the report of a rifle rang down the quiet santa mesa hill on the night of february 4th. as the flash of the gun died away in the gloom a dusky warrior fell in death and the spark of an insurrection kindled into flame. almost instantly the belligerent tagalans rushed down upon the american outposts; the united states forces from caloocan to malate swung into line, and the sturdy anglo-saxon and the fiery malay were matched in combat.

the violent clash caused no look of surprise to flutter across the faces of the american soldiers; all knew that the outbreak was coming, all had waited with expectant excitement for the impending conflict. to the intoxicated native victory against the spanish seemed too certain to be wrested from him by the conquering american; he had long smarted under the goading reflection that "the wreath of the conquerer" had been snatched away at the moment when it seemed almost within his grasp. this bitter knowledge irritated and maddened him, until he only awaited an opportunity to spring at the throat of his imaginary foe and wrench from him what he considered his own. he remembered the long years of wretchedness under spanish tyranny and oppression. he suspected that his new masters would prove even more overbearing than his late persecutors. he had not forgotten the daring rush for liberty which his ancestors had made. their blood coursed through his veins and he determined that he would not relinquish the struggle without one last bold dash for the coveted goal.

it was not alone a love for liberty which spurred onward the dark horde which followed the red banner of aguinaldo. since 1896 they had striven with their ancient enemy, with the hope that they might tear from[pg 37] him all his wealth. their leader had with subtle diplomacy urged on his wary braves with the thought that when they battered down the walls of manila all that it contained would be theirs to loot and ravage. they loved liberty, but they loved the gold which it would bring still more. so they looked with hungry eyes when they saw the americano enter the city of their dreams and close the gate against the black hosts who sought entrance to plunder and steal.

during the few months preceding the outbreak the filipinos had become less friendly to their late allies. "la independencia," the official organ of the insurgents, frequently came out with loud denunciations against the americans and called the sullen natives to action against the hated usurpers. it was not an uncommon occurrence to see the walls of public buildings patched over with "proclamos," signed by aguinaldo, almost openly declaring war against the americans and asserting the rights of the tagalans to their independence.

the fourteen blockhouses which had been the spanish line of defense had been allowed to fall into the hands of the filipinos, who converted them into a strong offensive and defensive work. when by chance an american strayed beyond these fortifications, the attitude of the native sentries was often violent and abusive. eventually no soldiers were permitted to go outside of the territory bounded by our outposts, and the malay line of muskets tightened around the city like the arm of a colossal dragon. repeatedly there were war alarms, and for several days the men not on duty were kept in barracks. at times the tagalans at the pumping station shut off the water supply merely as an insolent challenge and an indication of what they were able to do. on certain parts of the line the filipinos were seen building new intrenchments and reinforcing the old ones.

for several weeks natives had been concentrating around the santa mesa, and lieutenant webb was sent out to the nebraska camp with the left platoon of battery a to strengthen the nebraska position. the santa mesa road was looked upon by the multitude of aguinaldo as the natural gateway to manila. it was at the[pg 38] san juan del monte bridge that they had sought in vain to pound their way into the spanish lines on many a desperate battle night. one of the utah guns occupied the very gun pit which had been used by the castilians as a defense from which their cannon barked back defiance to the onrushing fanatical hordes.

often there were wrangles between colonel stotsenberg and the tagalan officers regarding the line of outposts which the native forces should occupy. several times the colonel averted hostilities by a judicious yielding to minor points. ultimately at the san juan bridge a stalwart american sentry and a diminutive tagalan paced in parallel lines. the filipinos seemed anxious to aggravate the americans into an act of hostility, and rigorous orders were issued to prevent such an occurrence. night after night the native warriors clustered about one end of the bridge and uttered curses at the silent nebraskan outpost. before the outbreak actually took place several times our sentries were forced back by a howling mob of drunken malays.

one native officer was particularly violent. not a night passed but that he gathered a crowd of inebriated tagalans and tramped down to the bridge for the purpose of scoffing and hurling vile epithets at the taciturn american posted there. they were encouraged by the lenient and apparently submissive attitude of the americans whom they had begun to look upon as arrant cowards, who could be wheedled and whipped about as they chose.

on the night when the signal shot sang out in the darkness and the battle came, the same haughty officer was coming down towards the american line to repeat his abusive conduct, when the sharp voice of the sentry rang out as a warning to halt. he persistently advanced and at the same time launched some vehement tagalan curses at the outpost. the next instant he lay dead with a bullet through his heart; the report startled the still night air and an insurrection was born.

all that night the thunders of the united american forces in action were wafted to the cuartel. the natives were so close that some of the bullets pattered against[pg 39] the walls of the building and some even struck the hotel de oriente, nearer town. when the commissary wagons probed their way out to the belligerent front they were fired upon from the houses lining the streets. every nipa hut in which a private family lived became an arsenal.

the trouble had been anticipated and every officer knew what portion he was expected to defend. ten minutes after the news arrived in the cuartel, the heavy guns of utah rumbled over the streets to different parts of the field.

those under major grant rushed out into the night and were instantly under a vigorous fire near the woods of caloocan. captain wedgewood disappeared in the blackness and took up the appointed position on the balic balic road near sampaloe cemetery. the guns under lieutenant seaman dashed out of the barracks and a few moments later their deep bass was added to the satanic roar. on mcleod's hill surrounded by the nebraskans two guns under lieutenant webb menaced the plain below.

at santa mesa the fight began. three minutes after the opening flash the nebraskan camp was deserted. as the outposts slowly returned the regiment swept onward to the fray, and soon the angry rattle of the "long toms" answered back the viperous "ping" of the mauser.

the sound of the first shot had hardly ceased echoing upon the hill when the tagalans, jubilant, confident, flew for the bridge; their onrush was met with a volley from the nebraskans. then from caloocan and sampaloe the din of multitudinous musketry fired in unison, waved over the hill; then the awful thunder of the guns of the fleet pulverized the enemy's bulwarks at malate swelled over the plain. occasionally a lull came in the fight and then as if gathering strength by inaction the tumult broke forth with increased fury. in the darkness it was impossible for the utah guns to accomplish anything, as the location of the infantry could not be exactly distinguished. so all night the men tugged and toiled to get the pieces in position, that they might take part in the encounter at dawn. the fifth section gun[pg 40] held a commanding position on the right and the sixth section was stationed directly in front of mcleod's house, from which point it could sweep the enemy's line from blockhouse no. 7 on the north to the catholic convent on the south.

just as the first streaks of dawn dappled the east, the two big guns belched over the plain and the fight began. during the night the relative positions of the opposing forces had not been changed. the maddened filipinos made a renewed attempt to cross the bridge and penetrate the nebraska line, that they might gain their coveted goal—the city of their dreams. the aim of the two guns was concentrated upon this point. twice the tagalans with frenzied courage charged up the bridge, only to be torn to pieces by the shrieking shells and the deadly bullets. with desperate energy they hauled an artillery piece into position on the bridge, but this was demolished by a single shell from one of our guns.

the position of the artillery became perilous; the insurgents centered a galling fire upon the big guns, with the hope of ridding themselves of this new terror. the leaden missiles rained from three points, blockhouse no. 7, the bridge and the convent. every time one of the cannon roared over the hill, she raised a vicious hail of bullets from the enemy. three minutes after the conflict began corporal john g. young received a fatal wound in the lungs. almost immediately after private wilhelm i. goodman fell dead with a bullet through his brain.

