Evening star., 1900-02-05
Colonel sargent's Story Of San Ma
teo's Capture.
IN CLOSE QUARTERS With THE ENEMY
Stirring Charge Across the River
Without Casualties.
BRAVERY OF THE TROOPS


port of Col. Sargent of the 29th Infantry. at
Manila detailing the action during which
Gen Lawton lost his life. The report en-
tiers into the operations in the greatest de-
tail setting out all the orders that passed
from Lawton to his subordinate officers,
the movements effected under those orders
and the results that followed, including the
death of the general. The purpose was to
capture San Mateo, where strong force
of insurgents had intrenched themselves,
and to this end force was made up COM
posed of Hawthorne's battalion of the G9th
Infantry, two companies of Byron's battdl-
Ion of the 9th Infantry, one dismounted
squadron of the 11th Cavalry. two mounted
squadrons of the same regiment, and one
troop Of the 4th Cavalry.
Col Sargent, the senior officer, was in
command of the attacking forces The
troops arrived in front of San Mateo early
in the morning after a forced night marHh
in heavy rain. Col Sargent details the
dispositions of the troops made by
him under Gen. Lawton's authorization.
The general himself had ridden all night
to be able to arrive the scene at half
past in the morning, but he said: 'Sar-
gent. 1 wish to give you full swing; go
shead with your command and carry out
your plans"
It was rather significant that Lawton
added that he did not expect much resist
i
that engagement Between San Mateo and
the troops lay river which it was neIec
sery to ford. and the location OF the ford
was ascertained with great difficulty, the
enemy being strongly intrencae1 on the
opposite bank, and volleying upon the
troops The report reads:
Lawton's Goodness Under Fire.
AT this time. about s or S:15 am. the
first firing began. l dismounted and start
ed to the front. Gen. Lawton had already
arrived on the firing line, and as l descend
ed the hill in front of which was the rice
field Gen. Lawton was coolly walking up
and down the firing line within aoout 30
yards Of the enemy's intrenchments. A lew
minutes afterward Lieut.. Breckenridge ives
wounded and saw Cen Lawton acting as
one of the four litter bearers helping to
carrying Lieut.. Breckenridge from the field
Soon after l arrived on the firing line
the portion of the 9th that had moved to
the right of the 10Th came up on the right.
Our line now extended about mile or a
mile and a half up and down the river.
Our men were fairly well protected behind
@ ridge of earth at the edge of the rice
field; they were only about 200 or 80 yards
from the enemy, who, on the other side of
the river, were firing volleys of six or eight
shots at our men from some twelve or If
teen intrenched positions.
Soon after arriving on the firing line
met Maj Hawthorne, who told me that the
general had said to him that he Thought it
would be best to try and force crossing
further down the river This surprised me
somewhat. because l had explained 20 the
general that l felt certain there was <)rd
right opposite the town. and that there
would be most likely to find a crossing
Afterward the reason for the remark to
Maj. Hawthorne was perfectly clear to ne.
Accordingly Major Hawthorne and l
went along down the firing line examining
the river at different points to see if we
could not find a place where the river
could be forded. We found one place where
III. l.
but l thought We had better look a little
further before making the trial there;
cordingly We went clear to the right of our
firing line. We were unable to find a cross
ing l then started back along the firing
line and soon after met Captain Sewell,
with instructions from the general. He
told me that the general had sent him to
tell me that the diSmounted squadron of
the 11th Cavalry having arrived while I
was on the right of the firing line, he had
taken the liberty of putting them in posi-
tion on the left of the 10Th, with orders
to cross the river if possible. and that he
wished to be careful not to fire into the
cavalry in case it should cross the river
and sweep down through San Mateo.
The General Killed.
This was at 9:15 am. Afterward 1
learned from Major Rogers, on the gem
erals staff. that it was just at this mo-
ment that the general was killed. After
helping to carry back Lieutenant Brecken-
the battle, where some of his escort and
staff assembled behind a small HILL only
about 80 yards in the rear of the firing
line and almost directly opposite the main
portion of the town, ne remained few mo-
ments. asked Lieutenant Breckenridge how
he felt, said few words 10 Major Rogers
about my disposition for the fight, and
then starting back to the firing line was
shot before he had advanced but a few
steps. He shot just above the heart
with his face toward the enemy; he fell
TO the ground and lived but a few mo-
ments- Thus died on the battlefield this
great. brave. heroic soldier; large of heart
and large of frame, with an indOmitable
VIII. and with power unsurpassed of
overcoming obstacles-a soldier who had
never known fear; who knew not what
fear was
Too Deep for Fording.
After Captain Sewen left the firing line
to return to the generals headquarters 1
continued my efforts to force a crossing of
the river. About 80 yards below the main
portion of the town 1 thought l had dis
covered a place where l might be able to
cross. i gave E and G companies 10Th In
fantry, United States volunteers orders to
advance and charge across the river. They
moved forward with a rush and cheer but
found the river over the mems heads. 1t
was impossible TO cross. The grass and
underground on the near side OF the river
had deceived me. 1t prevented me seeing
just how steep the bank was and how
deep the water was. One officer, Lieuteu-
ant Clark of Company G, 18th Infantry
United States volunteers, jumped right into
the stream and came near drowning; two
men lost their guns in the river. The first
step l made into the water 1t was waist
deep l looked down the stream and saw
that it was impossible to get across and
withdrew the company to the firing line
During these movements the companies on
our ianks kept down the fire of the in
surgents.
Captain Shields, Goth Infantry. United
States volunteers, on the left of the 10Th
Battalion, had pushed forward and had
gaired a good position behind a bank in
front of the generals headquarters right
down close to the river. From this posi-
tton he kept up continuous flanking fire
by volleys down the river on the enemy's
intrenchments, and Captain Atkinson OF
the 9th Infantry, United States volunteers
on the extreme right of our line. also had a
fanking fire up the river on their intrench-
ments. After failing to cross the river
here l decided to go up to the generals
headquarters and get permission to try a
crossing in front of the town l had moi
yet learned of his death. Upon arriving
there ! found the general lying dead upor
O Stretcher. CAPTAIN King of General I a ,v