The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-09

Cincinnati. May s.-Th> Commercial
Tribune will print tomorrow touching
letter from Miss Bessie Egber;. daugh-
ter OF Colonel II. q. EgbcTt. ~ the
Twenty-second infantry. who was kill
ed leading his regimen; near Caloocan.
Il describes his career and fat" N the
Philippines. II was dated Magch @sth
Speaking o. his funeral. n" letter
says: The service was Jus; .ike him
very simple and sweet-nore = the
profusion ~ flowers and funeral po'np."
Describing the battle. the letter
reads: Saturday night. MarCh 25;h he
encanped on the bank of the River
Tuiiha. and sunday morning the br4-
gade was ordered by General Wheaton
10 take the town OF MaliutO. ana open
the way 10 Palalo and Malolos. The
town, surrounded by a stone wall. IS
on a little eminence. The church was
crowded with the enemy. Before our
men got in range they had TO cross the
river. and the surgeon. who was acting
as papa's adjutant. says there were
plenty OF RATS for tine officers, but that
papa plunged in with his men and the
water was up 10 his breast When they
got over the general sent papa an or
der TO take the trenches in front ot the
town and then 10 charge the wall and
| storm The place. At first IL was hard
| 10 start them. the fire was 50 bitter.
and these open fields seemed SO far
| across. Papa went up and down the
| line calling 10 them 10 cheer, and final =
| ly he got them started through the
| bushes and just then n was hit. The
| word ran down the line that the colonel
| was shot and then they started forward
| like demons, never stopping for com.
| mands or orders, and they got to tht
| wall and swarmed over il and took IN.
| town before they stopped.
| Papa lived an hour after he was
| shot and knew before he died that tn,
| town was taken. General Wheator
came to him, and the surgeon told u.
the general just sobbed. He said
| 'Egbert. You made a magnifcenI
fight And papa, lying on the litter
smiled and said: We took the town
anyway, General 4"
pathetically:
Papa was just as ne was always
| He never had any horror of dearh. and
| tried TO make US feel as ne did-that
il was perfectly natural thing, ans
| there was nothing mysterious or anfu
about il. We just feel as though h.
had gone away for many years. and i
! is the parting which hurts. DeaI
! mother is just wonderful and is a,
| brave as papa would have her. Hi
! example has been a wonderful one {,
| every one. Every man who was witt
! him in the field says he knew absolute
| ly no fear"
LAwTON ADVANCING.
Manila, May 6.-Major General Law
| tons column advanced to a position
two ard a half miles north OF Balinai
today. Before making a forward move
ment General Lawton sent back {
| Manila two wounded men Of the Mn
| nesota regiment and one OF the ore
gonians who were hurt in yesterday
fight, beside twenty sick men. Tho,
were sent by way OF Malolos
| General Lawtons advance met wit
but slight opposition. Outside OF Mas
sin 1000 rebels who occupied an IN
| trenched position We're routed in shOr
order. Many corpses ef rebels hav
been discovered in the river al Sai
Tomas. Scores OF rifles and other arm
have been recovered from the river
retreating rebels.
General MacArthur's division is rest
ing az San Fernando. making in IN
meantime extensive reconnaissance.
Washington, May s.-The adjuran
general is in receipt OF a private le'
ter. dated March 2lst, from Geners
Otis, in which ne remarks
The insurgents fight with fire NOR
. than anything else and their r-peate
attempts 10 burn W Manila have onl
been frustrated by he constant -
forts of the proves; marshal and n
guard.
"Eve.ybody here = comparative,
- o.
, | among the troops-no quarrsls =
pickering. but all work cheerfully
= secure what the government desires"
? The following dispatch has been n
ceived a. the navy department:
Mania. May 8
2 Secretary OF the Navy. Washington
The Bennington grounded. sho
: not on chart. on north side ~ Paua
] | Philippine islands. Came of rwent.
three hours later. Has been exam:
81 by divers. Damage Is not s@T!Ju
but is necessary 20 dock vessel. / ha'
sent her 20 Hong Kong. No blame a
| tached 10 any one. DEWEY" Z"
D | EARLY COLLAPSE OF THE PHI
2 IPPINO STRUGGLE EXPECTED
1he officials Of the state and war d
: pafments are looking for speedy CO
: lapse Of the insurrect!on n the PhliIl
: pines Not only IS this exp@ctatlg
: based on the private advices that has
D. come from the Philippine commissic
as 20 The negotiations that have be-
going on between that body and q
insurg=nt representatives. but al
\ upon the successful development
2 MacArrhU's and Lawton's carnpaig K
50 far as the commissions reports a
z concerned. they indicate that the Il
: surgents have a. least recognized u
{ inevitable break down OF their strul
= gle. and are simply striving. by pr
4 4Fr -