instantly men rushed in to fill their places, but the position of the gun had become so dangerous that lieutenant webb ordered it removed to a more sheltered point, at the north of the house. in the face of a heavy fire the men lifted the piece out of the pit and rolled it to the station designated. this ended the casualty list of the artillery for that day. both guns now shelled the enemy at blockhouse no. 7 and the san juan del monte church, until the two guns under lieutenant gibbs came up. the skilled aim of the two gunners and the[pg 41] superb courage of lieutenant webb and sergeants fisher and robinson were greatly commended.

shortly before 11 o'clock two nordenfelt guns under lieutenant gibbs arrived at the hill and under the orders of colonel smith of the tennesseeans advanced up the santa mesa road. the tagalans were still in strong force in the woods to the right of the road, and, as the two guns moved forward, they received a pelting fire from this locality.

the guns dashed up the road and swung into action on the bridge. the forces then began an advance up the road, running twenty and thirty yards at a time, supported by the infantry from tennessee. after a half hour of sharp fighting the tagalans fled before the cannister and shrapnel of the big guns and the bullets of the tennesseeans, and thus the hills as far as the deposito were won. meanwhile, a battalion of tennesseeans had deployed out to the left and taken the deposito, and the two guns were moved to this point.

the tennesseans left the nebraskans in charge of the deposito and disappeared off to the right. late that night lieutenant webb and the fatigued warriors of santa mesa joined lieutenant gibbs at the deposito, where they bivouacked with the prospect on the morrow of an advance upon the pumping station, four miles beyond.

the movement upon the pumping station was not easily accomplished; there were several sharp skirmishes on the way. though the power of the insurgents seemed to have been broken on the previous day, there were some in whom the spirit of resistance was not entirely extinguished and they contested the march of the americans with vigor. when the move was made on the morning of the 6th the artillery was under the personal command of major young. a straggling line of infantry deployed on either side of the road and with the artillery in the rear the forward movement began. scarcely half a mile from the deposito the moving column encountered a small body of tagalans, who opened fire. once more the angry guns pealed forth in menacing thunder and the terror-stricken natives retreated for[pg 42] the kind shelter of the bamboo thickets beyond. two similar skirmishes happened farther up the road. about a mile and a half from the deposito the mutilated body of dr. harry a. young was found lying by the side of a ventilator. some distance back the body of his horse had been discovered. major young was the first to locate this gory evidence, which mutely told the tragic story of the end of dr. young. all the clothing had been rent from the body, a bullet hole was in his forehead, and a bolo wound from the elbow of the left arm to the waist told the tragic story of how he died. the supposition is that the doctor was surprised on his way to the deposito, where he had an appointment with major young, and took the wrong road, which led him to a grim death in the tagalan territory. a few minutes later, while the body was being conveyed to manila, the major calmly commanded his men in a rush with the enemy, in which eighty of them were killed. this exhibition of splendid courage was ever after an inspiration to the utahn when he felt like being disheartened.

gradually the uncoiled infantry line pushed back the recalcitrant natives, and late in the morning the heights above the beautiful mariquina valley were reached. here the artillery was placed in position, and, with the mariquina church steeple as a target, the town was bombarded. now and then a shuddering shrapnel was sent shrieking after fugitive bands of tagalans, who made all haste for the protecting shelter of the mountain on the opposite side of the valley.

from that place they were content to look with dismay upon the death-dealing monsters which frowned from the hill above the bulwarks.

when the first platoon of battery a, under captain wedgewood, sped out into the gloom on the night of the 4th it took up a position in the balic balic road near the cemetario de sampaloe. all night long the two guns were under a straggling fire from the filipinos, who at this place held blockhouse no. 5, about 300 yards to our front, and a diminutive stone church which was located off to the right of our position. the section two gun was placed inside the cemetario, but that of section one[pg 43] remained outside, where it was exposed to the enemy's fire.

at 3 a.m. from two points the malays centered a vicious fusilade upon the artillery, which remained inactive owing to the obscurity of the tagalan line of defense. no. 1 gun was moved back about 100 yards to a more sheltered station by the cemetery. just as the first streaks of dawn appeared in the east the two guns blazed toward the blockhouse and the small church, in which were a large number of natives. simultaneously the colorado infantry swung into position and with a withering fire slowly advanced upon the enemy. several well-directed shells sent the filipinos flying from the blockhouse and a few more accurately trained shots annihilated the little church. as the tagalans moved from their cover they fell many deep before the blasting volleys of the invincible coloradoans.

as the natives fled from the church, the artillery turned its attention to blockhouse no. 4, 1700 yards distant, and while the south dakotans made a wonderful charge they demolished this wooden bulwark. next the big guns were ordered to shatter blockhouse no. 6, but before they could be brought into play against this point the insurgents had disappeared into the woods with the swift-moving colorado infantrymen hard on their track. on the 6th the platoon was moved to a position left of blockhouse no. 7. on this part of the line it remained until march 23rd, when it was ordered to caloocan to take part in the fierce engagement at that point when the whole line charged the enemy's works on march 25th.

the damage inflicted on the natives of sampaloe was very considerable. over a hundred bodies were buried there and in many a battered form could be seen that ripping course of a shrapnel. general hale personally praised the work of sergeants emil johnson and w.e. kneass, who were in immediate charge of the two rifles.

the guns of battery b took a position on the left of the line to the south of caloocan on the night of the war alarm. second lieutenant seaman went out on[pg 44] the caloocan road with one 3.2 gun. major grant left the cuartel with three 3.2-inch guns, and after leaving one at bilibid prison took the remaining two up the rugged bulum bugan road as far as lazaro hospital. emplacements were made under a spattering fire from the enemy at this point, facing the chinese hospital and the binondo cemetery, in both of which places the tagalans were strongly lodged. only an occasional shot blazed towards the enemy during the night, but from a commanding position the artillery fire began at dawn with destructive and terrifying results. besides driving the sturdily-intrenched tagalans back, the utah attack entirely covered the simultaneous advance of the tenth pennsylvania and south dakota infantry.

the advance of the slowly-moving regiment was irresistable and the natives fell back from their position after a stubborn fight. all that day the malay resisted the american advance with fanatical frenzy. the artillery moved forward at the same moment, but many times was delayed by burning huts. after an advance of about 400 yards they again joined the infantry line, but they had arrived at a conspicuous and dangerous position on the road, where for thirty minutes they fought desperately in the open under a heavy fire from the filipino intrenchments. it was here that major bell of general mcarthur's staff rode up and requested major grant to move up beyond the chinese hospital, where the tagalans in a fierce engagement were inflicting heavy damage on the infantry. almost at the same moment colonel wallace sent word that a company of the tenth pennsylvanians had been cut off to the left, and lieutenant critchlow was sent with one gun up the leco road to its assistance. the remaining guns tore the woods in front of the advancing infantry and cleared the way for the pennsylvanians and south dakotans, so that the right wing advanced at this point almost without a casualty. still towards caloocan the artillery advanced with the musketeers, and beyond the cemetery church the big guns shelled the woods to the left of la loma in front of the advancing third united states artillery (infantry) and twentieth kansas. just when the[pg 45] tagalans were fleeing, bleak with terror, from the artillery shells; when colonel funston, like a young jove, was pounding his way irresistibly up from the left, and when everything looked auspicious for an easy dash into caloocan, word came from general macarthur that the firing should cease. the spires of caloocan were then almost in view, and there is an opinion that had general macarthur not feared that the line would grow too thin by a further advance funston would have taken caloocan that night, with many railway cars and many supplies, and with the saving of many lives which went out on the next advance when the filipinos had had time to bulwark themselves behind their wonderful intrenchments.

