The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-26

Manila, April 25 1890 p. m.-General
MacArthur's division fought it's way to
the Filipino trenches before Calumpit
to-day, advancing four miles, mostly
through woods and jungles and cross
ing the Bagbag river. This was ac-
complished at a cost to the Americans
of six killed and 2S wounded, the 1st
South Dakota regiment being the heav-
lest loser.
After fording the river the South Da-
kotans pursued the insurgents to the
outskirts of the city of Calumpit, but
that town was found to be SO strongly
protected that General Macarthur
| deemed it best to withdraw the tired
| fighters and go into camp for nights
rest before making the final assault
The largest buildings in Calumpit
were being fired by the Filipinos while
the Americans We're crossing the river,
fully mile away, showing the en-
emy's intention to abandon the village
The Filipinos have adopted a settled
policy Of retiring from one position af-
ter another, infiicting the greatest pos
| sible damage upon the advancing army
| The forces to-day were well drilled.
| Every foot of the ground was tena-
ciously disputed by the thoroughly or
ganized troops. who stood remarka bly,
firm even before artillery fire
The enemy had planned to wreck our
artillery transport train. This at
tempt was failure, but a span of the
iron bridge across the river was de-
| stroyed, hampering the American
| transportation for some time. The Fill
| ipinos cut the girders, intending to
have the structure fall with the train
but it collapsed prematurely of its own
weight.
The Bagbag river. which is about 100
| yards wide at that place, was splendid
| ly fortified, and the Americans We're
compelled to approach an open space
| in which the rebels had cleared off ev-
cry obstruction to sight. The banks of
the river, a high bluff, was surmounted
! with trenches, capped with rocks loop
holed and partly hidden by bushes.
General Wheaton's brigade ap-
| preached the river along the railroad,
leaving camp beyond Malolos city.
General Hale's division, which started
| yesterday, was earlier on the march
and sweeping westward toward the
railroad. The armored train was be-
ing pushed by Cinnamon, the goth Kan
sas regiment advancing on the left and
the 1st Montana regiment, with the
| Utah light artillery, on the right
The rapid fire guns on the train
"opened the BALI at 1880 a. m. about
a mile from the river, their popping al
| ternating continuously with the boom
of the six-pounders. The Montana
| regiment and the Utah batteries at the
same time entered the jungle, from
which the insurgents, who were occu-
| pying a large aggling village of
|
course of an hour the troops had forced
a way to the open space in front of
the river, and the artillery, Immediate
ly upon wheeling into the open, began
shelling the Filipino trenches.
In the meantime, Company X, goth
Kansas, led by Captain Beltwood. per
formed one of the most brilliant
achievements of the campaign. The reg
iment was being held in reserve and
Company charged a distance of g
quarter of a mile over corn field tc
the bank of the river, near the bridge
where the insurgents, from trench
were peppering the armored train. ther
about 200 yards down the track The
company found shelter in a ditch.
Colonel Fred Funston called for vol
unteers to cross the river and the col
onel himself, Lieutenant Eall, a private
of Company X, private of Company
E, Trumpeter Barsfield and Corpora
| ferguson OF Company L craWled along
the iron girders.
While this was going on the men o
Company X. from the ditch, We're fusil'
} lading the trenches in the endeavor tt
divert attention. but the Filipinos go
the range and bullets soon spatteret
the waters under the structure.
Having reached the broken span, thu
small but valarous party of American:
slid down the caisSon, swan few
yards to the shore and crawled up thu
bank, the little colonel leading the way
to the trenches, revolver in hand whil
the few remaining Filipinos bolted.
Colonel Funston said afterwards: II
was not much to do: we knew the!
could not shoot straight; that our boy
could attend to them while we We're
; crossing"
! General Hales troops, on the right
had the hardest fighting, They follow
J ed the north bank of the river neares
tn the town with the 1st Nebraska ol
she left and 1st South Dakota and sis
! Iowa beyond. The country to tie ira
versed was mostly jungle, but the Fill
pinos stood their ground, even in tn
open spaces.
General Hale's right Joined Genera
Wheaton's left soon after noon, curv
I in the river allowing the Americans t