The Iola register., 1901-10-04
ALMOST A
MASSACRE
American Troops Surprised
at Breakfast
FilipinOs Routed a Whole
Company and Killed "a
of our Men
TWO OFFICERS AMONG DEAD
Four Hundred 'BolOmen At
tackled Them
The American Troops Sue
ceeded in Staying Fifty
of the Insurgents
TWO OFFICERS AMONG DEAD

Manila, Sept. pa disastrous
fight between United States troops and
insurgents occurred yesterday in the
island of Samar, near Balangiga. A
large body of insurgents attacked
Company G, Ninth infantry, only
twenty.four members of the company
escaping.
All the others are reported to have
been killed.
The company were at breakfast
when attacked and made determined
resistance, but the overwhelming
numbers of the insurgents compelled
them to retreat.
OF the survivors, who have arrived
at Basey, eleven are wounded.
According to the fastest returns the
strength of the company was u. The
survivors include Captain Thomas
w. Connell, First Lieutenant Edward
A. Bumpus and DIR. r. S. Griswold,
surgeon.
Captain Edwin V. Bookmiller, of
the Ninth infantry, reports that Cen
eral Hughes is assembling a force to
attack the insurgents.
The insurgents captured all the
stores and ammunition of the com
pany and all the rifles except twenty
six.
wAsHINGTON'S REPORT.
Washington, Sept. 29.-News of the
disastrous fight between troops of the
Ninth infantry and the insurgents in
the island of Samar yesterday was
sent: promptly by General Hughes,
commanding in that island, to Cen
eral Chaffee at Manila, and by him
transmitted to the war department II
reached the department during the
early hours to-day and Adjutant Gen
eral Corbin, realizing its Importance,
at once made it public, after sending a
copy to the White House. The news
created sensation in official circles.
1t was the first severe reverse that has
occurred for long time. Still the
officials were not unprepared for news
of just this character from Samar, in
which the revolution started by Aguin-
aldo still continues.
SAMAR AS LARGE AS OHIO.
Sanar is county about as large as
the state of Ohio and the American
forces of occupation number in all be-
tween 1000 and $4,000 men. These
are distributed among various posts
in the island, a large number being
located at the more important centers.
Spain never made any efforts to oc-
cupy Samar and it only has been for
probably three months past that the
United Stats has undertaken the work.
The latest report made by General
Hughes to the war department was
that the number of insurgent rifles in
the island aggregated about 300. The
Filipinos carried on guerrilla warfare
and operations against them were
difficult. The disaster to Company C,
of the Ninth infantry, occurred. it is
believed, while it was engaged in an
expedition to clear the country of
rowing bands of these insurgents. The
fact that the Americans were attacked
while at breakfast indicates the daring
and pluck of the insurgents
ASK FOR FULL REPORT.
Immediately on receipt of the dis
patch Adiutant General Corbin cabled
General Chaifee to send Il complete
report of the fight and a list of the
casualties. A well known official of
the government, in speaking of this
outbreak against the American forces
in Samar, said he regarded it as a
consequence OF the assassination of
President Mckinley. In all proba-
bility the insurgents had received, he
said only meager reports of the trag-
edy and possibly believed the shoot
ing to be the result of some popular
outbreak against the president. The
natives had seized the opportunity in
the hickering hope of retrieving some
of their losses.
TROOPS HAD BEEN IN CHINA.
Company c. was portion of the
Ninth regiment Of United States infan-
try which went to China at the time OF
the Boxer outbreak and which there
performed valiant service. Later the
troops went to Manila and we're en-
gagged in provost duty in that city,
During the past summer battalion OF
the Ninth was sent to Samar. All the
officers connected with Company C,
which WAS almost wiped out by the insur-