on the same day the guns were moved to a position close to la loma church. later two nordenfelt guns arrived, one of battery a, and were stationed first at blockhouse no. 3 and afterwards east of la loma church and in front of the left battalion of the south dakota infantry. these were commanded by lieutenant critchlow.

meanwhile lieutenant seaman withstood a destructive fire on the caloocan road. early in the fight he was reinforced at the suggestion of the division commander by the addition of another gun. major young took personal command of the nordenfelt which arrived there late that night. frequently in the encounter the natives rushed up to within 150 yards of our position, from which they went reeling back before the awful thunder of the big guns. at times the powder-begrimed utahns were in advance of the main line, carrying death into the very teeth of the foe. so fierce was the conflict that major young had the gun manipulated in short reliefs, and this shortened the casualty list of our organization. corporal wardlaw and private peter anderson sustained wounds while serving their pieces in this manner. the natives trained two big guns on our position and fired fifteen ineffective shots from them. next day the two guns supported the kansas troops in their advance upon the filipino intrenchments and blockhouse no. 1. as the swift-moving column charged the enemy's[pg 46] line the two rifles tore great gaps into this wooden structure and plowed furrows into the wonderfully-constructed earthworks. when the insurgents had fled before the deadly volleys of the kansans one gun was stationed at the blockhouse and the other at the binondo cemetery. here they remained until february 10th, when they took part in the demonstration against caloocan.

the next three days major grant's three guns did nothing except to fire occasionally at some enthusiastic filipino sharpshooters. on the 11th a general advance was made by the montana and the kansas infantry and the third united states artillery. the artillery force consisted of two guns under lieutenant seaman on the hill to the left, two guns under lieutenant fleming of the sixth united states artillery on the railroad, lieutenant critchlow with two nordenfelts at blockhouse no. 2, and grant with three 3.2-inch b. and l. rifles at la loma church. the prearranged signal for the attack was to be a bombardment by the navy accompanied by a similar action by major young's artillery force. the big guns pounded shell against the native defenses, and sent shrapnel singing into the woods surrounding the town, and under the somewhat ineffectual, but loudly-thundering labors of the fleet the infantry column hurried forward, and the tagalans gradually swayed back. as the enemy retreated the aim of the guns was directed higher and several of these iron messengers went crashing into the town. some remarkably good work was performed by our gunners on this day. it is said that a small body of filipinos could be seen reinforcing the intrenchments at the gate of the caloocan cemetery. a utah gunner saw this, and turned his piece on the gate and shortly after a shell shuddered through the air on its 2600-yard journey. when the smoke cleared away, gate, filipinos and war weapons strewed the ground for many yards.

major bell with a flanking column of montanas deployed through a ravine on the right. suddenly a long, rope-like column of natives whipped out of the fringe of the woods and quickly coiled around the company.[pg 47] major young saw the predicament in which the americans were placed, and soon the murderous shells fell in the midst of the column, which broke into fragments and disappeared the way it had come. the next day major bell was lavish in his praise of the batteries, and several british officers who were watching the progress of the fight complimented the gunners on their expert and effective gunnery.

during the attack on caloocan lieutenant seaman followed with the infantry as far as the flames from the burning houses would permit and pulled the gun through caloocan to a position on the kansas line. on the 11th guns were moved to a position on a hillside near the residence of mr. higgins near caloocan at a place where he commanded the causeway between caloocan and malabon. at this point the two guns were joined by a platoon of the sixth artillery and a 3.6 mortar under corporal boshard of battery b.

gibbs' section

lieut. gibbs' section at ft. macarthur.

at this time utah soldiers on different parts of the line manned thirty-two pieces of artillery, including 3.2-inch b.l. rifles, hotchkiss revolving cannon, hotchkiss mountain guns, maxim nordenfelts captured from the spanish, mortars, colt's rapid-fire (browning's) gun, a[pg 48] navy field piece, navy six-pounder and gatling guns of various calibers.

after caloocan was taken possession of by the troops scarcely any fighting was indulged in until march 25th, when an advance was made. except for occasional incursions into the enemy's territory for the purpose of driving back harassing sharpshooters there was a practical cessation of hostilities at the waterworks. at this time the line over which our guns were stationed extended from malabon to mariquina. at caloocan a severe engagement occurred on the 23rd of february. a large force of insurgents came rushing down from the hill towards our outposts and finally established themselves within 150 yards of the american lines. it was during this period that some of them were able to penetrate the american position and steal their way into manila to take part in the burning of the tondo district. this band was under the leadership of a bold and gallant chief named zandico. while tondo was disappearing in flames and sharp hand-to-hand skirmishes were taking place between these filipino desperadoes and the american police a furious altercation was going on between the darkly-outlined bulwarks of the two armies. during this attack sixty men of the kansas and montana regiments alone were killed and wounded.

the work of the sharpshooters showed the watchful alertness of the enemy. whenever one of these riflemen espied a piece of american anatomy there was a report and a still messenger of death went skimming through the air. frequently one of the large guns had to be employed to repress the zeal of one of these ubiquitous malays. while repairing a breach in the gun pit lieutenant seaman received a wound in the leg, corporal southers was shot in the hip and private hill sustained a serious wound in the back.

about this time existed as remarkable a truce as was ever patched up between belligerent forces. some filipino statesmen came down from malabon to see aguinaldo, and as they carried a flag of truce firing from our side ceased. the natives signified their desire to talk and colonel funston and major young went half[pg 49] way to meet them. the tagalans then made known their proposition, which was that there should be no firing between the two forces at that point for a period of ten days. colonel funston assented. this was directly in front of the kansas line. the insurgents rigidly adhered to their promise, and while the springfields and mausers were angrily barking in the vicinity of the railroad track no messenger of war sped across the space in front of the kansans.

the four guns under lieutenant gibbs and webb lifted to a commanding position on the hill above the waterworks, menaced the valley below. frequently they boomed from the mountains as a warning to the curious natives down on the wide plain of the san mateo. the encounters which took place between the americans and the tagals at this place are illustrative of the peculiar mode of warfare carried on by the natives. not a few times our forces made invasions in the enemy's country at mariquina under the protection of the guns and drove his army into the foothills on the opposite side of the valley, only to find him back in his old position before nightfall with his camp fires piercing the gloom of the valley as darkness settled in.

these successive defeats seemed to have no power in dampening the ardor of the ducky warriors of the plains. they continued to make invasions on the american territory, and frequently waylaid belated american troops. up to march 25th the infantry force was not sufficiently large to hold the country which had been taken. four times the town of mariquina was captured in this style. finally, by some peculiar decision of fate, a battalion of coloradoans descended into the valley and after dislodging the enemy set fire to the hideous nipa huts. thereafter fewer skirmishes occurred in this locality. the white and shining church steeple arose above the blackened ruins as a ghostly monument of the work of war.

