The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-10-10

SuHerlng and death. "A heaVy log
hung over everything. Old Bagsak
looked like a great volcano in errup
ltion, and the elements were with the
hostile Moros. BY eight o'clock, how.
ever, the fog began to lift, and the
weather to clear up a bit. Then the
mountain guns opened up again, di.
|recting their fire on the Gotta and the
adjacent defence. At nine o'clock the
signal was given for Captain Carlton
with the 51st and SIND Companies of
Moros to move to the ridgge in prepa-
ration for the final attack. The adj
vance was covered by the mountain
guns and the fire from the Sth Infan-
try detachment, the "a and 31st Com
panies of Scouts. The enemy had oc-
cupied the breastworks again: also
the trenches, during the night, but as
they were shelled out by the mount
tain guns the Moro Scouts picked
them Off The brave little Moro hero
til they were within seventy-tve yds.
of the crest Of the hill. From that
point they had to play lone hand.
Nothing daunted, they began to play
that hand. 1t had taken a solid hour
to gain this position, the troops be-
ing kept to as much cover as was pos
sible in reaching the place from
which they would have to advance
unassisted by the batteries and sup
porting troops. The remaining
seventy-fve yards were covered after
seven hours of terrible fighting. Capt.
Charlton and his Scouts took the first
line of trenches and for several hours
the fighting was at this short range.
The tough old Moro renegades made
sally and sortie after sally and sortie,
fighting only as a abasoned, despe-
rate Moro can, but the little Moro
soldiers, with the same STUFF in
their blood as the outlaws, but made
lnvincible against them by the train
ing and presence of American Off
GERS who were offering their lives
every minute on the altar of duty,
were more than match for the out
laws. They sat firm behind the trench
es which had been prepared by the
enemy, even when the blood-lust
called for them to charge and die
and. under the white mans
guidance, moved the pirates and cat
tie thieves down like wheat before
the seythe. General Pershing made
several visits to the firing line 1t was
impossible, owing to the formation
of the situation to bring other troops
to assist the two companies of Moro
Scouts engaged, but the general ex-
posed himself to the enemy's fire
and inspected the work in progress.
Those on the line say there was but
one really excited man among the
American troops and he was the Gen
erals orderly who feared for his safe
", the Generals not his own, and be-
came almost violent because the Gen. i
would not obey his command to re-
ire to safety.
BY 4:45 o'clock the besiegers were
advanced to within the last trench
outside the walls. less than % feet
-herefrom. Each time a Moros head
popped over the wall, dead Moro
,ell inside. The defenders realized,
now, that they are 'all in and be-
gan to throw their weapons, barnegs,
spears, krisis, over the wall, among
the attacking soldiers. Several
Scouts We're severly wounded during
this avalanche of weapons At five
o'clock General Pershing gave orders !
to rush the Gotta and Captain Charl- |
ton took his men over the wall as
though they had been substantially |
assisted from behind. Within five
after the order to charge had
been received Bagsak Gotta had
taken, the place every Moro in Jolo |
believed to be impregnable, and the
big fight was over. Probably fifteen
hundred dead outlaws pretty |
price to pay, an awful payment to re-
ceive, but necessary, absolutely nee
essary if theivory, outlawry, piracy, !
murder, cattle-stealing and disregard /
for law and order was ever to be
out of Jolo.
The Moro Scouts could probably |
have taken the last Gotta at any time !
during the last seven hours fighting, !
but the terrible loss of life, and the I
delay was well planned. AS it was, in
the very last assault. six of our men
we're killed and seven wounded. But
TOR the GOODNESS with which they |
fought and the excellency of judg
nent exhibited by their commanding
it is hardly probably that a