Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-10-01
DISASTER IN PHILIPPINES.
COMPANY WIPED OUT
OF WHICH TWO BRATTLEBORO
BOYS WERE FORMER MEMBERS 5

but Had Been Transferred TO Othrr
COmpa nies-The Worst Reverse Arnert-
can Arms Have Suffered for Months
Men at Breakfast Overwhslmsd by
Filipino Attack-Oniy l3 Escape I'm
hurt-AnOther Small BattIe-Assassin.
alton Stimulates Natives.
The worst reverse the American
troops have encountered in the Philip
pines for long time occurred Friday
when Company G of the famous 9th
regiment was nearly obliterated. OF
the 73 members of the company only "a
escaped, and of those ii we're wounded
The company was encamped 400 miles
southeast of Manila, near the city OF
BalaDgiga, a seaport on the Island oi
SamaI, which is in the centre of the
archipelago. The soldiers had just an.
swered the breakfast call when they
were swooped down upon by Filipinos
in overwhelming numbers.
The enemy was upon them in over
whelming numbers.
The enemy was upon them before they
could rally, and although they made a
determined and splendid resistance, so
sudden and unexpected was the on
slaught and so we'll hemmed in were
they by the barbarians that the spot
became slaughter-pen for the little
band of Americans
When the 13 men who had not.
through a seeming miracle, been shot
down, took advantage Of an opportuni-
ty to retreat. they heroically carried
with them the IL wounded men, and
succeeded in taking them in safety, by
boat. evidently. to the town of Basey.
where Gen Hughes Is stationed and
where the main part OF the Ninth in
fantry is doing duty.
Tn, Americans were compelled to
abandon all of their stores. ammuni
tonfand equipment, with the exception
of 2G rifles.
Those who escaped say that while
good execution was done on the rebels,
they are unable to estimate the number
killed and wounded. Gen Hughes has
sent a flying column after the insur.
gents
Company C was a portion OF the 9Th
regiment of United States infantry
which went to China at the time of the
Boxer outbreak and which there per-
formed valiant service. and where Its
valiant commander, Col Liscom, for
mer Vermonter fell, 1T is" says Gen
Otis, lone Of the best fighting regi
ments in the United States
Two former Brattlehoro boys, Mich
ael j Sherry and Dan w ONeil, are in
this regiment and both, it is believed,
were formerly in Co c, but had been
transferred, and Sherry is now in Co a.
and O'Neil was in Co d at the time the
regiment went to China. 1t is likely
that both these companies are 10 the bat
tallion operating in Samar. but the fact
cannot be fully known until the names
of the killed ard wounded, for which the
war department has cabled. are known
This regiment also distinguished itself
at San Juan in Cuba.
Samar is about as large as the state of
Ohio, and the American forces of oCcu--
patton number in all between 2000 and
$500 men. Those are distributed among
various posts in the island, large num-
Der being located at the more important
centers.
The insurgent leader there is Gen Lac
ban, but it has been officially stated re-
Gently that his forces did not number
over 300 and that in This island is prac-
tically the last of the Filipino resistance.
Later-Men who reached Tannan say
the officers of the company, who we're
st first reported as escaped, we're
k illed with the mBiority of the com
pany. Gen Hughes will personally |
direct the operation of the flying col
umn sent iu pursuit of the FilipinoS. + |
The attacking Filipinos are now said |
to have numbered 400 and their killed |