Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-10-01
CHAPTER XXI

ION the next morning, October 1.
moved out toward the supposed loca :
ton of this Gotta, company G in the
advance. hen Just west or Gandauli' s
Gotta the advance was fired upon and
developed what promised for a time to
be the enemy in force. The battery
was posted and the two leac,ng fnfan
try companies were deployo exactly
the same as the day before, their
flanks extending beyond the two cot
tas in our front, which were about 100
yards apart
There was but little resistance.
however, and the command moved for
ward cautiously mile farther, the
leading company in skirmish line.
Cries of defiance We're heard at some
distance off and We're thought to come
from a group Of cottages near the lax e.
Upon reaching principal one of the
group, the battery was ordered into
position in front of it. facing the lake,
and at distance of some $50 yards
from the cottagae.
Captain Phillips was directed to
place the leading company in position
Its right resting ON the lake saore, and
about 500 yards from the Gotta. l
placed company r in a similar posi-
ton on the right of the Gotta, company
c was posted in front, on the right
ofand supporting the battery, while
company NJ and troop A We're held in
reserve, with orders to project the
rear. As company f was being placed
in position they cut off several Moros
attempting to escape along the edge of
the lake.
ARTILLERY AT WORK.
"All the troops being in position
McNair's battery was ordered to open
fire. The Moros replied with a Wig
ofous fire from the lantacas and small
arms. Our sharpshooters and the bat
terry soon brought their firing down
to a minimum, for they found In short
order that it was dangerous TO ex-
pose themselves.
AS the number of effective men
within the Gotta decreased, our lines
were advanced from time to time I'M
til they were within about $50 yards
ON the flanks and the battery ana the
line in front within about 100 yards of
the Gotta. The other cottas IN this
group, consisting of small one in
front and two TO the right ana near
the lake, We're inside of our first lines,
none of them, however, being occu-
pied.
The effective fire of the artillery
and the infantry at these c.ose ranges
had demoraliZing effect upon the
MoroS, which they attempted to off
set by yells of defiance, by beating tom
toms, and by religious chants. Above
all this our Interpreters anc friendly
Moros could distinguish the prayers of
the penitent for their dead and wound
ed.
AT about 3 p. m. Lieutenant Loring
suggested that he take some of his
men of company G and burn the
buildings in the small GOTTA on the
left and he was directed TO 90 so. as
all the buildings in other adjacent cot
tas had been burned. Afterwards Lieu
tenant Loring volunteered to make an
attempt to set fire to the occupied cot
ia and, If possible to locate the en-
trance. With 10 men he succeeded in
reaching the walls of the Gotta, but
the fire set in some dead grass died
out One of his men, Private James
Nolan. Jr., company G, Twenty-sev
enth infantry. was wounded and had to
be assisted to the rear.
Lieutenant Loring found The walls
10 be at least 20 feet high from the
bottom of the ditch and perpendlcu-
lar, making it impracticable without
Unnecessary loss of life TO scale them.
During this time, Lieutenant Mangum
with troop \, had driven some Moros
out OF, and had destroyed another
group of Cottas to the lert and rear,
from which he had been fired upon.
At p. M, the troop was sent to Ia
Tub, across the Sauir, the Dase camp
Tor iations, returning just after dark.
The Moros kept up constant firing
at company t's line from the rear that
gave more or less annoyance, but as no
casualties occurred to us | determined
to do nothing more than to hold them
Off at safe distance until we had set
tied with those in front of us.
ESCAPE ATTEMPTED.
Il ordered the lines drawn closer aft
er dark, so that the distance between
the two eNtremities on the lake shore
was only about 100 yards, and the out
posts at these points We're in sight of
each other disposed company NJ in
line of outposts covering our read com
pletely. Surrounding the Gotta on all
sides except the immediate front and
immediate right there was very rank
growth of grass (cogon) 10 to 10 feet
high, with deep narrow bitches run
ming through it in all directions
directed that fires be lighted between
our lines and the Gotta to overcome
the darkness. although 1t was not
thought possible for the Moros to es-
cape.
Continuous yelling and praying.
with occasional firing, We're kept up
until about a. m, when Il party of
Moros attempted to escape by rushing
through our lines, first trying company
G, commanded in person by Captain