The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-10-16
.F|L|P|N0S KILL AMERICANS
A Company Of Ninth Infantry Almost
Wiped Out in Samar
ONLY TWENTY-F0UR SURVIVORS

Natives in Superior Numbers Surprised
tho Troops While Mt Breakfast - The
Survivors, Eleven oT Them Wounded
Escaped From the Insurgents-Armsf
Ammunition and Stores Captured.
Manila.-The first serious disaster in
the Philippine Islands for long Pc
riod occurred in the Island Of Samar,
near Balangiga. when Company G,
Ninth United States Infantry, was cut
to pieces by an overwhelming force Of
insurgents.
OF the seventy-two men composing
the company, forty-eight were killed
and only twenty-four succeeded in es-
Gaping. Of whom eleven were
wounded.
The survivors have reached Bassey.
in the southern part of Samar. and
among them are Captain Thomas w.
Connell, who was in commands: First
Lieutenant Edward A. Bumpus and
DR.. f. S. Griswoid. surgeon.
The company was at breakfast when
attacked and made 4 determined re-
slstance, but the great numbers Of the
insurgents compelled the men to re-
treat.
The insurgents captured all the
stores and ammunition Of the company
and all the rifles except twelve.
WASHINGTON, D. C.-News of the dis
astrous fight between troops Of the
Ninth Infantry and the insurgents in
the Island Of Samar was sent prompt
ly by General Hughes, commanding in
that island, to General Chaffee. and
by him transmitted to the War De-
partment from Manila. General Chat
fees dispatch Is as follows:
"Hughes reports following from
Bassey. Southern Samar: Twenty-four
Ninth Regiment U. S. 1nfantry-eleven
wounded - have Just arrived from
Balangiga. Remainder Of company
killed. Insurgents secured all COM
pany supplies and all rifles except
twelve. Company was attacked dur
ing breakfast, morning September Is.
Company seventy-two strong. Off
GERS: Thomas W. Connell. captain:
Edward A. Bumpus, first lieutenant;
DR.. R. S. Griswold, major, surgeon,
escaped. CHAFFEE.'
The news created a sensation in off,
eial circles. 1t was the first severe re-
verse that has occurred for a long
time. Still the officials were not un-
prepared for news Of Just this charac-
ter from Samar, in which the revolu-
ton started by Aguinaldo still contin-
ues. Samar is an island about as
large as the State Of Ohio, and the
American forces Of occupation num-
ber in all between 1000 and $500 men.
These are distributed among various
posts in the island, q large number
being in the more important centres.
Spain never made any effort to oc-
cupy Sama-, and it was only three
months ago that the United States un-
dertook that work. The latest report
made by General Hughes to the war
Department was that the number or
insurgent rifles in the island aggre-
gated about 300. The Filipinos car
ried on q guerilla warfare and opera
tions against them were difficult.
The disaster to Company c. OF the
Ninth Infantry, occurred, 1t is be-
lieved, while it was engaged in an ex-
pedition to clear the country of rowing
bands of these insurgents. The fact
that the Americans were attacked
while at breakfast indicates the dar-
ing and pluck of the insurgents.
Immediately upon receipt OF the
dispatch Adjutant-General Corbin ca
bled to General Chaffee to send a
complete report Of the fight and a list
of tho % sl1altipS