about four days after the occupancy of the waterworks by the american troops colonel stotsenberg with a small body of the infantry scoured the mariquina plain, but though he met with some heated skirmishes[pg 50] and drove the enemy back, there was no visible results from his excursion. the artillery was first used in an advance on february 17th, when the two nordenfelt guns were taken down the mariquina road by lieutenant gibbs. none of the utah men were hurt on this occasion, although the natives fought stubbornly at short range and several men and officers of the nebraska regiment were wounded. meanwhile general montenegro, known as one of the fiercest filipino chiefs, had congregated his forces in the woods southwest of the pumping station towards pasig lake and cainta. a plan was formed for surrounding the insurgents and the nebraska and washington infantry and the two maxim nordenfelts took part in the engagement. the artillery worked with the nebraskans and shelled the woods. then there was a simultaneous advance from two sides by the regiments. the washingtons did their work well and the shells from the guns were effective, but for once the nebraskans failed in their usual dash and came up too late to cut off the retreat of the enemy and prevent his escape.

gun at pumping station

gun at pumping station firing on mariquina.

again on the 24th the two nordenfelts under lieutenant webb moved down the mariquina road, and did[pg 51] excellent work in aiding the nebraskans to drive the natives back towards san mateo. the b. and l. rifles from the hill fired into bodies of natives to the left of mariquina church on this occasion, and the death roster of the insurgents for that day was very great. a revolving hotchkiss under corporal hesburg, located close to the deposito, also inflicted severe damage on the natives. still the enemy at this point was alert and aggressive. the next day major mulford went scouting with a small force to the right of mariquina. soon after he reached the valley he was completely surrounded by the insurgents. then the big guns on the hill sent bursting shells fast into the filipino ranks and soon they retired stubbornly into the woods. several of major mulford's men were killed or wounded, and he stated afterwards that the utah guns had saved himself and party. this skirmish proved that the natives were gathering there in a larger and more formidable force, and this circumstances led to the burning of mariquina. all night the flames from the bamboo huts and old spanish mansions illumined the valley, and when the troops descended the next morning they found that all the south and the greater part of the north end of the city were entirely destroyed.

there was comparative quietude after that until march 6th, when the natives began to resume the annoying fire on the infantry, and an artillery demonstration became imperative. as the insurgent attack came about daylight, the guns under lieutenant gibbs bombarded the valley from the hill, driving the enemy northward. another large force of the tagalans swept down upon the nebraskan outposts on the left and a deadly affray commenced. reinforcements were rushed to the aid of the stricken sentries, who were gradually forced back by the superior numbers of the assaulting party. sergeant ford fisher with the fifth section gun dashed out of the camp to the front. for three-quarters of a mile the diminutive filipinos horses with which the guns had lately been equipped sped down the ridges under a galling fire. on the brow of the hill the gun whirled into action long enough to drive the enemy back[pg 52] a few hundred yards. again the piece limbered up and rattled over the hard lava road for a new position. the tagalans soon centered a murderous fire from three points upon the big gun as a desperate measure to annihilate this new terror. a horse ridden by private engler was shot down, but was able to recover himself sufficiently to gain the shelter of a small gulch a few yards farther on. from its shelter the big gun pounded over the road to another gulch which had been deserted just a few minutes previously by a company of nebraskans. the heavy limber chest was left at the foot of the hill and on their hands and knees the men pushed the piece forward until the bore of the gun gleamed down the slope. a heavy volley answered from the plain below. ford fisher said afterwards that he saw a filipino sharpshooter behind a rock fire six times point blank at the gunner as he was sighting the piece. suddenly the roar of a cannon tore down the hill. the tagalans answered it with a fiendish yell and came steadily onward. the men on the gun worked like trojans, but they could not force the malays back. just as it seemed as if the gun would have to retire the tall white figure of colonel stotsenberg could be seen with galloping steed coming up the hill. instantly the wavering infantry line tightened. the colonel's pistol flashed in the sunlight, and the whole column swung up the eminence to victory. the voice of the big gun bellowed back its notes of defiance and the haughty foe fled in terror.

during the encounter corporal mcdonald with a revolving hotchkiss cannon performed some excellent service on the right in aiding the oregon infantry. most of the fighting had been done at from 100 to 150 yards range. the casualty list of the nebraskans was heavy, and an immense number of filipinos was killed. the infantry followed the retreating natives for three miles.

on the 7th, in conjunction with the river fleet, the guns aided the nebraska, wyoming and washington infantry in forcing the enemy through the woods towards guadaloupe and pasig lake. the guns under captain wedgewood shelled the insurgents to the south of san juan del monte and aided the infantry very materially[pg 53] in its advance. the gunboats hammered the natives on the left bank of the river and sent them scurrying into the woods beyond guadaloupe.

it was decided to take the town of mariquina on the 16th of march, and major young with the left platoon of battery a shelled the woods to the north and west of the town so effectively that when the infantry forces entered the place they found it deserted.

this ended the fighting in that vicinity until the general advance of march 25th.

guns on railway

utah guns on manila & dagupan railway en route for the front.

on march 25th began that remarkable advance which never ended until the native forces were driven beyond calumpit and san fernando into the hills north of san isidro and tarlac. the american forces had long been inactive gathering strength for the difficulties before them, and now that this strength had been mustered they were eager for the fray. the plan was for the commands of generals h.g. otis and hale to swing around to the right and cut off the retreat of the enemy from that quarter, while general wheaton's brigade was to strike the foe in front and not move forward until the other forces had had sufficient time to straighten out the line. a large body of the insurgents had assembled[pg 54] at malabon. the entire preparation had been made for the capture of this force.

otis's brigade on the left consisted in the order given of the kansas, the third artillery (infantry), and the montana regiment; in the center was the divisional artillery under major young and then troops of the fourth united states cavalry, and on the right was hale's command, containing the tenth pennsylvania, south dakota and nebraska regiments. the nebraskans were on the extreme right, while the kansans formed the pivotal regiment.

the artillery designated to take part in the forward movement were two b. and l. rifles, under command of lieutenant critchlow; two b.l. rifles of the sixth united states artillery, under lieutenant fleming, and an automatic gun under command of ensign davis of the navy. on the evening of the 24th lieutenant fleming's guns were removed from the old intrenchment in front of fort macarthur, and were replaced by two b. and l. rifles under lieutenant gibbs of battery a, who had formerly been stationed in front of the colorado line at sampaloe. major grant at this period was no longer in immediate command of battery b, as he had been detailed as commander of the river gunboats on february 17th. during the period of waiting the government mules had arrived and the rifles under lieutenants critchlow and fleming were now equipped for the journey into the jungle.

few artillery exploits can compare in dash and daring with that performed by lieutenant naylor out on the right of the line early in the morning of the 25th. many brave and reckless deeds with guns at close range were done by artillery forces on other occasions in the filipino campaign, but it is hardly probable that any field pieces have been rushed so far beyond infantry support as they were on this day before the enemy at san francisco del monte.

lieutenant naylor's position lay in a sunken road at a point where the lines of the tenth pennsylvania and south dakota regiments joined. for a distance of about 800 yards the road, which had been constructed by the[pg 55] spanish, extended toward the tagalan earthworks. at the point the road abruptly ends, and there is a plat of hard ground. fifty yards farther on a rude barricade had been erected as a shelter for the native outposts, and a hundred yards in advance of this the enemy's strong line of earthworks widened out across the top of a gently rising eminence. this position had been accurately located several days previously by a reconnoitering party.

