The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-01-18
DEL PILLARS LAST FIGHT
Remarkable Exploit Of Major March's
Battalion.
After the Rebel Chief over Supposed
impossible Trails and
Mountains.

The Associated Press correspondent
with March's battalion, pursuing Aguin
aldo through the mountains which Span
ish soldiers and writers have said wer,
impossible TO white men, sends from
Bontoc the following account of the figh
OF December 2, wherein General Greg
orio Pillar was killed:
"rhe entire march Of March's bat
talon Of the Tlirty-third infantry from
Candon to Cervantes has been re.
markable exploit. With four depeted
companies OF Cunningham handful Of
scouts, the command left Young's head.
quarters at Candon on the afternoon OF
November 80, March having received in
formation on his journey up the coast
which led to the belief that Aguinaldo
had left the coast road at Candon for the
mountains instead of going further north,
as had been supposed. This informa-
tion was confirmed by General Young,
who remained at Candon with one troop
OF the Third cavalry, sent two other
troops TO occupy Santiago and then or
dered Mareh's battalion into the noun
tains after Aguinaldo. The men had
only lI0 rounds OF ammunition, no ra.
tions and had TO live on the country.
The four companies were commanded
by Captains Jenkinson and Davies and
Lieutenants Tompkins and White.
After two hard days climbing, the com.
mand reached point two miles beyond
the village Of Lingal, where the fight
occurred. There was snake like trail
leading mp the precipitous mountain
side, and half way up the insurgents had
constructed trenches, from which they
could pour a deadly fire down ON the
troops advancing along the lower reaches
OF the trail or in the valley below. Gun.
nin0ham's scouts, with Davies com
pany, were in the advance, and we're
fred upon first. Jenkinson's company
went TO their support, and after the ex-
change of few shots, these troops
waited In the shelter of hill.
"The enemy continued their fire, and
Jenkinson ordered charge around a
bend Ia the trail, Captain Cunningham
and Lieutenant McClelland led the
charge, and as the men rushed around
the bend they came into full view of the
insurgents 200 yards above, who opened
a well directed fire from the trenches
and from behind the rocks and trees.
Half dozen Of Jenkinson's men fell
killed or wounded within a few feet of
each other, some hit in several places.
Their comrades dragged them behind
shelter, and March with the remainder
Of the battalion coming up, the troops
sought what shelter they could, while
March sent ~ sharpshooters TO the top
Of knoll on the opposite side OF the val
ley, overlooking the trenches. These
men made the ascent OF the knoll under
heavy fire, hut when they reached the
top their well-directed shots soon had
the effect of making the insurgents care
ful not TO expose themselves.
"March then directed Tompknis 10
execute flank movement with his
company by climbing the side of hill
thousand feet high on the insurgents
eft. Tompkins, with Lieutenant True
and 80 men, made the ascent OF the hill
by dragging themselves up with the aid
OF bushes and lunches OF grass, and
reaching the rocks above found several
insurgents there, who fired on them.
but were soon put 10 flight. Tompkins
then took a position overlooking the en-
tire rebel force, and took them com.
pletely by surprise, as they evidently
never supposed that the Americans
could climb an almost vertical hill and
flank them out OF their position. The
company on the hill and sharpshooters
on knoll poured in u murderous fire and
at the same time March with three
companies below charged up the Hill
shooting and yelling. The insurgents
broke from behind the rocks and
trenches and every other position and
fled up the trail and into the thick
underbrush and the fight was over.