The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-25
Leads all North Carolina News and Circulation

| ground in the mountains. until some of
| the men, putting their own bedding to-
| gether. almost forced blanket on each
/ officer. Our marches had been a mere
! succession of fording of rivers and
| climbing of cliffs. hardly any of them
| surmountable except by zig gag paths
cut on shelves from a foot to Il inches
| wide.
| therefore stayed one day (the 30th)
| in Bayombong. | released my
cargadores (taking in their stead 40
men from Bayambang) and intrusted to
| two of them my report, in which, i stated
where l was going and asked to have sup
! plies, especially of clothing sent TO Apar
ri and up the river to meet the com
mand.
l then drew from the battalion those
men who most needed rest. left them
(41 in number) as a garrison under COM
mand of Lieutenant Parker and left Ba-
yombong December 1st AT Solano /
stopped to receive the principal citizens
| who came with band of music to meet
me- The same was done at Bagabag
where we camped that night. Here
| learned. almost definitely that the in
| surrectos would fight at Fuerte San
| Luis.
| On December Sd we moved on through
Diadi to Fuefte San Luis The insurrec-
| tos strongly intrenched on a commanding
hill. opened fire at about 10 a. m, range
about 500 yards. | advanced to hill
which gave me a good view, and thence
directed the leading company, n, to de-
pIoy on the right of the road, behind
the hill and under cover, while the second
company, II, extended the line to the
right. Cashiers scouts were already
in line in the fiat TO the left of the road.
The rear company, f. guarding the carga-
dores and rations was held in reserve.
partly to continue that important duty,
and partly because the ground was too
cramped to use 1t. but was moved up,
under cover, closer to line.
The insurrectos meanwhile were firing
excellent volleys, and had the range ex-
actly / therefore called ~ to me about
twenty -.es from company and few
from +. and caused them to lie down and
fire volleys first ascertaining the range
by firing few shots myself, | found
| it 500 yards. | also allowed Castner
at his suggestion to take part of his
scouts through wood on our left front,
hoping TO get to the left of the road in
rear Of the insurrectos. Fl company de-
ployment being completed moved them
forward to a parallel ridge about 500
yards range and caused them to fire vol
leys while "a" company moved forward,
my purpose being to assault the hill with
a company and the left of H. while the
right OF Fl fired from the flank hooin3
also that Castner would cut the road IL
time TO meet them retreatng. Ny plar
worked too well; for six volleys from
about 60 men of II company drove the
| insurrectos into preciptate retreat.
/ estimated their number at the time
at $50. | was informed in Gordon (Es-
| tela) that they had go men with 10
rifles. Their loss was three killed and
| one mortally wounded that | knew Of. /
| have been told that tbeir loss was much
| greater, especially in wounded. Our loss
| was one slightly wounded. We
reached the town of Gordon or Estella
! about 4 p. M and camped there.
We then resumed our march, passing
| through the considerable town of Carig.
| On leaving Carg. we diverged to the left
and followed a very bad trail nearly to
the town Of Camarag. ! here detached
First Sergeant Raney, company +, with
two squads sending him back TO the
fork of the main roads TO move along
the direct route to Carig-Echague un-
til he struck the insurrectos outpost, and
there to make such a show as would lead
them to believe the whole command was
advancing by that route. This duty was
performed in the most energetic man
ner Sergeant Rancy advanced until he
found the trenches on the further side
| Of a large creek. Not being fired on
| he procured a banca, crossed over and
| Thoroughly examined the trenches. and
| then returned, as directed. reaching CO.
| marag at midnight and made three ef-
| forts to reach his company at Anga-
| dauan in which he failed on account OF
| the darkness Sergeant Raney Is highly
| to be commended for the energy skill,
| and care displayed. He brought all his
| men through a march of some 45 miles
Continuing the march to Camarag we
! left there on company, A, with orders
to move with due caution on Echague at
| 7:30 p. m. of the 5th. The rest of the
| command wassmarched to Angadanah. ar
| irving after dark.
We left Echague on the 9Th and march
! ed q miles to Canayan. Castner with the
| scouts was sent to make a show on the
river bank at Rena Mercedes. Company
| A was left at the fork of the road, avail
able on either side. II and f companies
| were marched to the bank opposite Ma
guilian, to cross there, the rest TO follow.
| The trail was so bad that it was imposs
| ble to march even two abreast
| AS the expedition approached the river
| we saw the French flag, the only one in
| sight on tobacco warehouse and peo-
| pie running about in the town. Not hav-
| ing before seen an instance Of this use
| of a neutral flag, we supposed the people
| to be citizens about to leave the town in
| alarm. l accordingly waved my handker-
! chief to reassure them. While | was do
ing SO they jumped into the trenches we'll
turfed over and consequently hardly visi-
! BILE on the blum opposite them and COM
| menced firing at a range not exceeding
200 yards. | rushed the point into a cut
| through which the trail descended and
commanded the deployment. This was
made with great coolness Though the 1re
was heavy under the direction Of Lieu
tenants McMaster and Firth. Meanwhile
Lieutenant Miller joined The point in
keeping the insurrectos from taking care
full aim, which was all the men cpuld do
at that moment.
AS soon as the depioyment was COM
pleted the whole line moved forward to
the river bank, the movement operating