The evening times., 1900-07-13


The War Department IS in receipt of an
interesting report from Capt George a
Dodd. Third Cavalry. OF operations in
northwestern LuzoR with Troop +. Third
Cavalry. from April 8 to May 3. 1900
inclusive. Troop F. OF which Captain Dodd
is the commanding officer. is the cavalry
troop which. through its participation in
several military tournaments at Madison
Square Garden, New York. and its visits
TO various points in New England, gained
an envisble reputation in expert horseman-
ship and military drill as well as for its
thorough discipline and gentlemanly con
duct OF officers and men.
Vigan. in the Province Of nocos Sur. at
which this troop has been stationed for
some months. is a seaport and the capital
OF the province. has a population OF about
10000. and IS 2SS miles due north OF Ma
Mia; II Is also the capital of the bishop
ric OF Nueya SegOyia; has a cathedral, an
episcopal palace. court house and many
large public buildings. Ths country cover
ed by Captain Dodd's operations lies be-
which Vigan is located. northeasteriy into
the Province Of IlOcos NOrte. and IS the
section recently brought into notice
through tho operations OF the insurgent
leader Padre Aglipay.
Captain DodG with eighty-seveu men
and ninety-three horses accompanied by
Second Lieuts. R Z. McNally and ". d.
Chitty. Third Cavalry, and second Lieut..
J. F. Mckinley. Sixth Cavalry, a sergeant
Of ,arfu gfoTa ,aa-L-
ers. scouts. and ten pack mules, left Vigan
on the Sth Of April. proceeding to the Abra
River and scouting northward to Batac.
Il was not until he had reached the barrlO
OF Paciencia, not far from the BadOC
River, on the night Of the 11th that cOndi-
tions became at all suspicious. Here he
found the houses dezer ed and an apparent
dearth Of male population with every indi-
cation that they were engaged in other
than peaceful pursuits
Dividing his command into three detach
ments. working on parallel lines, he scout
ed the country into Badoc without encoun-
terirg any opposition bet in the conyic
tion that the insurgents in some force
were somewhere ahead OF him. As an
evidence Of the cunning OF the insurgents.
Captain DOdd recites several instances to
show that tie American orthodox mode OF
scouting is OF little or no avail against
main trails he found them brushed or
swept. all traces OF footprints being obIit-
Grated. This was done by punches Of twigs.
some OF which being found. showed iudi-
cations of sweeping in both directions. and
some Of these trails being followed usu-
ally led to a woman with a basket on her
head.
This eKpedient was explained upon ar
irving at BGtac where he found a detach-
~ . \
learned thai CarromOa. a barriO of Batac.
had been attacked the night before. He
thereuDOn communicated with Lieutenant
Mckinley. who had been left at BADGE
with instructions 10 scout up the river
and this scout resulted IN the capture Of
eight bolomen and the burning OF a small
barriO. Sending a detachment down the
main road toward Badoc. Captain Dodd
proceeded with the balance OF his .ro0p
TO PaOag, from which point lie went south
IN two columns. About three miles south
one Of the detachments, under Lieutenant
Chitty, sighted a party Of insurrectos who
scattered al The sight of the American
troops From these indications he became
satisfied that the attack on Carrouoa
combined with the movements of the N
surrectos toward the coast. indicated that
arms and supplies were expected to be
landed at some point between Carromoa
and Paoag.
4 sharp Engagement.
Early on the morning OF April 10 ne left
Badoc and struck into the mountains so
as TO head the valleys of Cullebolg. and
at about o'clock struck a large party Of
insurgents under Gregoroio Ag!Ipay. and
In fight lasting one hour he killed forty
nine insuTTectOs. moTtally wounded four
and captured fOrty-fOur prisoners, also
large number Of small swords. bolos a
few MauserS and ammunition. and ter
horses with saddles and brides. He burn
ed large new cuartel with officers quar-
fers, stOIehOUSes. supplies. and large
quantities of rice as also the barrio OF
Culleben and several other places in that
vicinity showing indications of being in
surrecto resorts.
From the prisoners he learned that
there We're $50 men and 20 guns with the
party. The surprise OF Aglipay's party
was absolute and followed with such "a
pldity that they could not use their weap-
ons effectively until reaching shelter in
the brush. The result OF this sharp en-
gagement is more credltable when il is
understood that II occurred in what can
be best described as a depressed Jungle
Just before the attack Captain Dodd's DO
sition was overlooking that Of the enemy.
his troop being an column and in cne Of
the sunken trails Characteristic of that
particular locality, whereby difficulty and
delay occurred in getting men and horses
through and out OF such a funnel-like
space 50 as TO insure a satisfactory dis
position.
Outposts and lookouts were posted st ev-
cry point except at the one from which
he approached. He bad been under the
observation OF the enemy for some days
and had he reached the scene by any other
route than the one selected. it is very
probable that his command would Fave
been annihilated.
From the 10th to the 22d OF April Cap