The record-union., 1899-04-26
MacArthur's Division Fights. Its
Way to Filipino Trenches.
The Feat Accomplished at a Cost Of SIX
Killed and TWenty-Eight Wounded.
The Town Found To Be So Strongly
Protected That the Americans
Withdraw and Go Into Camp
for a Nights Rest Before Max
ing the Final Assault-Compan
X, Twentieth Kansas, Performs
Brilliant Achievement.


MANILA, April 25-10:30 p. NJ
General MacArthur's division fought its
way to- the Filipino trenches before Ca
lumpit to-day, advancing four miles
mostly through woods and jungle and
crossing the Bagbag River. This was
accomplished at the cost to the Ameri-
: cans of six killed and twenty eight
wounded, the First South Dakota Regi-
ment being the heaviest loser.
After fording the river the South Da-
kotans pursed the insurgents to the out
skirts of Calumpit, but the town was
found to be SO strongly protected that
General Macarthur deemed it best Il
withdraw the tired fighters and go into
camp for a nights rest before making
the final assault.
The largest buildings in Calumplt
We're being fired by the Filipinos while
the Americans were crossing the river
fully mile away, indicating the ene-
my's intention of abandoning the place.
The Insurgents seem to have adopted
settled policy of retiring from one po-
sition after another after inflicting the
greatest possible damage upon the ad-
yancing army. The forces to- day were
We'll drilled. Every inch of the ground
was tenaciously disputed by thoroughly
organized troops, who stood remarkably
firm, even before the artillery.
The enemy had planned to wreck our
artillery transport train This attempt
was a failure, but a span of the iron
bridge over the river was destroyed
hampering the American transportation
for some time The Filipinos cut the
girders, intending to have the structure
fall with the train, but it collapsed pre-
maturely of its own weight.
The Bagbag River, which is about
a hundred yards wide at that point
was splendidly fortified, and the Ameri
cans were compelled to approach an
open space from which the rebels had
cleared every obstruction to sight The
bank of the river, a high bluff, was sur
mounted with trenches, capped with
rocks, loopholed and partly hidden by
bushes. I'D
General Wheaton's brigade ap-
preached the river along the railroad
leaving camp beyond Malolos City
General Hale's brigade, which started
yesterday, was earlier on the march
and sweeping westward toward the rail-
road. The armored train was being
pushed by Cinnamon, the Twentieth
Kansas Regiment advancing in an ex-
tended order on the left, and the First
Montana Regiment, with the Utah Ar
tillery, on the right
The rapid-fire guns on the train
opened the balP' at II 80 a. m. about a
mile from the river their popping alter
mating 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
We're occupying large stra aggling viii
lagos of huts, poured heavy volleys. In
the course of an hour the Americans
had forced passage through the woods
to the open space in front of the river
and the artillery. Immediately on wheel
ing into the open, began Smelling the
Filipino trenches.
In the meantime Company K, Twen.
tieth Kansas, led by Captain Beltwood
performed one of the most brilliant
achievements of the campaign. The
regiment was being held in reserve and
Company K charged a distance of 6
quarter of mile over corn field to
where the insurgents from a trench
were peppering the armored train, tt
about 200 yards down the track The
company found shelter in ditch.
Colonel Fred Funston called for vol
unteers to cross the river, and the Col
oneI himself. Lieutenant Ball. a private
of Company K, private of Company E
Trumpeter Barzfield and Corporal Fer
Of la| y
iron girders.
While this was going on the men from
Company K from the ditch were fusil-
aiding the trenches in the endeavor tc
divert the attention, but the Filipinos
got tine range from a trench down the
river. and their bullets soon spattered
the water under the structure.
Having reached the broken span, the
small but valorous party of Americans
slid down the caisson, swan a few
yards to the shore and crawled up tbs
bank. the little Colonel leading the way
to the trenches, revolver in hand
while the few remaining Filipino:
bolted.
Colonel Funston said afterwards: I'll
was not much to do. We knew they
could not shoot straight, and that oul
DoyS NOulu dtltilu " tliCIi NAAiC "e
We're. crossing"
General Hale's troops, on the right
had the hardest fight. They followed
the north bank of the river nearest the
town from the east, with the First
Nebraska Regiment on the left and the
First South Dakota and the Fifty-fi 81
Iowa beyond. The country to be trav-
ersed was mostly jungle but the Fill
pinos stood their ground, even in the
open spaces.
General Hale's right joined Genera
Wheaton's left soon after noon, curve
in the river enabling the Americans t6
pour an enfilading fire into the enemy's
trenches.
About this time the cheers of the Kan
saS troops announced that the Ameri-
cans had crossed the river Genera
Hale's men began to ford the Chico. q
branch of the Bagbag, stretching te
the northwest. The General himsel1
plunged in up to his neck and the regi-
ments, all carrying flags, foundere6
across the stream. The guns of tht
Utah Light Artillery were dragged