The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1899-02-23
WESTERN BOYS FIGHT
THRILLING STORY OF THE MAN
liza ENGAGEMENT.
HeroIsm Of the Western Troops In
Fighting Stubborn Foe
Battle at the Church.

N1SlOnS, the rlFsl DIlBdQe VI llte Hh6l
division being under command Of Brig
adler General King. and the Second
being commanded by Brigadier General
ovenshine. The lines extended from
the sea along the line OF Spanish block
houses to the Pasig river, in Samepaloo.
The Second division, under General Nc
Arthur, with the First brigade, by Brig
adler General Hale. occupied position
to the north OF the city from the Pasig
river to the sea-
The most extreme point inland occu-
pied by American troops was the acmp
OF the Nebraska regiment, at Santa
Mesa, where the fight began at s:45 last
Saturday. The Nebraska outposts ehal-
lenged and fred on an insurgent COM
pany, which was advancing into the
neutral zone. Soon afterward the
whole insurgent company was advanc-
ing into the neutral zone. 1t was not
long before the entire insurgent line
on the north OF the city began heavy
fusIlade. This charge was concentrated
on the Nebraska camp, which became
untenable. Orders were given for the
regiment to open fire. Springfields
famed In the half moon all about the
camp. The enemy'es Mausers gave no
flash.
At o'clock on Sunday morning, with
the shout, "Viva la republlca, the Fill
pinos tried to rush across the bridge
over a road leading to the water works
opposite the American camp. One
company of Nebraska men met the ad-
vancing insurgents at the bridge, and
drove them back. Twice the Filipinos,
with indomitable pluck, charged upon
the bridge again, but they were driven
back each time.
Lieutenant Webb of battery A, sta
toned on Mesa hill, prayed for daylight
and when day dawn came two guns OF
the Utah battery opened fire so near
to the fighting line that two men were
killed at once.
NEBRASKA MEN CHARGE.
The plan of the Second division was
to sweep forward and carry high po'
sition held by the enemy north of the
Pasig river. The Colorado volunteers
under command of Colonel Mccoy
rushed blockhouses No. and No. 9
and the villages by San Juan bridg'
were cleared with shrapnel. The Ne
braska men made their way over thu
bridge, crouching in pairs, amid thu
kissing and pattering Of bullets
On the other side they were met will
a surge of lead from the steep hill o
San Juan. but they were followe'
closely by two Nordenfeldts. undo
charge of Lieutenant Gibbs. AS thes
rumbled over the bridge battalion o
Tennessee troops approached AM
quickly followed across in columns
four under fire. Colonel Smith fell iron
his horse and died of apoplexy at tn
moment of the charge.
Up the hill the artillery and infantr,
scrambled. digging with their hand
and feet. Nothing could stand befor
them. 1t was a grand sight.
At IL o'clock noon our men took tn
reservoirs at the top of the hill. Fur
Their to the left, on the heights, wa
Binando churchr. In order to take thi
the Americans did not have TO edvanc
up a steep incline, but could make
gradual ascent over two miles of roug
country. Barbed wire impeded thci
advance.
BATTLE AT THE CHURCH.
The Utah guns followed the advanc
Of the troops step by step, to clear tn
way. The Third artillery moved alon
dikes through a cul de sac, wit
swamps on either side, and got into tn
open, losing twenty-five men. Two bal
teries then swung to the right, unde
Captain O'Hara. going into the ope
like veterans, and drove from the Chi
nese church the insurgents who WEI
pouring a cutting fire on the Montan
and Pennsylvania troops while the
were coming up the hill through cen
etery toward Binando church.
Colonel Frost, commanding the Sout
Dakota regiment, swung that bod
around to the left and carried two II
surgent redoubts, where thirty insu
gents were killed. The South Dakot
and a part Of the Pennsylvania trooI
then took the Binando church.
The Concord from the bay shelle
the woods near the shore and the kal
sas men, followed by the Montar
troops and supported by one gu
moved on aSturday night along Il
Caloocan road. The enemy charge
them six times, coming whiting 1
yards, but they were steadily oush'
back until by Sunday night the Anne
lean line had advanced three miles.
Thus, all along the second divisiC
had little difficulty in driving the e
envy. who fought we'll behind trenche
but once dislodged fled in panic.
Against the first division, south
the city, the fighting was hardest. TT
insurgents showed wonderful pluc
under the command of General Movie
During Saturday night everythir
was quiet, but at 1880 on Sunday NOR
ing from artillery knoll-General A.
derson's headquarters-the Sixth art
lery opened fire, and from the bay
blockhouse No. 14--where the Americ;
troops entered Manila-the ground W
held by the North Dakota regiment al
the Fourteenth infantry. The Mona
mock from her place in the bay pound
the insurgents with her big guns.
Captain Murray. in command of t
Fourteenth battalion, began fighting
8 o'clock In the morning. So stubbo
was the resistance at this point tn
he only succeeded in taking blockhou
No. IA. 400 yards distant at o'clo
in the afternoon
This place is called bloody Ian
by the Spaniards