The Mena weekly star., 1913-06-19
FIERCE FIGHTING
 IN PHILIPPINES
American Troops Engage in Battle With Outlaw MOrOS, and Win Only After Bloody Contest
 and Many Casualties.

Washington, June l3.-"Probabl! no flercer battle since American oc- cupation,' is the description by Brigadier General Pershing of the battle with the Moros yesterday 1T his report by cable today to the wal department. The Moros made des- perate attempts to rush the Ameri- can lines, but were finally beaten back and overwhelmed. Their leader. Anil, and several other not ed outlaws were killed, but the to- tai loss of the Moros was not re- ported.
 An American officer, T. A. Mich ols, of the Philippine Scouts, was killed. First Lieutenant Edward Rackley, Philippine Scouts, was wounded and three Philippine scouts of the Fifty-first company, all natives, were killed.
 General Pershings report was as follows:
 "On June l2 the MorOs resistance at Bagsak was formidable and their fort and trenches were on the pre- cipitous side of the crater The Moros frantically and continuously tried to rush the American lines, but the careful disposition of our force held the American loss to a minimum. Probably there has been no fiercer battle since American occupation.
 Losses Are Unknown.
 Major George C. Shaw of the Philippine Scouts, commanded the right wing with Company NJ, Eighth regiment |. $. infantry, and For tieth company Philippine Scouts. Captain Taylor A. Nichols of the Philippine Scouts commanded the left wing with the Fifty-first, Fifty second and TWenty-ninth compan- ies of Philippine Scouts. A moun- tain gun was with each wing, and proved of great assistance.
 At the close of yesterday Cap tain Patrick Moylan of the Philip pine Scouts. with two companies supporting the gun on Mount Bun ga and the American forces Occu- pied a controlling position near the crater. First Lieutenant Rackley, Philippine Scouts, was slightly wounded and three Moros were killed. Captain Taylor A. Nichols was killed in the early morning of the fight. and it is a serious loss 10 the army.
 "Amil and several leading outlaws reported killed. Other Moro losses are not known"
 Refused to Surrender
 A telegram from Major General Bell not only explains the attack upon the Moro stronghold, but as sumes responsibility with General Pershing. General Bell said;
 The fight was incident to the disarmament policy of the governor general, Cameron Forbes, and the governor of the Moro province adopted after many months of pa tient but fruitless negotiations and marked by promises disregarded by the Moros. A situation arose that l believe left no alternative. Amll and a relatively small following oc- cupying one ward of the island of JolO were the only MOrOS who re- fused to give up their arms peace fully. Disarmament was generally desired by the Moros themselves. Under the circumstances it was inn possible and unjust to the disarmed Moros to permit a few of them to retain arms"
 The Moros' last stand was on the island of JolO, not much larger than the District of Columbia. Datto Anil was a brigand and pirate prey ing upon the peaceful element of his own people.
 General Pershing's report was made before the end of the battle and General Bell has called for de- tails of the conclusion.
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