early in the morning the guns moved to the end of the sunken road and began the perilous journey up this narrow defile. with lieutenant naylor were captain crainbuhl and lieutenant perry of general hale's staff and a detachment of eight men of the tenth pennsylvania regiment under charge of a sergeant. every one knew the danger that accompanied an expedition of this character, and there was silence as perfect as that of a tomb, save when one of the wheels of the heavy guns rumbled in a rut. a few hundred yards from the camp they crossed a small stream and, as the road broadened at this place, there was ample room to unlimber the pieces. this was done so that there would be no delay when the time for action should come. the pieces were placed in front and the two limbers followed. at the end of the road the squad of infantry deployed as skirmishers to drive back the filipino sentries. then the guns were rushed up on the flat; two shells shrieked through the air towards the insurgent intrenchments, which loomed up darkly on the hill, and the bombardment began. at the first bark of the big guns the native outposts fled precipitately for the protection of the heavier works on the summit of the knoll. the roaring monsters now hurled a perfect stream of iron into the place, and after responding feebly for a few minutes the foe retired in haste across the san juan river towards san francisco del monte. the artillery advanced to the stream and sent shells flying after them until it became too hazardous to continue the bombardment, owing to the approach of our troops. down the causeway over which the tagalans fled in their mad desire to escape whole squads of filipinos lay. as the guns had made the advance almost entirely unaided by the infantry it[pg 56] was purely an artillery charge, and to the artillery belonged the victory. general hale rode up a few minutes later and personally complimented lieutenant naylor upon the ability with which he had handled his men in this successful maneuver.

as the guns were unprovided with mules they were unable to proceed and retired to their former position.

the engagement opened up by lieutenant naylor's men on the right found an echoing response from the guns of lieutenants critchlow and fleming. as they were to continue the advance their general course lay along the railroad track, which stretches entirely across luzon island from manila to dagupan. just after dawn on the 25th the infantry moved forward about 700 yards ahead of the artillery, which followed the novaliches road. a strong force of the enemy was encountered heavily intrenched in a position commanding the novaliches and malinta roads. the infantry swung into line and attempted to force back the tagalans, who stubbornly resisted the attack of our column. two large guns were soon brought into play and the natives gradually retired. an examination later showed that the defenses of the insurgents were remarkably constructed; in some cases the main breastworks were twenty feet thick. the first day's fighting had taught them a lesson by which they had profited.

general macarthur gave orders for the artillery to remain with him during the advance, as it was impossible to move over the ridges. a troop of the fourth cavalry, under major rucker, also remained with the general. in the afternoon the artillery had turned down a small valley toward the bed of the pulilan river. the infantry had entirely disappeared from the division commander's view, owing to a mountain which lay between our forces and the artillery position. the general whereabouts of our troops could be ascertained by the battle-sound, but occasionally this died away as the moving column advanced. the general sent forward one of his aids with a view of re-establishing our lines; but he was fired upon and compelled to retire. the[pg 57] troops of cavalry then dismounted and deploying as skirmishers soon dislodged the enemy. soon heavy firing was heard and an orderly rushed back asking for reinforcements. the general sent word back that he had no reinforcements to give. just then major bell rode up and said he wished one of the utah guns and the general authorized major young to take one of the big rifles and a browning gun under ensign davis.

majors bell and young went forward to locate a position for the pieces. they discovered that where the road crosses the river the banks of the pulilan rise to an almost perpendicular height of nearly fifteen feet. a road a little distance above, so small that it could only be utilized for carometas, crosses the river a short distance beyond the dismantled bridge. on the right abutment of the bridge the filipinos had constructed a very formidable breastwork of earth and stone, and the heavy steel beam of the bridge was arranged above this so as to leave a long slot for the rifles the whole length of the work. this menaced the surrounding approaches. a short distance below this was a boiler and engine-house and on the other side of the river and lower down was a remarkable field work. it extended along the river a distance of two hundred feet, and was constructed with the same wonderful skill as the smaller one at the bridge abutment. it had the same long slot flaring outward about eighteen inches and the upper part of the work was substantially held by bamboo flooring.

the two majors left the artillery piece and went forward to discover a good site for the big gun. major young selected a place just under the brow of the hill. the enemy was only 100 yards beyond, but our exact location was screened from his view by a thick undergrowth of bamboo. a heavy stone wall was used as a shelter for the men. meanwhile the cavalry stood a terrific fire. out of less than forty men who took part in the encounter nine were killed and wounded, a casualty list of almost one-fourth of their number. the guns rushed into action. major young directed that the colt's automatic be turned on the slots to protect the big gun. at the first boom of the rifle all the attention of[pg 58] the insurgents was turned upon the crews working the piece, but the bamboo screen kept them from taking accurate aim. of the three shells fired by corporal don johnson, two struck immediately in the slot holes and burst in the interior, doing considerable damage to the bamboo shed and above all terrifying the dusky warriors, who turned and fled. the spitting colts and breaking shrapnel followed them with deadly effect. the artillery then lumbered up and dashed to a position on the hill, from which the boiler-house could be bombarded with annihilating effect. the cavalry had stood a heavy fire during all this time at a range of seventy-five yards, and when the beam had been examined after the enemy had been driven out it showed the marks of eighty-nine cavalry bullets.

that night the weary troops rested on the banks of the river. the next morning, march 26th, an early advance was made upon the insurgents' position at malinta and polo. it was here the moving column met the advancing lines of general wheaton, and then it was learned that he had marched forward simultaneously with hale's flying command, and that the wily native had had ample time to flee out of malabon and his old position at caloocan. so the projected coup had failed. lieutenant gibbs with the right platoon of battery a and one gun of battery b and a mortar bombarded malabon and the surrounding country. when the shelling ceased the oregon regiment charged over the open and assaulted the enemy's works, which were taken after a stubborn fight. the routed tagalans fled along the railroad track towards malinta.

one gun under lieutenant seaman accompanied wheaton on this march as far as the foot of the hill leading to malinta, and was unloaded from the car under a shower of mauser bullets. private parker j. hall of battery b was wounded at this point while standing on the track. a few shells were fired into distant intrenched position on the hill, but when wheaton resumed his advance early in the morning the b. and l. rifle was returned to its position at fort macarthur. it was during the advance up the hill a few moments later[pg 59] that the gallant, white-haired general egbert, veteran of many battles, was fatally shot through the stomach.

in the meantime the artillery with general macarthur's division continued the march up the road close by the railway line. while the artillery was sending shell fast into the filipino position at malinta and meycayauan, and occupying their attention, general hale executed a rather brilliant flank movement and forced the enemy to retreat with considerable loss. when the march was resumed on the 27th, the artillery was moved up to a position just behind the first battalion of the kansas regiment, while all the rest of otis's brigade remained in the rear.

first platoon

first platoon. battery a, ready to move to malolos.

when general macarthur's division moved forward on march 25th, general hall, with the colorado and minnesota regiments, moved down the mariquina valley towards the san francisco del monte, where the bullets of the south dakotas and lieutenant naylor's shells were battering against the walls. general hall's advance was so warmly contested that it became necessary for the guns on the hill to bombard the city and surrounding woods to the north and west. the infantry was then able to press forward and drive the natives back from the valley toward san mateo.[pg 60]

on the 31st of march general hall essayed a more extended advance, and on this occasion his forces consisted of the fourth and twenty-third regular infantry, the minnesota and colorado regiments and two utah b. and l. rifles, commanded by captain wedgewood. the movement began at dawn. the regulars came from the south and the minnesotas and coloradoans around the north of mariquina. the town was entered before the enemy had begun to fire. the attack was sudden and effective, and as the natives began to retreat a gun under sergeant nystrom and another close by the mariquina church commanded by captain wedgewood played vigorously on their ranks. the infantry followed the natives six miles, and from the hills overlooking the city san mateo was bombarded by the two guns.

