The Washington times., 1901-10-19

The following despatch from General
Chaffee was received late this afternoon
at the War Department:
Manila. oct. Is
"Adjutant General. Washington:
'FOrty-siN men, Company h. Ninth
Regiment. L. S. Infantry, under First
Lieut.. George w. Wallace in field low
er Gaudara, Samar. were attacked by
iC0 bolomen, October 1G. Our loss. ten
killed. six wounded. names not receiv-
ed. Eishty-one enemy left dead on
field; enemy beaten Off
War Department officials. from an ex.
animation of the map of the Samar re-
gion, are of the opinion that a detaCh-
ment of the Ninth Infantry was ascending
the River Bangaghon to Gandara, an i'm
pOrtant town about twenty miles from the
seaCoast, and that. when nearing this
place, they were rushed by the boloTaen.
The scene of the conflict is less than fifty
miles from CatbalOgan, the military head
quarters of the Island of Samar and IL
lustrates the daring of the natives in ven-
turing so near the headquarters. This
latest attack is viewed with some appre-
hensou by the military authorities here
and there is belief that General Hughes
has underestimated the fighting strength
of the insurrection. This belief is confirm
ed in a report made by General Hughes
to General Chaffee in August, copy of
which has just been received at the War
Department. In this report General
Hughes says:
L SATISFACTORY
in some ways and not in others. The
subduing of the lighting propensities of
the war faction is reduced almost to a
nullity. The growth of our strength in
the estima tion cf the people Is also quite
satisfactory. The fact is, their love for
the flesh pots and incidentally for the
Americans, who represent said pots. is
growing burdensome. as the securing of
the hemp with which 10 pay for rice Is
becoming a heavy business. In nearly all
our posts, where the commander has e0-
srcised good judgment. colonies of natives
have come in and settled and concluded
they would set up their Lares and Penates
under our wing. These colonies differ in
strength, but in this vicinity or between
the Hibitan and the Gandara Rivers
about sixteen thousand have corae In In
Matuguinao, Oquendo, etc. have their
colonies. The correspondence the troops
have captured shows that she armed
forces are deserting and breaking away
from military control of the VicoI leaders,
The unsatisfactory features are the
slowness of the process of Inversion, the
failure to get the rifles, and the slowness
and the difficulty in making roads anJ
trails. Every foot presents a peculiar OBJ
stacle, but the troops are doing all that
can be justly demanded of them; and
while efforts have been made to push
things faster. / am entirely satisfied with
the results thus far secured. / enclose a
map which will show the commanding
general at glance our situation, with
hoped to occupy when all the Ninth In
fantry Is in position. The commands are
small. but hope | have not made n mis-
take in Understanding the fighting abil-
ity of the forces now in the field against
US l would feel quite easy if all officers
of the organizations were present, but it
is fully appreciated that some of the de
tachments are commanded by officers
who have really never been shot over"
The Ninth Infantry is said to be one
of the best regiments In the regular army
The regiment was on the Western frontier
for many years and saw hard service In
fighting the Indians. In the Santiago
campaign il took part in the assault on
San Juan Hill, being part of Wyko.rs
Brigade. After the surrender of the
Spaniards. the regiment was assigned TO
march into Santiago and protect the city.
In March, 1899. the Ninth left Madison
Barracks for the Philippines and took
part in several engagements in General
LawtOn's column. While il was marching
through northern LuZOn, one of its Off
has never since been heard of. When the
allies were about to march to the relief of
Peking, the Ninth was sent from Manila
and suffered severely in the fighting
about Tientsin, where its commander,
Colonel Liscum, was killed.
After the troubles in China had been
settled, the regiment returned to the Phil
ippines, and on September 2S, Company C
was surprised at Balangiga on the Island
of Samar by a large body of rebels said
TO have been led by the presidente of the
town. The men, who were at breakfast.
were shot with their own rifles. About
ing to reports received afterward, the
hgfiieG burned