The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-04-02

" tween q detachment Of
nine men Of the Fifteenth
Infantry and a force Of Gen. Cailles's
men. yarinusly estimated at from 2O0
70 250. OF these insurgents some were
b0lomen and hence did not get into the
thick Of the tight but 1t speaks well
for the Yalor and lighting skill Of the
nine Americans that they were not
overwhelmed aud killed on carried or
as prisoners.
The detachment consisted Of nine
men from L Company and was IN
charge Of Sergeant Philbon. who had
orders 10 go to the town Of Paete on
the Laguna de Bay and bring back the
meat rations for the post He set out
about daylight on the morEing Of De
cember 81 70 march from Lumbar, the
company headquarters, down along
the river and lake front to Paete. The
year closed IN a spell Of glorious
weather and the men swung along
with easy gait through long stretches
VI cool. shady cocOanut groves
Nothing Of note occurred until the
men had gone about half the distance.
when a native was seen 10 run across
the road a short distance In front OF
them. Ii was undoubtedly a surprise
for both parties but though the native
escaped. the soldiers found bit Of pa
per Ia the bushes where he had disap-
peared. On the paper was a message
from the insurgent General Of the dis
srici 10 the local commander ordering
an attack to De made on Lumbar at
sunrise Of the following day.
The little party made an haste to
Paete. where they reported the diseov-
cry and notified the Lumbar company
70 be prepared for the Attack AS soon
as the fresh meat and provisions had
been secured the detail hurried OF
again SO as TO reach their company in
time 20 become mixed up Ia the ex-
pected scrap, but il turned out they
had row that was all their own
1t was after dark when they left
paete. but the moon was up and the
night was clear, and they urged along
the heavily laden pack ponies at top
speed. Suddenly, just after the de-
tachment passed through the barrio
OF San Juan, the insurgents opened
fire from the front and both sides Of
the road
1t was a pretty lively surprise, but /
In a moment the ponies had been run
on to the side and Philbon had dis
trlbuted bis men to the best advan-
tage. Then firing began in earnest.
With nothing more than The flash OF
the rifles to guide them. the men lay
nat IN the road, firing regularly and
trying 10 locate the scattered enemy
aud make every shot count For half
an hour the uneven struggle was main.
tained. aud then as the moon rose
higher and higher the insurgents could
De seen gradually closing In on all
sides.
Early in the fight Sergeant Philbon
was wounded but he said nothing and
went ON giving commands SO naturally
that some OF the men did not know OF
his hurt Shortly afterward Private
Kearney was hit. and his comrades
pulled him 10 a place Of safety, and
then Philb0n was wounded again.
In the meantime the Paete garrison
had heard the shooting and Captain
smith aud Lieutenant Banford rushed
Dut with a relief party. They arrived
none too soon. for the insurgents were
closing IN rapidly and firing so quick
" that 1t was evident that they were
we'll supplied with ammunition When
he relief arrived the insurgents made
Tor the hills as fast as they could
when rescued the ammunition OF the {
Americans was well nigh exhausted. q
aud some Of the men would have 4
given little for their chances Of eating /
he New Years dinner Philbon was
bit four times. One Of the shots shat a
cred his left hand and blew on the I
Dolt Of his gun. Private Brannon was {
Missing. and 1t Is almost certain that a
le was carried of by the retreating
.nemy. ,
Five or six Filipinos were found O
lead and four others were picked up {
% badly wounded that they could not
.rawl away. All the wounded men
we're taken TO the American hospital
lt Santa Cruz. where they are receiv- b
ng all possible attention New York r
INN n