the natives were again in retreat when a telegram arrived from otis, which showed that he feared the natives might be preparing to make another entrance into manila. it read: "wheaton has engaged enemy at malolos and taken that place. a very small force of the enemy was there. withdraw all your forces which are moving towards san mateo and bring them back to la loma church." it was a wearisome march to la loma after the fatigue of the day's campaign, and when the men arrived there with the guns they were forced to sleep among the graves of the churchyard without blankets and in a pelting rain. the next day the guns were ordered back to their old position above mariquina, where they remained until relieved by the sixth united states infantry, when they joined the rest of the command at san fernando.

on april 27th our forces met the filipinos on the banks of the marilao river, on which occasion the noses of the big guns were pushed to within fifty yards of the native earthworks. the guns employed were two under lieutenant critchlow, a platoon of dyer's light battery and colt's automatic under ensign davis. the kansans under major metcalf had deployed on the left and approached the river, but they were forced back by the heavy fire of the insurgents, who had cut away the intervening trees to give a clear sweep for their rifles. the[pg 61] whole north side of the river had been cleverly and completely intrenched so that it formed an almost impregnable fortification when attacked from the front. the causeway up which the artillery had to advance was commanded by the insurgent infantry. across the river where the infantry first engaged the enemy, the natives were about 800 yards distant. major young went forward with ensign davis to locate a good position for the guns. while there general funston came up and stated he had seen quite a number of cascos further down the river, and that if major young would protect his men with an artillery fire he would be able to cross the river and flank the enemy. this was agreed to, and a company of kansans accompanied the guns as a support. lieutenant critchlow's guns were quickly turned upon the earthworks. as the big rifles roared across the stream the small arms and the colt's automatic centered a withering fire on the intrenchments to keep the enemy's fire inaccurate. this vigorous demonstration terrified the tagalans and soon several white flags appeared fluttering above the trenches. the firing ceased and the filipinos were ordered to stand up. some few of them reluctantly showed themselves, but the greater number ran through the get-away ditch and vanished in the dark fringe of the bamboo forest. lieutenant coulter of the tenth pennsylvania regiment with an enlisted man stripped and swam the river and walked directly into the enemy's trenches. the two naked men took as many rifles as they could hold from the defeated malays. by this time colonel funston, who had crossed the river, came up and took some thirty natives prisoners.

as the bridge crossing a branch of the marilao river at this point had been destroyed by the insurgents, the artillery moved to a new position by the railroad track until a new bridge could be constructed by the engineers. just as night came on the natives were seen to emerge in a large force from the woods and move towards our lines. soon the entire american host was sturdily engaged in repelling the attack. in the dark it was impossible to exactly locate our infantry, but major young, at a venture, directed several shots over our column at a[pg 62] range of from 2000 to 2500 yards. the filipinos soon retreated. it was afterwards learned that these shells had fallen in the midst of the attacking force.

this spirited encounter was the subject of a special report of the chief of artillery to the division commander in which lieutenant critchlow and the cannoneers received special mention for their gallantry.

that night a pontoon bridge was built across the river and on the morning of the 28th the artillery moved across and encamped during the succeeding day and night in the suburbs of malolos. an advance of only a short distance had been made the next morning when a body of the enemy was encountered at bocaue. here it was necessary to cross the santa mone river. this was attempted with some difficulty, as only the guns could be taken over on the bridge and the mules had to be swum across. the pieces and accoutrements across, the artillery immediately went into action against the long lines of filipinos. a railroad train in the hands of the insurgents could be seen in the distance and some natives were busily engaged in applying torches to the engine-house. a few shells were sent screaming in that direction and the engineer needed no further orders to speed with all dispatch toward the north country. again the guns were limbered up and the force advanced to the bagoa river, where it was again necessary to drag the guns across the shaky bridge and force the reluctant mules to swim.

by this time the infantry had pushed some distance ahead, and suddenly there was heavy firing near another dismantled bridge close to the guiguinta. both the town and the bridge had been burned by the insurgents, and as soon as the infantry force crossed the railway track it was greeted with such a heavy fire that there were thirty casualties within a few minutes. the artillery came forward, as it had done before in many desperate fights, at the critical moment. the mules were unhitched and the cannoneers dashed with two of the guns across the shattered bridge and began firing from the top of the track. the insurgent fire came directly down the railroad grade. private pender was shot through the hip[pg 63] while working at the gun. in a few moments the shrapnel had torn the filipino earthworks and in the semi-darkness the dusky figures of the filipinos could be seen in retreat. the river which barred the way was crossed the next day.

when evening fell on the 30th, the towers of malolos, the insurgent capital, where a few months before don emilio aguinaldo had been crowned president of the filipino republic, were almost within view. a long line of filipino intrenchments defended the approaches to the city. all eyes had been turned from the beginning of the insurrection toward malolos, and here it was expected that on the morrow aguinaldo, with a host of his black warriors around him, would make a desperate effort to resist the aggression of the american troops. the four big rifles and the colt's automatic were moved into a position at dusk close to a deserted line of intrenchments south of malolos. majors bell and young, later in the evening, went forward to locate a position for constructing emplacements for the guns. suddenly there was a long flash from a low line of filipino intrenchments 1000 yards to the front. they saw the flash in time to guard themselves by the shelter of a rice stack from the pattering bullets. their mission by this time was accomplished, for they had discovered a strong position for the rifles just within a circle of bamboo trees from which there was an easy view of the enemy's works.

late that night, in the tropic darkness of the overhanging trees, a line of men, carrying picks and spades, trudged out slowly from the encampment. they were guided by first sergeant john anderson of battery b. soon the rice stack where the emplacements were to be made could be seen through the gloom. the work was begun quietly, for the filipinos in the distance were known to be on the alert. an axe struck sharply against a bamboo and a pick dinned resoundingly in the hard earth. every one looked searchingly into the distance, where a response was looked for from a hundred guns. major young stated that he had posted a lookout near by so that when he called "flash" the men could take care of themselves as they saw fit before the winged[pg 64] bullets arrived. so the work went on. when the earth had been reared about one foot, the lookout suddenly called "flash" and twenty men dropped to the ground. but there was no report and no bullets came. the lookout had seen some restless filipino lighting a cigarette. the intrenchments were ready shortly after midnight, and before dawn on the morning of the 31st the guns were moved into position. the insurgents formed a belligerent half-circle around the city, and were prepared to advance from three sides when the roar of one of the big guns gave the signal to move. when the light came it brought into bright relief the heavy earthworks of the enemy, and a body of soldiers was observed standing idly on the railroad track about ten hundred yards away. suddenly the yawning big guns roared over the plain and a shell burst over the filipino intrenchments. there was a brief response. the vigorous click-click of the automatic joined in with the roar of the big guns. within an hour the infantrymen were advancing upon the outer works of the city from three sides, and the filipinos could be seen fleeing down the railroad grade. they were followed by bullets from rapid-fire guns and several shells were sent into the insurgents city at a range of four kilometers. afterwards it was learned that the natives had been driven from their two lines of intrenchments, which were 1000 yards apart, a fact which clearly indicated the accuracy of the firing. as soon as the enemy was dispersed the pieces were limbered and while one section took the winding course of the malolos road into the city the other went by way of the railroad. for several thousands yards in front of malolos the track had been torn up by the insurgents and the gun which went up the track had great difficulty in passing. at one place where the bridge had been destroyed it was necessary to replace a large number of ties which had been hurriedly thrown into a body of water near by.

