The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-02-22
LIN THE PHILIPPINES.
Captain Point Writes Home an
Interesting Letter.
MANGATAREN, LzuoN, P. |.
Dace,anher : I2nn

L
above mentioned village, where we have
been since the evening of the goth of No.
vember. 1t has been quite while since
| last wrote you and am at loss as to
what point TO commence. | will, how
ever, start with the beginning of No
vember, at which time we were still sta
toned at Bacolor, in the Provence of
Pampauga, and about four miles west
from San Fernando, at which place | was
stationed so long. On November Ist
sge left Bacolor, to attact Porac, take
possession and hold it. Orders had been
received two or three days prior to the
date of leaving and Intentionally it was
loudly noised that we would attack Porac
on the second of the month, so as to al
low the insurgents to know of our in
tended attack. This was done because
we were aware of the fact that a town,
by name, Florida Blanco, contained a
garrison Of Insurrecto's and it was our
desire to coop them in by surrounding
their quarters by daylight and cause, if
possible, complete surrender.
Accordingly on Nov. Ist at one o'clock
the 3rd Battalion and Regimental Heat
quarters left Bacolor for Santa Rita,
village probably four miles northwest of
Bacolor, where we joined the end Bat
talon, who were there stationed. AT
about 3 O'Clock the Ist Battalion joined
us at Santa Rita, having marched from
Guagua. Su pper was had there and Sc
lecting so of the strongest men from
each company, we started at eight o'clock
that night ostensibly for Porac, really for
Florida Blanco, leaving the balance Of
the command in charge of the pack train
which had orders to leave at 9 o'clock
the following morning. This move was
kept very quiet, none but the 3rd Bat
talon officers knowing it until about one
hour before the start from Santa Rita
was made. The plans were as follows
The Ist Battalion was returned to Glia-
qua to move out from there and attack
Loban, town south of Florida Blanco on
the Porac road, driving the Insurgents
therein, if any, northward to Florida
Blanco, where we woul dawait therl il
ambush. The end and 3rd Battalions
left on the Santa Rita-Porac road osteu-
sibly for Porac. On that road we march
ed to within about two and half miles
from Porac where we took a road to
the left leading to our real objectigc.
We arrived on the outskirts of Florida
Blanco about S o'clock a. M, when we
deployed into line of skirmish with an
interval of three PAGES (2o feet) between
files and moved in the direction of the
convent wherein the Insurgents were
quartered. We successfully surrounded
the convent and awaited daylight. ct
does not get broad day light until 6
O'clock here this time Of the yeai.
There we lay closely watching th.. con
war a..
different rooms and could see persons
moving. We waited. No sign of In
surgents. Broad daylight came and we
closed in on the convent, only to find
the bird had flown and the cage
was empty" There were no Insurgents
there We afterwards learned that an
ticipating our attack on Porac, the In
surgent had been ordered to Porac, to
strengthen the command there and to
give stronger resistance to our attack.
Such was the case at Loban. Maj
Bishop, with Ist Battalion, came into
Florida Blanco about o'clock a. m. A
breakfast was prepared, and the men
rested until 10 80 when we left for
Porac arriving there about 4 o'clock p.
m. We met no resistance until we had
crossed the river and were in the town.
Then they opened fire on us from the
hills in rear or west of Porac. We were
in luck as our Battalion was in advance:
Immediately we deployed into line OF
skirmishers. "A" and 'M," moving to
the south of the town where the most
fire seemingly came from. Through the
rice fields we went to the hills, over the
"niggers" trenches, and after them we
followed, getting around them in the
hills we completely routed them. Firing
ceased, we returned to the town and took
up quarters. The next morning Lieut..
Harper of "a" company and myself
called for volunteers from Our respective
companies to make reconnaissance in the
mountains back of Porac. Securing
about ten men from each company there
were as many more requested that they
be allowed to also go. Having first OBJ
tanned permission from Col Bell to take
out party of volunteers from our COM
panes, when the other men requested
that they be allowed to go also, I spoke
TO our Ba talon c commander, Maj.
Luhn, who in turn saw the Colonel.
The Colonel then directed that Lieut..
Colonel Grove go in command OF our
party, and added to it was Mai. Luhn
and Lieut.. Corey, his adjutant We
moved into the hills about three miles
before we saw anything. Then we sight
ed Insurgents moving to southwest and
away from Porac. Away we went after
them, moving about mile when halting
on side of hill, the officers crawled to
the crest and peering over saw the In
surgents about 500 yards in our direct
| front slowly moving up the hill in column
of files Immediately the men were
brought to the crest of the hill and fixing
| their sight at 600 yards commenced fir
ing at will, each man taking his time
and good deliberate aim Hating for 4
moment the Insurgents attempted to re-
turn our fire, but we were too quick fol
them They turned and as the whipped
dog ran for their lives. When we open
ed fire all we could see was in our front
Soon we received a stiff fire which tolC
us the Insurgents held the crest abou
1000 yards to our right. Those whC
could without danger to Our own mel
returned the fire so quickly that the.
soon gave that up and run. In the en-
lgagement the Lieut. Colonel was wound
ed by a Remington bullet in the lef
thigh. He is still in the hospital, bu
progressing nicely While we did no
follow the Insurgents further we knoS
that FIVE were killed, as we could Sc
them lying directly in our front and o
the hillside. What further casualtie
Ithey had we know not. We returne
! Immediately with Col. Grove, whom W
|. had to carry all the way back to Pora'
This engagement happened on the 3r
day of November. We took Porac o
the and day after a hard all night an
day march by way of Florida Blanco,
, distance of at least IS miles the way "
went.
Il In Porac we stayed until the mornin
of the zth--was Maid bv Mai. Rochests