Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1899-03-23
BRUSH WITH REBELS
FilipinOs Attack Post Near Taguig
and Suffer Heavy Loss.
Gen. OTIS ON The OPERATIONS.
Inhabitants Rt Laguna do Bay at Ameri-
cana Mercy-spain WIN Protest In
Regard TO spanish Prisoners
In Filipinos' Hands.


rebels recently expelled from Cavite
and the small towns in the vicinity oil
Pasig combined forces and Saturday
night attacked company of the Wash
ington volunteers at a detached post
at Taguig, about a mile and halt
southeast Of Pasig, Gen. Wheaton i'm.
mediately rein forced the Americans
with two companies each of the Wash.
lington and the Oregon regiments. 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 estu-
airy. They were thus in front OF the
Twenty-second regulars On discov-
ering that they were entrapped, the
rebels fought desperately, aided mate.
rally by the jungle and darkness but
they were completely routed, with
heavy loss, after two hours fighting.
The Americans lost two killed and 90
wounded, among the latter Lieut..
Frank Jones.
Gen. Wheaton determined to punish
the natives and at daybreak Sunday
his brigade started in the following
order: The Sixth artillery, holding the
extreme right; the Oregon volunteers
heading the center; the Washington
regiment keeping to the edge of the
lake, and the Twenty second regulars
occupying the right of the line, which
swept the whole country along the
lake, in southeasterly direction, to-
ward Gen. Ovenshine's position. The
line thus extended over two miles of
country, rough and covered with thick
jungle, advanced | miles. The enemy
fled, the last of them being seen about
$3.50 in the afternoon. At scarcely any
time did the Americans get within
200 yards of them. The troops re-
turned to Pasig at night, exhausted
by the hard work under hot sun.
The Oregon regiment had one man
killed and four wounded and the
Twenty-second regulars one wounded.
According to official reports no fewer
than 200 Filipinos were killed.
Gen. Otis says the American army
and gunboats now command the lake.
He estimates that property of the i'm
surgents valued at $500, 900 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 seems to influ-
ence the insurgent army powerfully.
In the opinion of the Americans, how
ever, the Filipino leaders will contin-
ne to provoke fighting just as long as
they can retain their hold upon their
followers, because they have every
thing to gain and nothing to lose. The
enemy have twice as many men on their
firing lines 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 spirited away.
The armed tugs, Laguna de Bay and
Oeste, have returned to San Pedro
Macati and reported the results of
their tour of the lake. On Friday
morning last they shelled the town of
Morong, the rebels fleeing without
making any response to the fire. The
Americans landed party, which de-
stroyed quantity of stores aud all
the stone buildings, except the church
The expedition then proceeded to
Majajay, where sugar mill and saw
mill were destroyed. On arriving at
Santa Cruz, town of l, 200 inhabitants,
it was found that the enemy was
strongly entrenched and prepared to
defend the position, assisted by two
gunboats and several launches. More
over, the mouth of the river was
blocked with rocks and bamboo. A
few shells caused an exodus of the
citizens, but not of thSenemy's troops.
The Americans did not attempt
landing.
GEN. OTIS ON THE OPERATIONS
Washington, March 30. The war de-
partment yesterday received the fol.
lowing dispatch from Maj. Gen. Otis
regarding operations against the in
Manila March l9-To Adjutant General. |
Washington; Our improvised gunboats under |
Capt Grant Utah artillery. have fun possess |
sion OF Laguna de Bay; troops, inhabitants and |
property on shore of lake at our mercy |
Wheaton brigade on Pasig river line drove |
enemy northeast into Province Morong. Last |
evening enemy attacked portion OF his force |
south OF Pasig, killing two men and wounding |
70 OF the Twenty second infantry This morn
ng Wheaton moved against this insurgent
'orce, driving II to the south Is miles. expert
'ncing very slight loss. Enemy left 200 dead
IN tield.-Ots.
SPAIN WILL PROTEST.
Madrid, March 2O.-Senor Silvela,
premier and minister of foreign af-
fairs, had conference yesterday with
the French ambassador regarding the
liberation of Spanish prisoners in the