all morning a long curling line of smoke could be seen from the distance arising from the heart of the city. when the artillery swept into the city side by side with the rigid column of infantry they found half the place in[pg 65] ruins; the great church which had been used as a congressional hall was fading in the flame. the american had found the city a burning moscow and the people, like the patriotic russians, had applied the torch to the capital upon which they had centered their fondest dreams. the soldiers trooped into city, mud-bespattered and weary, and commented in loud tones of surprise on their peaceful entry into a city where they had looked for the bloodiest strife of the insurrection. the artillery made a striking appearance as the big mules galloped over the evacuated town. the guns were parked in the plaza before the hall of congress of the insurgent capital, and major macarthur accorded to major young the honor of raising the first american flag over the walls of the rebel capital. it may be added here that several weeks later the utah band played patriotic airs in the hall where but a short time ago aguinaldo was declared president of the philippines.

guns in park

utah guns in park, at congressional hall, malolos.

the troops remained for several days inactive at malolos to recuperate after the rigors of the long march. during this time the two guns commanded by lieutenant gibbs at caloocan were brought to malolos by rail, and captain wedgewood took charge of them, while[pg 66] lieutenant gibbs returned to the two platoons stationed at the waterworks.

on april 7th a reconnoitering expedition went out to investigate the enemy's position to the east of quingua in the vicinity of bag bag. major bell commanded the party, which consisted of a troop of the fourth cavalry, a hotchkiss revolving cannon and one hotchkiss mountain gun, in charge of john a. anderson. they found a place where the river could be forded and discovered that the insurgents were strongly intrenched on the banks of the bag bag river. the country at this time was heavily timbered and the party was able to return unnoticed by the enemy.

a severe battle occurred on april 23rd as the forces closed in on quingua. a reconnoitering party of cavalry encountered a large body of insurgents and the fire was so withering that major bell was forced to retire. reinforcements of infantry were promptly called for and soon the nebraskans moved forward to the fray. the fight lasted several hours, and the infantry and cavalry were forced to endure a heavy fire out in the open from a long line of filipinos intrenchments hidden in a line of underbrush and trees. it was during this engagement that the gallant stotsenberg was killed while rallying his men for the charge over the open. the artillery did not arrive until 11 o'clock, when two rifles, one from each battery under captain wedgewood and lieutenant critchlow came to the front and as usual soon ended the argument. private d.j. davis of battery a was shot through the fleshy part of the leg, and while standing twenty yards behind the piece captain wedgewood was wounded in the hand and stomach by a flying piece of copper from the defective gun breech. the artillery occupied a position at one hundred yards range during this stubbornly fought engagement. the guns were partially sheltered by the foliage of a clump of trees to the left of the pulilan road and the nebraska infantry. firing from the artillery was plainly effective, and after forty-five minutes of continual bombardment the insurgents retired over the pulilan road toward bag bag.[pg 67]

during this engagement lieutenant fleming of the sixth united states artillery arrived from malolos with one of his own and a battery b gun, manned by a utah detachment, and did valuable service at a one-thousand-yard range. as the natives retreated in columns they afforded a conspicuous target and bursting shrapnel tore large holes in the retiring lines. private abplanalp of battery b, one of the drivers, was shot through the hand and arm while in the rear of the firing line.

this was considered to be as fierce a fight as that in which the rough riders won their way to glory at las guasimas. at that point three regiments were engaged and there were seventy casualties. at quingua there were only five hundred americans against a large body of insurgents and sixty of these were killed or wounded. general gregoria del pilar, the dashing young filipino leader, who had previously visited general otis for the purpose of arranging terms of peace, commanded the dusky warriors at this place. though he was forced to retreat he took upon himself the credit of killing colonel stotsenberg, and afterwards boasted that he had slain one thousand americans in the engagement.

the next morning lieutenant fleming with two big rifles and a hotchkiss revolving cannon, in charge of gunner corporal m.c. jensen, forded the quingua river, a tributary of the rio chico, which in turn draws its waters from the rio grande de pampanga, at calumpit. the remainder of the artillery, consisting of a platoon of battery a, under lieutenant naylor, and one gun under lieutenant critchlow, went on down the pulilan road toward bag bag. there was a sharp encounter on this road, during which a body of the enemy about a thousand yards to the right attempted a flank movement, but a few shots from the big guns and the hotchkiss forced them to change their course. the guns directly under major young on the other side of the river became involved about three hundred yards south of the enemy's long low line of earthworks at bag rag. their intrenchments occupied the strip of land at the junction of the rio chico and the bag bag rivers. when a reconnoitering party visited this place on april 7th the[pg 68] plain surrounding the bag bag was covered with bamboo and underbrush, but now all the plain was as clean and level as if it had been swept by a cyclone. thus the intrenched malays had cleared a spot which commanded the plains for miles around.

infantry and artillery advanced from both sides of the quingua—hale with fleming on the other side and wheaton with utah to the south. soon the artillery was engaged on the pulilan road, 225 yards from the enemy. at this time the infantry force was fifty yards in the rear, where it was masked from the enemy but could render no important assistance. the fire from the tagalan intrenchments was murderous. while the artillery fire was as rapid as possible at least two responsive volleys came from the intrenchments after each shot. private max madison fell, killed instantly, early in the action; private frederick bumiller received a fatal wound through the hips. two other cannoneers were hit in their attire by glance balls and all three of the big guns were cut with mausers. in lieutenant critchlow's single detachment of eight men five were struck—two killed and one seriously wounded. wheaton's line meanwhile bore in from the left and the artillery swung forward with the line until they were almost on the opposite bank from the enemy. the armored train, equipped with gatlings revolving cannon, pulled up at this point and turned loose its armament upon the enemy at a 200-yard range. the insurgents stubbornly fell back under the terrific fire.

on the opposite bank corporal jensen and his crew, sixty yards from the enemy's position, were ripping the low intrenchments with the revolving cannon. his position was perilous and his gallant fight soon ended. he was pierced through the stomach with a bullet and on the next day died from the wound. lieutenant fleming, in his report to the chief of artillery, says of him: "i desire especially to mention corporal m.c. jensen for gallantry in this action. his fearlessness undoubtedly cost him his life." he also recommends in this report that corporal jensen be awarded a certificate of merit.[pg 69]

calumpit is a city which the insurgents looked upon as invulnerable. its huts and stone bridges are on both sides of the rio grande de pampanga—the broadest and longest river in luzon. it was here a few months before that the insurgents captured many thousand spanish prisoners with all their arms, and they were prepared to vigorously contest the advance of the american troops.

the guns of utah and the two big rifles of lieutenant fleming were on the south side of the bag bag, and it is only a mile from here to the filipino stronghold. the advance began early on the morning of the 27th. a platoon under lieutenant naylor, who had been in charge of battery a pieces since the wounding of captain wedgewood, one gun under lieutenant critchlow, fleming's two guns and a hotchkiss in charge of corporal bjarnson were pushed by hand over a bridge hastily constructed over the waters of the bag bag. the clattering din of the infantry could soon be heard in altercation with the insurgents at the front. the insurgents, behind intrenchments, were sending volleys fast into the americans from the north bank of the pampanga. it was observed that the long bridge had been partially destroyed and the rails torn from the track for several hundred yards. the heavy iron beams of the bridge were placed above the two lines of intrenchments. iron rails supported the ponderous beams, and between them was formed a long slot for filipino rifles.

