The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-21

mines can talk for hours about the
brave deeds done at various times
during the campaign there. The Fill
pinos are just as full of similar stories
of heroes on their side, so that the
Filipino insurrection has a campfire
epic all it's own.
Perhaps the most talked of Incl
dent of this kind on the American
side was that which happened in the
early part of 1900. The insurgent
forces, beaten everywhere by over
whelming numbers and superior arms,
had been driven from the lowlands
back into the mountains. The insur-
gent general had retreated to a noun
tain town called Bayomboug, which
he held with about 400 men. 1t was
his intention to endeavor to block the
pass into the mountains against any
American force less than a regiment.
One day a native came into town
and reported that an entire brigade
was advancing on Bayomboug. The
telegraph wires to another town be-
tween Bayomboug and the lowlands
was still intact. Some hours after
the native had told his story the in
surgent operator at Bayomboug was
called upon the wire. He received
this message, signed with the name of
a well known American general:
Il am advancing with a squadron of
cavalry, a battery of artillery and four
regiments of infantry. If you will
surrender to my escort, which l shall
send ahead under a lieutenant, you
will be treated with all the honors of
war"
The insurgent leader was, of course,
greatly alarmed and excited, and when
THE escort of forty men appeared soon
after, he Internationally surrendered
his force of 400. But that brigade never
turned up. The lieutenant opposing the
insurgent general had simply played a
ruse which had completely deceived
the Filipinos, and thus won a blood
less victory against a force just ten
times his own in number.
Another instance of bravery oc-
Cured in the northern town of Santa
Lucia, but this time two civilians fig
ured as the heroes.
Two eX-soldiers, Briggs and Har-
dy. left the garrisoned town of
Candon, intending to prospect in the
neighboring mountains. 1t was a
foolhardy venture, for the country
swarmed with the scattered remnants
of the recently defeated insurgent
army.
The day after they left Candon the
two Americans were fired upon on the
road They ran for the town close by
and took refuge in the stone belfry
tower near the church, slamming the
heavy hardwood door after them The
insurgents tried to batter it in, but
the prospectors opened fire from the
balcony above and the natives were
forced to seek shelter behind nearby
fpnPaG ~
sieged all day, the F'iiipinos keeping
up continuous fire at the tower, but
not hitting either of the defenders.
The Americans were fine shots. and
every time they fired a Filipino was
hit
Next day a friendly native carried
into Candon the news that the insur-
gents had two Americans besieged in
the church tower of Santa Lucia, and
a company was sent out to rescue
them. This they did, and the Filipinos
were driven off, leaving several dead
behind. The prospectors were per-
suaded to defer their trip until more
peaceful times should come.
Another case of individual bravery
ana endurance was shown by boy
OF H. when Lieut.. Gillmore's party was
captured at Balar in April of 1899. The
boat in which the party were was
entced up a river and then fired upon,
so that just half the occupants were
Killed or wounded before the fight was
over. boy named Venville stood fir
ing next to Gilmore. Suddenly he
said:
I think I am hit SIR
Stll he continued firing, until he
said:
Il think I am hit again, sir"
Even then he kept firing until he fell
INTO the bottom of the boat with a
flhpino bullet in his neck.
guess | am fixed for good" he
said. then.
The Fflipinos afterwards dressed the
poy S wounds and he recovered, but
before the others of his party were re-
leased he disappeared and was never
heard of again. He probably died of
IeNer in the interior.
Inc Filipinos, too, have a record of
brave deeds not outdone by that of
the Americans. One of their heroes
Is Col Santa Roman.
shortly after the outbreak of hos
ulltles, when the firing line was just
outside of Manila, Col. Santa Roman
calied for 200 volunteers, and with this
force he slipped one night inside the
american outposts along the shore of
- me pay, getting into the city unseen.
~ was his intention to set the city
aHTe' attack the Americans from the
ISar and by confusing them give the
!tllpinos under Pho del Pinar an oppor-
unity TO make a successful attack.
but once inside the city patrol dis
covered. the little band and opened fire.
me ZOO intrenched themselves behind
d hastily thrown up barricade. and for
Two hours fought ten times their num-
ger OF Americans. Nearly all of them
we're killed, and only a score succeed
eu IN cutting their way back to their
UWn lines. Col. Santa Roman was one
OF the twenty.
several months later he was killed
Nv ms own countrymen while attempt
ing to defend his friend and chief,
Nntonlo Luna, from a band of assas-
s.ns' The two men killed three of the
H1afderers, however, before they fell
GU will also hear from Americans,
a. Well as from Filipinos. of an Incl
GCeut which occurred at the time when
JG5.egoria del Pillar was killed in the
RIA Pass.
ne insurgents were defeated to-
"ard evening, after an all-day fight.
a. the Americans reached the top
the hill. which the Filipinos had
oeen defending, they saw Gen. Pillar