton, who had been with
swinging around to the south.
saw the Americans on top Of the hill and
came over to see who they were. When
he heard that Geiger had been ordered to
go back, he wanted information as to the
sanity OF the man who had given the or
der, and emphatically told Geiger to stay
where he was. 1t turned out afterward
Geiger got the hill, and when Ovenshine
advance. The position Of the scouts on the
hill made It necessary for the insurgents
to go much further to the westward in re-
treating from their advanced line. and SO
to come almost directly in front of Whea-
ton as he came up from the south. AS It
shows on the map, Wheaton was now turn
Ing into the last arc Of the semicircle he
made that day from San Pedro MaoAti
Ovenshine made his turn at an obtuse an
gle, O little to the south Of the east and
west line to Parahaque from the point on
the line south of San Pedro on which he
out.
- MEN REST AT NOON.
It was we'll on toward noon when the
word to come ON was finally sent to Oven
shine. No breath of air stirred over the
hills, and the men lay in the tall grass and
burned up. The heat was awful. but there
was no help for 1t. The men could only
endure until they gave out, and there was
almost nothing that the surgeons could do
to help them. Finally. when the word came
for Ovenshine to come along, 1t was a
struggling and uncertain line that respond
ed The General himself looked as II he had
gone Just about as far It was possible
for him to travel in one day, and the men
were quitting by scores. The lines Of ad-
vance of the two brigades brought them
into touch near little stream, where there
was good shade. and there Gen. Lawton
ordered a halt to rest the men. It was
then about o'clock, and It was evident
that nothing could be done with the men
in that condition. The whole force was now
we'll in behind Las Piiias, but still a good
distance from the beach.
The men had no sooner stacked arms
than some OF them had their fires going and
were making ready their coffee. The three
presmpted the shade Of a huge