The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-12

Sorsogan, Luzon. Jan. 21.-Colonel
Howe and the four companies of the
Forty-seventh regiment were no sooner
established at Sorsogon than General
Kobbe gave orders for the occupation
of Bulan and Donsol. Bulan is twenty
five miles south of sorsogon and DON
sol is thirty miles above it. They are
both small coast towns. Companies A
and D OF the Forty-seyenth were trans
ported by the Helena to Donsol, and
company B was carried by the Nash
vile to Bulan.
When the Helena appeared off Don
sol men and women could be seen leav-
ing the town carrying bundles of house,
hold goods with them.
A Spanish Flag.
The beach trenches were lined with
peering faces and the only flag over
/ the town was Spanish. DOnsOl appear
ed as a few zinc-rOofed warehouses
and some long lines of tbatched hats
on low Jangle of green jungle on the
coast. One company Of soldiers was
! loaded into the Helena's small boats.
| This action was Immediately followed
whereupon the leaders Of this expedi-
| ton decided upon another course of ac-
ton. The Helena's launch. with Major
| Wise and Lieutenant Kobbe on board
ran in for the beach, tow ing a small
row boat. When close to the shore the
! launch stopped and the rowboat, man.
ned by three Filipinos, and carrying a
4 big white flag of truce, landed in front
of the trenches. Meantime, the Helena
had cleared for action and the soldiers
still on board were sent 20 cover, and
those already in the small boats were
waiting just aStern in tsSV % the cug
! Nunez. The British sfaDaat CloSe1
/ had meantime come in from the south
and was now lying a few hundred
yards from the Helena. 1t is doubtful
\ if she was recognized from the shore
i as other than an American ship.
The boat with the flag of truce sooI
| returned to the Helena and a little la.
ter Major Wise announced the result
| o. the parley, saying they want unit
3 o'clock this afternoon 10 decide wheth
er they want to resist or surrender
but l guess Wen be going ashore right
now"
| The company in the boats started il
for the beach. and the Helena prepar-
ed to blow the village up in case Oul
men were fired on.
Town Was Deserted.
When our men landed on the beach
not a face was tC be seen at the trench
es. We formed in company front an(
then small squads were started through
the town. 1t was absolutely deserted
not a soul being in sight. In th'
streets were half pillaged trunks ant
bundles Of household goods, food an(
clothing.
Finally. on low hill, about six hun
dred yards behind the town, the enem!
were discovered, clustered in and abou
a small trench, and around a last cen
| fury muzzle loading cannon. Mean
| while. Major Wise had gone TO the doc
| of the house from which flew the Span
ish flag He knocked on the door ant
the commander Of the Filipino
| forces in that town, the local presi
dent and civil governor Of the district
all in the person of a brown man in
Filipino uniform, came and let him in
"WiH you haul down that flag? 1 wan
to put this one in its place" said tn
major, producing the American flag
There was no objection to the reques
anG the stars and stripes soon floate,
over DOnSOl.
The Helena quickly landed the secon,
company.
As Captain Hart and a dozen mel
were crossing the rice fields between
the town and the hill where the enem.
were, there was a sudden VOliey of abOu
twenty bullets from the FilipinOs Mos
of the bullets sang over Captain Hart
head, on over the village and so out t
sea. The enemy were firing high. The
had left US a message in town, sayin
they would give us battle on tn
heights.
send them word that if they do nc
surrender and bring in their cannon j
two hours I'll have the navy she'll thei
position answered Major Wise.
The president found a messenger fo
this reply, and ne was on his way
the hilltop when the first volley wa
fired.
Heights Stormed.
Then began the storming of Donsl
Heights We had been told there wer
but twenty rifles and a small store {
ammunition among the insurgents, an
as our soldiers started for the hilf y
saw the enemy disappearing from the
trenches at its top. No one though
they were waiting for US Our soldier
! went laughing. painting and stumblin
through the jungle that grew on I'll
5 hillside and came to the top victorious
/ ly. for there was no enemy in sigh
From beside the old brass cannon theI
5 was a good view Of the country benin