Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-10-04
40 AMERICANS KILLED.

Company G Of the 9th United States
Infantry Surprised While at Break
tast--24 Escaped and II Of Them
Wounded.
disastrous fight between United
States troops and insurgents occurred
Saturday in the island of Samar near
Balangiga. a large body of insurgents
attacked company, 9th Inf, only "a
members of the company escaping. All
the Others are reported to have been
Killed. The company was at breakfast
when attacked, and made determined
resistance, but the overwhelming mum
bers of the insurgents compelled them
TO retreat OF the survivors, who have
arrived at Basey, II are wounded.
According to the latest returns. the
strength of the company was r. The
survivors include Capt. Thomas w Con-
nell, LIST Lieut.. Edward A. Bumpus and
DR.. r. S. Grlswold, Surgeon. Capt.
Edwin V. Bookmiller of the 9th Inf re-
ports that Gen. Hughes is assembling
a force to attack the insurgents The
insurgents captured all the stores and
ammunition of the company and all the
rifles, except &C.
Capt. Lawrence ]. Learn of the Hst
Inf. reports a severe engagement with
insurgents near Candelaria, the Ameri-
cans losing one killed and two wounded.
The insurgent loss has not been ascer-
tanned The Americans captured 10000
pounds OF rice and several hundred
rounds of ammunition.
Samar is a country about as large as
the state of Ohio, and the American.
forces of occupation number in all be-
tween 1000 and $500 men. These are dis
tributed among various posts in the
island, a large number being located at
the more important centres. Spain
never made any effort to occupy Samar.
Some severe engagements have occurred
before In Samar, one American detatch-
ment being beseiged in a church. and a
large part of the force being killed
company was portion of the 9th
Regt. of the U. S. infantry, which went
to China at the time of the Boxer out
break, and which there performed val
liant service. Later the troops went to
Manila and were engaged in provost
duty in that city. During the past sum
mer battalion of the 9th was sent to
Samar.
The 9th infantry is one of the best reg
iments in the service. 1t took part in the
charge at San Juan hill in Cuba, ana
after the campaign there returned to
Madison Barracks, and the following
spring left for the Philippines 1t was
one OF the TWO regular infantry regiments
sent to China last year, and it's command
err, Col. Liscum, a Vermonter, was killed
in the assault on Tien Tsin.
The authorities at Washington believe
that the company fell into trap through
having confidence i'm the friendly actions
of the natives. one despatch gives hor-
rible details to the effect that Captain
Connell's body was tied at the heels,
saturated with kerosene, and partly
burned. Forty-five bodies had been
burned in a trench, leaving seven unac-
counted for. Some of the bodies had
been badly mutilated. 1t is thought that
the first despatch was in error and that
Captain Cornell, Lieut.. Bumpus and Sur
geon Griswold were killed. One repor;
states that the fight was long premedi-
tated and that the Filpinos were called
to the slaughter by ringing bells at day
light They got between the soldiers,
who were at breakfast, and their quar-
tiers. Most of the insurgents We're armed
with bolos, but some had rifles. on hear
ing of the slaughter Col. Derlssy OF the
18th Infantry started to the scene with
a battalion. A battalion of the 9TH reg
iment and one from the Goth regiment
will also reinforce the troops in Samar.
and 300 Maccabebees will be despatched
there.