Hutchinson gazette., 1900-01-04
KILLED THE BANDITS
A STORY OF CAMPAIGN IN THE
PHILIPPINES.
American Soldiers Attack and Destroy
u Robbery village In the Island Of
Ncgros--A Description That Roads
Like Fiction.

The story OF one of the most thrill
Ing episodes Of the war in the Philip
pines Is graphically told In report
lust received at the war department
from Capt b, f. Byrne, OF the Sixth
United States infantry, who command
ed the American forces In La Carlota
district, island Of Negros, In command
of l05 men, Capt. Byrne marched
against band, 400 strong, and found
them In their mountain fastness'
The battle that followed was largely q
hand-to-hand conflict, In which
clubbed guns and bolos were used with
effect. When 1t was over the bodies
of the robbers lay thick on the field,
while Byrne had only one man killed
and wounded. This band Of robbers
had been the terror Of Negros for
years, Capt. Byrne practically annihi-
lated 1t, and in recognition Of his serv-
Ices he was made lieutenant-colonel OF
the Fortleth regiment, United States
volunteers.
At 5 p. m. on July II the column
under Capt. Byrne started from Ponte-
vadra on a 15-mlle night march to the
bandits stronghold. The rain came
down in torrents, turning the road
into q Quagmire. After going six or
seven miles the column left the road
and made Its way with difficulty, rice
fields waist deep In water being en-
countered, to the foothills Of the
mountains. Ordinary rivulets had be-
come mad torrents by this time and
the difficulties increased, 1t was neces-
sary to follow the bed Of a stream In
water waist deep, to climb over big
boulders and to traverse jungle.
At 3 a. m. the base of the mountain,
where the bandits had their fort, was
reached. An hour was spent In break
fasting and resting. AT A o'clock the
ascent Of the mountain was begun. 1t
was steep at first and then became al
most perpendicular. Foot by foot the
men worked their way up. Twenty
yards from the summit the column was
halted, while Capt. Byrne, Lieut.. Mes
bitt and some men went forward to re-
connoitre. What followed is given In
Capt. Byrne's own words: I'VE
climbed to the top Of the hill, and look
ing cautiously over were astonished
to find one of their block houses and
observation towers not over 15 or 20
yards away. Some of the bandits were
cooking breakfast in perfect ignorance
of our presence. We instantly rushed
upon them, and before those in and
around the house had realized what
happened, seven out Of the nine had
been shot down not far from the house.
Two escaped, zigzagging so quickly IN
their marvelously rapid fight that they
could not be hit before reaching some
high grass, into which they fell, as Is
their custom, and disappeared as
quickly as would snake. Knowing
that our presence was now discovered,
we ran back and / rushed Lieut.. Mes
bitt forward with 20 men who, hear
ing the firing, had struggled to the top
Of the hill. The lieutenant went for
ward, with his men deployed as sRir-
mishers, in the direction Of the fleeing
bandits, to attack anything he found,
as it was thought that the main body
would be found in the direction the
bandits had fled. remained back for
awhile and sent the men, as fast as
they could be gotten up the hill, to
join the advance line. soon heard
continuous firing in the direction
Lieut.. Nesbitt had taken, and leaving
Sergt Maj, Bennett to gather up the
remainder Of the men, started in the
direction of the firing, l had pro-
ceeded but a few hundred yards when
came in plain view Of the village,
~