The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1913-06-13
Soldiers Led by General Per-
shing Take Stronghold of
Outlaw Moros in Charge
Up Hill-Bayonets Meet
Moharnnedan Kris in a
Close Encounter Within
Walls of Bagsag Gotta
SECOND ENCOUNTER
FOLLOWS VICTORY
Moro Potentate Arouses Fa-
naticisrn of His Dattos by
Posing as Ruler of the
United States-Taft and
General Wood Paid HON.
age as Vassals, He Says
tspeetal cable to The Can

Especial Gable to The Can)
MANILA, June 12.-GeneraI James
Franklin Bell. division commander Of
the Philippines, received today at Fort
Santiago, a brief dispatch from Brig
adler General John ]. Pershing, com
manding the department OF Mindanao.
telling of the most serious battle with
the Moros since the affair of Bud Dajo.
five years ago, when Generals Wood
and Bliss destroyed the Gotta (fort) of
the Lake Lanao Moros after a san
culinary engagement decided in hand
to hand fighting between American
saber and bayonet and Mohammedan
kris and spear.
The Gotta Of Bagsag was carried
yesterday morning by a mixed force
OF American and Filipino soldiers led
in person by Pershing. Two Ameri-
can infantrymen and four Filipinos
were killed and Lieutenant H Rakley
of the scouts and II others on the
American side were wounded. Most
OF the Moros died fighting. but a few.
wounded, escaped to another Gotta,
which is being assailed by the Ameri-
can column.
SULTAN EXCITEs UPRISING
The dispatch from General Parshing
reports that the Moros. who fought
with their usual desperation, were
part of the rebel trfbesmea of the
sultan of Sulu. The scene of the bat
tie was a mountain fastness in the in
terror OF the large island of the Iolo.
The dispatch does not state whether
tos (chiefsl. or how he stands toward
the epresent Mohammedan outbreak,
but private account received over
the commercial cable from the south
ern islands would seem to suggest that
not merely is the royal pensioner of
the United States in active sympathy
with the rebels but that he has for
mally laid claim to sovereignty over
the entire United States. basing his ex-
traordinary stand upon the homage
done him by General Bates. former
President Taft and Generals Wood and
Pershing and the gifts and pension
given him. These. he declares to the
dattos were tribute given him by
the American vassaIs"
FIkIPINOS AID CAMPAIGN
General Pershing has taken the field
in person 10 force the rebellious Moros
to lay down their arms, the disarma-
ment order issued some time ago hav-
ing been fouted by a number of the
Dartos The American column included
a troop Of cavalry, two companies of
infantry, seven companies OF scouts
and two companies of constabulary.
The scouts and constabulary are native
Filipinos, who are inveterate foes of
the Moros. One of these companies OF
scouts was the fourth Macabehees, a
OF Luzon, intensely loyal to the United
states and particularly famous for
fights against the Moros and the Pula-
A5anes of Samar and Leyte (religious
fanatics). Four mountain guns and a
machine gun platoon did splendid
service.
The battle began at daybreak, when
the mountain guns raked the Gotta,
answered by heavy shower of spears
and arrows and fairly dangerous vol
ley from rifles recently secured through
gun runners from Borneo and the
Dutch islands.
HAND TO HAND FIGHTING
Then Pershing got the automatfcs
into play, and, led by the dismounted
American cavalry and the white offi-
GERS and infantry, the entire column
rushed the ascent to the Gotta. which
was guarded by crude but dangerous
abbatis The lighting within the Gotta
was most desperate, and Pershing ex-
tolls the bravery of his command, sew
eral officers and enlisted men being
recommended for medals OF honor
General Bell is awaiting a detailed
account, which will be at once for
warded to Washington. The first news
OF the battle came from the insular
wireless station at Zamboanga.