The evening times., 1900-04-03

IN q NtDNih 10 INT p" al
Capt. Thomas Ashburn, comman-iag the
First Battalion of the Thirty third lnian-
try. relates a story of an expediti~n against
a band of brigaEds in northern Luzon
which reads Ike fiction.
The expedition left Balgued for Lieu
an. thirty-three miles notEeast CT the
former place. January Il, ard returned
January Is. and was entirely successf Il.
First Lieut.. solomon L. Jeffers, Thirty
third Infantry, and Sergt. Majo. Will
son. OF the same regiment, are
mentioned for conspicuous gallantEy. TIE
report contains the endorsements OF Gen
eral Young and Colonel Hare. ThiI ty-
third Infantry, who add interesting IN
formation concerning the character of
warfare practiced by the brigands and in
surgents.
peditiUn. says:
AT O'Clock on January % the march
was begun for Licusn where We expected
TO find the enemy. The march from Ling
ling to Licuan was the worst part of the
trip. Licuan was entered from two sides.
but no evidence of irsurrectos was discoy
cred. The march was resumed for Doning
lay. where the insurgents were said TO be.
This portion of the trip was up the bed OF
the river Malanas.
short distance from Doninglay the
trail leads through a canyon with impassa-
Bile jungle on the sides. The only exit is
UP a narrow path. In this place the insur-
gents had prepared an ambuscade. Al
though this was expected, no other way Of
passing was possible. The point. under
command of Sergeant Major Wilson, was
fired uDon just before they entered the
path Sergeant Wilson Immediately had
the men dismount and seek cover in the
bed of the river.
Colonel Hare was riding near the point.
! and Immediately gave directions for the
| point TO sweep the edge of the bank, thus
! drawing the fire of the insurgents, while
/ Lieutenant Jeffers. with six or seven men,
charged the path. AS soon as this was
I done a portion of the men ran to the
other end of the path. where il re-entered
the river bed and the Insurgents, caught
I from both flanks and the front. fed. close
! ly pursued. These men were under Ser
geant Major Wilson. who was shot in the
/ hip. and was the only man hurt on our
| side. The enemyS casualties were one
! lieutenant and nine men killed and five
/ prisoners captured. Twenty Remington ri
/ fes and a large amount of ammunition
/ were captured. The prisoners state that
1 this particular force consisted of twenty
! men. belonging TO the company of Captain
! PaYil
The command camped that night at
/ LicUan. and the next at Becooc. returning
/ to Bangued today The wounded man was
carried on a litter for nearly thirty five
! miles by the Infielos. During this entire
/ trip Hospital Steward Coffee walked by
/ his side. attending to his every want. /
| recommend that he be given some sub
stantial recognition for his fidelity.
For distinguished gailantry in charging
! a narrow pass against unknown numbers.
with a mere squad Of men. l recommend
! that First Lieut. Solomon l.. Jefiers, ThIr-
ty-third Infantry be awarded medal OF
honor.
! For coolness. prompt action. good judg-
ment. ami exceptional bravery under fire.
! l recommend Sergeant Major Wilson for a
medal of honor. | desire to honorably
mention Corporals Burke and Hawkins for
! bravery
In forwarding the above report TO the
! Department. Colonel Hare cordially en-
! dorses the recommendation made by Cap
tain Ashburn, and, referring to Sergeant
| Major Wilson's act. saws: 1T was one
| that simply exhausts the imagination. He
| was riding into this rocky gorge, not over
| fifty feet wide. when he was fired upon. at
not more than thirty yards. by the three
| men who covered the trail over the bank.
! How they missed him don't know. His
| magnificent Coolness. courage, and light
ming action saved the eight men on the
point
Colonel Hare also recommends Sergt-
| Major Robert r Wilson, First Lieut.. s
| L. Je1ers. and John c. Sammons, Com
pany d: Frank Miller, Company ID;
! Francis a. Murphy. Company ID;
James A. Syzmore. Company c; RAY
! Burnstine Company A; william Smith
| Company A; Paul L. Jenkins. Company A;
! Corp. George c. Burke, Company NJ. and
| J. r. Hawkins. Company \, for medals Of
| honor TO Steward Albion Med. Coffey
| who so skllfully and successfully dress
4 ed Wilson'S wound in the absence Of {
| surgeon, and afterward walked beside hi:
| litter throughout the return trip, he rec
ommends that a certificate of merit b.
/ given.