The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-15
PURSUIT. OF AGUlNALDO
Major March's Report to The War
Department Concerning 1t.
The Fight at Lila Pnss-A Picked
Force From the IDsurgent Leaders,
Body Guard Practically AnnibiInt-
ed-GencraI Pillars Death-FIight
of the Fugitive From Cervantes.

The War Department yesterday made
public the report of Major Peyton c.
March of the Thirty-third Infantry, de-
failing the events of his pursuit of Agui
naldo in the mountains of northern Luzou.
His command, consisting of Companies
f, G, H. and NJ, of the Thirty third In
fantry, left San Jacinto. November %, ar
irving without opposition at Conception,
in the mountains. November so. 1t seems
that Aguinaldo had felt secure in noun
tain fastness which he deemed impregna-
Bile, but through the valor Of compare
tive handful Of American troops he was
forced to fee leaving the main part Of his
body-guard TO become prisoners of Maj
or March. All through the long. arduous
pursuit, the American soldiers performed
deeds of heroism. Tine report reads as
follows:
Il moved out of Conception at $50 a.
m. having previously ordered Captain
Davies to move out of Lingey at the same
time, and feel his way up the trail until
| overlook him. The trail was very mar
row. the entire command having to pro-
coed in single file up the mountain. lila
Pass is 4,ii0 feet high and the rise is eX-
tremely rapid. The trail winds up the
lila Mountains in a sharp zigzag. The
enemy had constructed stone barricade
across the trail at a point where il com
manded the turns Of the zigzag for a con-
siderable distance. This barricade was
loop holed for infantry fire and afforded
head cover for the Insurgents. On pass
ing on beyond Lingey. the advance was
checked by heavy fire from this bar
ricade, which killed and wounded sever
al men. without having its position reveal
ed. | brought up the remainder of the
command at double time losing two men
wounded during the run up. On arriving
at the point, located the insurgents posi-
tion with my glasses, by the presence of
an insurgent officer who showed himself
freely and directed the fire.
Tactics of the Rebels.
On pushing forward The number of my
men who were hit increased so rapidly that
it was evident that the position could not
be taken by front attack when the trail
only allowed the men to pass one at a
time. On the left OF the barricade was a
gorge several hundred feet deep. On Its
right as we faced ii, was a precipitous
mountain. which rose / 800 feet above the
trail. Across the gorge and TO the left front
Of the barricade was hill which, while It
did not permit Of flank fire into the barri-
cade, commanded the trail in its rear. and
this point | occupied by ten sharpshooters
in command of Sergeant Major McDOugall
He lost one man wounded In getting to the
top. and when there rendered most efrec-
tive assistance.
Il then ordered Lieutenant Thompkins
20 take Company H and proceed back on
the trail to ascend the slope of the noun
tain under cover OF q slight ridge. which
struck the face of the mountain about lao
feet from the summit. From there he had
a straightup climb to the top. where the
men pulled themselves up by twigs and by
nand. The ascent took two hours. during
Which time the enemy kept up an ineessant