The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-08-21

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
Manila. July 15.-It has been expect
ed that some of the 275 garrsons the
United States troops maintain in
these islands would sooner or later be
surrounded by the enemy and at
tackled with such determination and
advantage in point of numbers and
ground that the American soldiers
would he powerless to resist the on
slaught. That was what happened at
Catubig, on the island of Samar, when
a detachment of the Forty-third volun-
tcer infantry lost twenty out of its
thirty men. Surprise is manifested
that a similar fate has not overtaken
other small garrisons in isolated
towns. The official report Of the Catu-
hig incident is as follows.
In the Catubg engagement in which the in
surgents numbered about 600 men, with 200 rifles
and one cannon, our men gave an heroic account
Of themselves by killing more than two hundred.
Our loss was nineteen killed and five wounded.
The detachment was at the time quartered in
the convent. At ) a. m. on April Is almost SIM
ultancousy fire was opened upon 1t from the hills
on both sides as well as from every available
part Of the town. 1t continued all day and night
and was vigorously resumed at a. m. the fol
lowing morning. At a. m, the cannon begal
firing nails pieces OF chain and iron scraps
That sort of attack continued until the third
day, when a large number of insurgents got into
the adjoining church. With ten volunteers, Ser
gcant George charged on the church, killing
large number OF men, but he could not hold it
From the windows the insurgents threw quan
tty OF hemp saturated with kerosene agains
the side Of the convent and thus set it on fire.
this building soon became untenable the detach
mcnt attempted 10 escape to the river and eros
it, and there occurred its first considerable
losses All Of the men Of the detachment eX
crpt Sergeant Hall, Corporal Carson and fftee
privateS attempted TO get into boat, and il
so doing they were killed. Sergeant Hall and hi
men began intrcnching themselves near the rive
and there that little band held out under Con
poral Carson two days longer in the face Of mos
adverse circumstances until rescued. Sergcan
Hall and two others were killed and two wer
wounded during that period.
Heroic Incident.
Not the least heroic incident of the Catuhi
engagement was the rescue by Lieutenant Swe,
ncy and ten men When the steamboat was abol
one mile from the town he found the river blocl
AIDED with trees lashcd together. They were n
moved and the ascent continued to within
few hundred yards when he learned for the fir
time that an engagemcment was taking plaC
The steamboat wac put at full speed and
q few moments was in a rain of bullets. Lea
ing three men on board he started to embark h
detachment on two small boats but before Fl
ishing this a corporal was shot in the side al
a private in the leg. lie finally made a landir
and was then compelled to fight his way aero
open ground TO Corporal Carson's trench, sevent
FIVE yards distance. In doing this Private Clan,
was shot in the foot. Lieutenant Sweeney su
ceeded in buFying those Of our dead that cOu
be found and in rescuinG all that were left aloy
lie says:
"The streets were covered with dead inst
gents. The town was fortified everywhere, pa
tieularly along the river front where the inst
gents used bags Of hide and dirt; hemp was al
used for breastworks.
The detachment lost all its quartemaster a
commissary supplies, though il had the go
judgment to save all its ammunition and pr,
tically all its rifles The men shot getting IN
the boat had much ammunition on their p
sons that they immediately went to the bott,
OF the river
The following is a complete list OF the kill
and wounded:
Killed-Ssrgeants Dustin L. George and WI
lam J. Hall, Corporals Herbert II. Edwards a
John F. ]. Hamilton, Cook Burton L, He
Musician Burton r. Wagner, Privates Ire
Pomelowe Otto 3. Loose, Stephana Apperti,
seph NOEL, John f. Kuhn, Ralph H. Zim,
ward Braman, Chester A. A. Conklin, Walter
Collins, Joseph j. Kerins Henry Dumas, Phi
Sailing and George A. Slack
wounded-priyates Lester Rushworth, Harry