Connecticut western news., 1902-05-08
MORO FORT TAKEN.
EIGHT AMERICANS KILLED AND FOR
 TY-oNE WOUNDED.


 Native Loss Heavy - Many Dattos
 Killed - General Davis Says Gal
 lantry of Our Troops Was Most
 Notable.
 Official news has just reached Wash ington from Manila to the effect that Uncle Sam's boys in blue, under com mand of Lieutenant Baldwin, in the province of Mindanao, have admins tered crushing blow to the fanatical Moslem insurgents known as the Mo ros, capturing their principal fort and snnihilating their chieftain.
 The Americans lost one officer and seven enlisted men killed and four ofti- cers and thirty-seyen enlisted men wounded. Lieutenant Bovars, Twen- ty-seyenth infanry, was killed; Cap tain Moore of the same regiment was mortally wounded and Surgeon Porter and Lieutenant Henry s. Wagener, Fourteent infantry, and Lieutenant Jossman, Twenty-seventh infantry, were severely wounded.
 The Moro loss was very great Sul- tan Boyan and all his leading chiefs are dead and many of their followers.
 The cablegram from General Chaffee says that the following is the full sub- stance of Brigadier General George w. Davis message from Bayan as receiv- ed by him:
 EiKhty-fOur Survivors Surrender.
 "Eighty-four survivors Bayan surren- dered. Sultan Bayan, Rajah Bayan, Sultan Pandapatan and all leading dat tos dead and many of their followers. Assault on the principal fort which sur rendered last night one of the most gal lant performances of American arms, Colonel Frank ID. Baldwin and his regi- ment deserve all praise for hand to hand struggle in four lines of ditches under walls of fort. These trenches are lined with Moro dead from rife fire. Have never seen or heard of any per formance excelling this gallantry and grit.
 Tt is my painful duty to report that the overthrow of Moro power not ac- complished without severe loss. One officer and seven enlisted men killed, four officers and thirty-seven enlisted men wounded. Will telegraph the list later.
 After eighty-four survivors marched out this morning as prisoners and was understood they were all. eight others. who had concealed themselves in rub bish inside the fort, made a break for liberty, tried way out. but none sue ceeded. Some more wounded tried to stab soldiers trying to help them. It is impossible to state the number of Mo ros killed; many lying in tall grass.
 ''The surrender saves us from siege and starving. Impossible to have car ried works without scaling ladders, which were ready. Intend to retain prisoners until two or three small adja- cent forts occupied, then, with your consent, to retain as hostages eight or ten of the principals and release the 1 others. The force in line of advance consisted of four mountain guns, 470 rifles. This was fully sufficient. Could not have used more.
 General Surrender Expected.
 Had we sent strong column it would only have sweIled the casualty list. One neighboring datto has al- ready presented himself as a friend, and expect a general coming In short ly, when the weight of the blow is known. The dead have been sent to Malabang for burial. In light of pres | ent knowledge I could have besieged the principal forts and in time forced | them to surrender. but that would probably have resulted in a sortie for | freedom and escape for many. By at- 1 tacking them they have been complete ly crushed, the only kind of lesson these wild Moros seem to be able to profit by. I shall invite the sultan of Tarlac to pay me friendly visit if he does not do so of his own initiative. Have fort | farther east in plain sight and of same strength as was Bayan on beautiful table land, thousand acres fine upland rice. I am urging the people to return to its cultivation.
 ''The result to follow this action is very important-namely, it secures re- | spect for United States authority in the center of Moro savagery." Eighty-four of the Moro prisoners under guard made an attempt to es- cape on Monday. At preconcerted signal they got between the soldiers forming tho guard and company at dinner. The latter, realizing what had l happened. fired on and pursued the | Moros, killing thirty-tive of them and | recapturing nine. The other fugitives | aSpa nod