Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-26
2
STORIES :0T BRAVERY
Returning Soldiers TalkAbout
the filipinos.
ARE CLEVER AT RUsES
DARING DEEDS OF SANTA Ro-
MANS LITTLE BAND.
A Lad Who Fought Desperately Over
the Dead Body Of His
General.


there. The Filipinos are just as full Of SINH
lar stories of heroes on their side. SO that
the Filipino Instruction has campfire
epic all its own.
Perhaps the most talked of incident Of
this kind on the American side was that
which happened in the early part of 1900.
The insurgent forces, beaten everywhere
by overwhelming numbers and superior
arms, had been driven from the lowlands
back into the mountains. The fnsurgent
general had retreated to mountain town
called Bayomboug, which he held with
about four hundred men. 1t was his inten-
ton to endeavor to block the pass into the
mountains against any American force less
than regiment.
One day native came into town and re-
ported that an entire brigade was advanc-
ing on BayOmbOug The telegraph wire tC
another town between Bayomboug and the
lowlands was still intact. Some hours after
the native had told his story the insurgent
operator at Bayomboug was called up on
the wire. He received this message, signed
with the name of well-known American
general:
Il am advancing with a squadron of cav
airy, battery of artillery and four regi-
ments of infantry. If you will surrender to
my escort, which I shall send ahead under
lieutenant, you will be treated with all
the honors of war;
He Surrendered.
The insurgent leader was of course, great
ly alarmed and excited, and when the es-
cort of forty men appeared soon after, he
Internationally surrendered his force of
four hundred But that brigade never
turned up. The lieutenant opposing the in
surgent general had simply played a ruse 1
which had completely deceived the Fill
pinOs, and thus won blood1ess victory
against force just ten times his own in
number
Another instance Of bravery occurred in
the northern town of Santa Lucia, but this
time two civilians figured as the heroes
Two ex-soldierss Briggs and Hardy. left
the garrisoned town Of Candon, intending
to prospect in the neighboring mountains
1t was 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 0upon 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
1t in. but the prOspectors opened fire from
the balcony above and the natives were
forced to seek shelter behind nearby fences
and houses They were besieged all day,
the Filipinos keeping up a continuous fire
at the tower, but not hitting either of the
defenders The Americans were fine shots,
and every time they nred Fiiipino was MT, MT.
Candon the news that the insurgents 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 FIipinos were driven off. leaving sew
eral dead behind. The prospectors were
persuaded to defer their trip until more
peaceful times should come.
A Fine Fellow.
Another case of individual bravery and
endurance was shown by boy of seven
teen, when Lieut.. Gilmore's party was cap
tured at Balar in April of 1899. The boat
in which the party were was enticed up
river and then fired upon, SO that just half
the occupants were killed or wounded be-
fore the fight was over. A boy named Ven-
Vile stood firing next to Gilmore. Sud-
denly he said:
'I think am hit sir"
Still he continued firing, until he said:
II think am hit again, sir.
Even then he kept firing until he fell into
the bottom of the boat with a Filipino bull
let in his neck.
then.
The Fiipinos afterward dressed the boys
wounds and he recovered, but before the
others of his party were released he disap-
peared and was never heard of again. He
pl obably died Of fever in the interior.
The Fflipinos too, have a record of brave
deeds not outdone by that of the Ameri-
cans One of their heroes is Col. Santa
Roman.
Shortly after the outbreak Of 11ostilities,
when the firing line was just outside OF
Manila Colonel Santa Roman called for 200
volunteers. and with this force ne shipped
one night inside the American outposts
along the shore of the bay. getting into the
city unseen. 1t was his intention to set the
city ahre. attack the Americans from the
rear. and by confusing them give the Fill
pinos under Pho del Pillar an opportunity
TO make successful attack.
Ten Times Their Number.
But once inside the city patrol discov-
cred the little band and opened fire. The
200 intrenched themselves behind a hastily
thrown-up barricade, and for two hours
fought ten times their number Of Ameri-
cans. Nearly all of them were killed. and
only a score succeeded In cutting their way
back to their own lines. Colonel Santa Ro-
man was one Of the twenty.
Several months later he was killed by his
own countrymen while attempting to de-
fend his friend and chief, Antonio Luna.
from a band of assassins. The two men
killed three of the murderers, however, De-
fore they fell.
You Win also hear from Americans, as
well as from Filipinos, of an incident which
occurred at the time when Gregorto del
Pillar was killed in the Fila Pass.
The insurgents were defeated toward
evening, after an aii-day fight. AS the
Americans reached the top of the hill,
which the F1llplklOS tidu Occu u616DOlUB,
they saw General-Pilar mounting horse.
They opened fire again and the young gen.
erai fell dead TIC hSfse was wounded and
galloped OF but O native boy. who had
been holding 1t by the, bride. picked up
gun stepped across his dead masters body
and returned the fire OF the American SOL
dfers He fred t1oushots. then stopped;
his ammunition was gone.
Admired Hts Bravery.
The Americans ddnaring his bravery.
wished to take llfm alive. so they ceased
firing. But when they reached the boy he
attacked them so iaereely with the butt of
his musket that ta5ey Isere obliged to shoot
hin, after all. It developed later that this
bow was no soldier ac all, but the valet Of
Pillar. ,s2e
Al the battle of Bocave Filipino SOL
der astonished the Americans by his cool
display of bravado. As usual, the Filipinos
were defeated, and were scattering into the
bamboo copees. Suddenly one of them
halted on q slight eminence and fred what
was evidently his last shot. Then he de-
liberately laid down his gun, spread out
the fingers Of his hand and held them up
to his nose at the advancing soldiers.
whole company was concentrating its IRE
nj him, but he remained unhurt. There
ha stood for fully two minutes. ALTERNATELY