Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-03-06

Rescued a Detachment Surrounded
PIucky Fight and DeIivernnce just
Come to Light.
A truly thrilling story in which First
Lieutenant a. Aloe of the American
army in the Philippines had promi-
nent part has just come to light. Lieu
tenant Aloe is in command of Compa-
ny L, Twelfth United States infantry,
and, though he is at present suffering
from five broken ribs, he will live to
tell many a story In years to come OF
his experiences. The latest affair in
which he figured, his part being the
gallant rescue of nine men who were
being overpowered by natives. is told
as follows in the st. Louis Globe-Dem-
ocrat:
Batac is a small town in the province
of Hocos Norte and is garrisoned by
Lieutenant Aloe,s company. The head
quarters of military operations for the
province are at Lavag, not far away
The places are connected by telephone
wire. Some months ago Lieutenant
Aloe received word from regimental
headquarters that a band of natives
was engaged in cutting the telephone
connections throughout the province
and were thought to be operating in
the neighborhood of Batac. The lieu
tenant Immediately sent out detach-
ment of SO men under First Sergeant
Feldcamp to repair damage done to the
wires and check the work of the native
miscreants. The detachment started
the morning of a sultry day, their di-
rection being toward the mountains,
where the Filipinos always do their
most effective work. The path ran
along the saline slopes, where not so
much as q leaf offered its protecting
shade. 1t presently wound its way be-
tween two mountains. The wires so
far were in good condition, and there
was no evidence of danger brewing. A
large mango tree was finally reached,
and there the detachment, after sever
al hours continuous marching, stopped
TO rest. The location was of sinister
character. as the hills came close to-
gether. offering great advantages to an
ambushing party.
One of the soldiers remarked that
the place was like n trap. and hardly
had he spoken when a sharp fire from
unseen foes was poured upon them
from all sides. One soldier was in
stantly shot through the heart and an
other pierced through the shoulder.
Every man dropped to the ground,
seeking the protection of depressions
in the earth or friendly rocks. Then
they speedily deployed as skirmishers
along the road. facing the height from
which the liveliest fire came. They re-
turned this to the best of their judg-
ment, and for 80 minutes the exchange.
of bullets was rapid. Then the natives
ceased firing. The detachment was in
sorry plight. Retreat was impossible,
as they were hedged in on all sides.
An assault on the natives position was
out of the question. The mountain
slopes were steep and craggy and We're
for distance covered with impenetra-
BILE underground. Besides. there was
every evidence of a strong and well
armed native force.
After n brief lull in the storm there
was an impetuous fire from the rear of
the little detachment, and at the same
time the fire from the front was vigor-
ousIy renewed. Nine of the detach-
ment found a favorable position, af-
forded by the nature of the ground,
and the rest hurried down the road,
endeavoring to flank their assailants
or find some opportunity to get behind
them. The nine men who kept their
position were losing no opportunity to
fire when there was the possibility of
shot being effective. and they held
their own very well while the rest
went forward on their adventure.
These. however, were able to accom-
plish nothing. They ran into greater
dangers and came under a hotter and
closer fire than that which they had
left. After using all their ammunition
they ran through pass where death
whistled everywhere about them and
made their way toward garrisoned
town. This left the nine men who had
become separated from the detach-
ment in perilous predicament. The
natives knew they We're few in num-
bers and must have guessed they were
nearly out of ammunition. They came
closer, taking a lesson from the book
of the Americans, yelling wildly. Yet
they approached only to certain dis
lance and then began a deliberate,
fire.
The besieged nine regarded their case
dS uOpeleSS anu uiu little more IMAM
hug the ground. Yet an occasional shot
was fired, and it was clear that for a
little longer the natives would be kept
at a distance. The unfortunate little
group were firm in only one belief, and
that was that they would sell their
lives at a high price. One had his
hand shattered by Remington bullet
aud became helpless. The others, re-
aiizing that each shot from their hid
den enemies was coming little nearer
than those that preceded it, watched
and waited.
While this little drama seemed draw
ing TO swift and tragic close, Lieuten-
ant Aloe was pacing the floor of his |
room restlessly- He had expected to |
hear from the detachment before II |
O'clock. 1t was past u, and he had |
heard nothing. One o'clock came and |