The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-30
ANACONDA NEWS.
BRAVE AND COURAGEOUS
/
Gaptain Hallahan Recommended
for Promotion.
MEN ARE GREAT SOLDIERS
Major Bells Official Report Lauds the
Gallant Work of Company M.
Could Not Possibly Be
Excelled.
MEN ARE GREAT SOLDIERS

! Yesterdays mails brought to Anaconda
a copy of the official report of the battle
OF Caloocan. submitted by Major ]. F.
Bell to General Macarthur In the report
Major Bell praises the gallant work of
Captain Hallahan and the officers and
<inembers of Company NJ. one of the Ana
FONDA companies. Major Bell considers
Captain Hallahan "ensitled to special dis
tinction and takes pleasure in recommend
ing him for the consideration his superior
officers deem such conduct merits
y OF the company Major Bell says it is
iscompany that could not possibly be eX-
scelled in fighting qualities, and one which
any officer might be proud Of" Again, he
says throughout the entire engagement
both the officers and men of the company
behaved in a magnificent manner. They
were cool and calm. many of them joking
son the line and seeming to enjoy the
whole performance immensely
Is The report makes intensely interesting
Sreading, especially as 1t so graciously
speaks OF Anacondas fighting men. 1t is
4in full as follows:
Headquarters department of the Pacific,
office of military Information.
Manila, P. l., Feb. Il, 1899.
''Major General Arthur Macarthur, conf
manding second division eighth army
h corps.
u "Sr-I have the honor to report that in
The fight at Caloocan yesterday. in order
TO carry out the instructions previously
heiyen me by you. l proceeded with Cap
tain Hallahan's Company NJ of the LIST
Montana volunteer infantry by the ra-
wine which headed northward from your
HEADQUARTERS at the cemetery of Binonde.
My instructions contemplated striking in
its flank A line of insurgent entertainments
(which commanded the extensive plain
over which it was necessary for a portion
6of our command to advance upon Calico
fcan, but I was cautioned to keep a sharp
swatch for the force of insurgents which
was well known to he concealed in the
forest along the road leading to San
Francisco del Monte and behind the posi-
tion I would occupy if ! placed the COM
pany on the flank of the entertainments
referred to.
proceeding at the commencement of
the artillery firing we reached a very
advanced position in cOncealment and
waited for the infantry fight to begin.
From a lookout in a tall tree l had an
excellent view of the entire prospective
field of battle, but at that time nothing
could be seen of the insurgents concealed
in the forest.
However, when the proper moment ar
rived further proceeded to the eXecu-
tion of our orders and Captain Hallahan
had but just deployed his company as
administers, with "A view to making for
ward movement on the flank of the en-
'frenchments when the above mentioned
insurgent force, having observed us plain
ly, came out of the woods in our rear at
"a run in two separate detaChments. each
of which looked as if il might be small
company OF from 40 tn 20 men. They came
out. deployed and Immediately attacked
as and we. facing about quickly, engaged
them at about 500 yards. These Montana
men are all experienced rifemen and the
range was soon so well determined by the
small f1ecks of dust kicked up by the bull
lets that the insurgents took to cover and
never advanced afterwards to my knowl-
edge. Our firing had hardly begun before
a third detachment consisting of 20 or 30
men. came out of the forest at point
considerably closer 10 us, on our left and
front. The company had naturally fallen
into three divisions, commanded by the
CAPTAIN lieutenant and first sergeant re-
spectively. and each section picking out
rthat division of the enemy which it found
in its front. poured volcy after voley into
them and. keeping them under cover, thus
prevented their advance.
"When we first started to take our posi-
grass in column of files, We developed
"a patrol of five men in our immediate
front at a distance of less than 500 yards.
after honoring us with two wild shots
(which we did not return they took to
their heels and ran northward up over
the hill to the right of the Caloocan Gem
etery. They evidently did so to report
our position. for shortly after a fourth
force. which could not he correctly esti-
mated because they could not be seen
Ianpeared at from 100 to 500 yards slightly
Etn rear of our left flank in an excellent
position he lind bamboo thiCkets. on tht
crest of the CaloOCan ridge, and opened
fire upon us. AS something had then t.
be done and done promptly, the left sec
tion of the company was advanced 81
yards to the front and at the same time
the right section retired so yards to the
rear for the purpose Of echelening the
company to prevent the insurgents en-
filading it as a whole. The fire was still
kept up at those in our front during the
movement Then the middle section of the
company " is ordered to cease firing face
to the left and execute column left, thus
bringing it Immediately facing the enemy
on our flank, at which It now directed its
FIRE. About this time the firing from the
Insurgents who had originally attacked us
Thu fooJc WYE e,t G,r,,cb