the three big utah guns were rushed to a position on the right of the station, about 100 yards from the enemy, and where there was partial protection from a nipa hut. earthworks were quickly thrown up and to divert the enemy's attention while this was going on, a squad of montana men kept up a constant fire from a position immediately in front of the artillery. bullets came in sheets from the filipino position. a montana sharpshooter, shot through the head, fell dead at the foot of the half-made emplacement. fleming's guns pointed through an aperture broken through the solid brick walls of the station facing the half-demolished bridge. further off to the left corporal bjarnson with[pg 70] the revolving hotchkiss was with the line of kansas infantry under colonel funston. out on the left colonel funston was performing the famed and intrepid feat by which he was able to cross the river. protected by the swift fire of the revolving hotchkiss, a kansas man with a rope swam the swift moving waters of the pampanga and fastened one end to the base of a bamboo tree. then funston with about forty of his men crossed the river on hastily constructed rafts, guided by the long ropes. suddenly this small body of warriors charged and attacked the insurgents on the left flank. the insurgents who had valiantly and stubbornly held their position, were terrorized by the unexpected onslaught, and the whole line in the east side of the bridge sprang from the intrenchment and fled northward along the railroad embankment. natives were strewn thick upon the banks of the river as they ran. a mounted filipino officer was shot through the heart as he stood with flashing sword vainly trying to rally his confused and fleeing troops. the tagalans to the right were touched with consternation and fled from their bulwarks. and so during this one hour colonel funston performed the most dashing deed of the war and the malay hosts were driven from their strongest defense. fifteen hundred american soldiers in this battle contested with 12,000 intrenched warriors of luzon, and won by their prowess and the strategy of a gallant leader.

the two brigades were allowed to rest for several days on the sunny banks of the pampanga. on may 14th the troops began the march toward san fernando, which lies green and low at the base of mt. arayat, which can be seen for many miles around. the artillery, with the mules, crossed the river on rafts. wheaton advanced up the railroad track while hale's brigade strung out over the apalit road.

a revolving hotchkiss cannon and one gatling gun, manned by battery b detachments, were mounted on trucks. this moving battery was commanded by lieutenant naylor. as the troops approached santo tomas the insurgents were discovered, intrenched on both sides of the railroad. as the infantry engaged them on the[pg 71] right, lieutenant naylor's machine guns played on the thin line of smoke curling above the filipino intrenchment. as the infantry pressed them on the right they retreated over the railroad towards a long line of intrenchments, and the bullets from the gatling fell among them here faster than autumn leaves. colonel funston, at the head of his troops, took the fire line of intrenchments on the left of the track and moved down on the tagalans, who had constructed a long line of intrenchments parallel with the railway. they were beaten back by the kansas men, but in this charge colonel funston fell, having sustained a slight wound in the arm. during this engagement general luna, most renowned of the filipino chiefs, was wounded in the arm, and as there was only a light infantry fire, the opinion prevailed that this was inflicted by lieutenant naylor's fast-clicking gatling gun. general wheaton personally praised lieutenant naylor for his work in the santo tomas battle, and afterwards in his report recommended him for meritorious service.

over on the right up the apalit road captain wedgewood and lieutenant critchlow were encountering difficulties. the insurgents had constructed pitfalls in the road. they were thinly covered with a layer of leaves and earth and the wayward feet of mule and soldier were menaced beneath with sharp pointed wedges of bamboo. these were discovered early in the march and no accidents resulted from them. there was some brisk fighting on this end of the line and the big guns shelled the insurgents on the opposite side of the river. the whole of the next day was consumed in transporting the artillery and equipage across the river on a raft constructed by the engineers, and on may 6th they entered san fernando.

this fair city was half destroyed by flames, and when the troops entered no lingering black warriors could be found. they had all retreated farther north, following in the general direction of the railway. major-general macarthur's headquarters were established near the center of that part of the city which was untouched by the flames, and close by the utah guns were[pg 72] parked. later one of the big guns was utilized for outpost duty, a rather remarkable use for artillery. every night after the filipinos had begun to gather again near the city one of the pieces with a gun crew would go down a sunken road and watch all night with the farthest outposts of the infantry.

during this period major-general otis had issued an order offering thirty pesos to every filipino warrior who would return his rifle to the american authorities. on may 23rd major bell went on an expedition up the railway track for the purpose of posting up the order, and took with him two troops of the fourth cavalry and a revolving hotchkiss gun, manned by sergeant emil johnson and corporal hesburg of battery a and private martin of battery b. all the men were mounted and the cannon equipped with a small filipino horse, so that if necessary a hasty retreat could be made. they proceeded up the railway track, and notices were duly and conspicuously left at bacalor and quiuag. just as the forces reached the outskirts of santa rita they were fired on by a large body of insurgents, who were heavily intrenched around the city. the revolving cannon was used effectively and major bell and his men went into action five times, but the insurgent attack was too fierce for the small force and it was obliged to retreat. with a whoop of joy the filipinos rose from their trenches in pursuit, cheering loudly as they came. they followed for five miles through bacalor, and as far back as their old intrenchments surrounding san fernando. the rather meagre encouragement of having been able to chase a small troop of cavalry seemed to give the tagalans at this time an idea that they had the whole american force in retreat.

during the night word was brought to general macarthur that the filipinos were preparing to make an attack early the next morning. at dawn the montana and kansas regiments and a platoon under lieutenant naylor went out to meet them. the filipinos were in force in their old position to the northwest. the kansas went through some cornfields on the left and the montanas through a sunken road to the right. the artillery re[pg 73]mained in a concealed position in the center and waited until the two regiments had moved up on the startled natives from both flanks. as the insurgents retreated in confusion the big guns played on the scattered ranks. a large number of the natives were killed during this clever maneuver and thirty of their rifles were captured.

the tagalans when on the warpath are persistent. the next day they occupied intrenchments farther to the north. they were again driven back and this time they took up a position towards mexico and in front of the iowa troops.

during the next few days the malay hordes came toward san fernando from all sides. eventually their forces completely surrounded the city. general macarthur watched their plans, saw them tearing up the earth for intrenchments and waited. it was apparent that they were preparing to march with crushing force upon the american troops.

the cloud burst on june 16th. just at that time, when the americans were not looking for them, the tagalans descended on the town. captain fred wheeler was out on a plain drilling a troop of the fourth united states cavalry. it was in the morning and there was a heavy mist. one of captain wheeler's men informed him that he could see the "niggers" coming. the captain could see nothing and sent for his glasses, but before they arrived the long skirmish line of the tagalans could be seen emerging like spectres from the mist. then there was a remarkable spectacle—the fourth cavalry and the tagalan warriors racing for the same intrenchments. the cavalrymen arrived first and there the battle began.

the natives came in from four sides. the outposts waited in the old filipino intrenchments and on some parts of the line the attacked tagalans were allowed to approach within 200 yards. most of the guns, when the fight began were located close to macarthur's headquarters, but they were soon on all parts of the line. when the attack by the filipinos began the gun under command of lieutenant naylor was on its way to the outposts. it had been the custom to take the gun there[pg 74] just before dawn and bring it back immediately after darkness came. the advancing filipinos began firing before the gun was in position. corporal hanson was in charge at the time, and the rifle was at once rushed to the emplacement. word came at the same hour to lieutenant naylor, who was officer of the outpost, and he went through a heavy fire down the road leading to the intrenchment. when he arrived there the filipinos were within three hundred and fifty yards and were advancing over the rice ridges at a rapid gait. the lieutenant had a shell sent into the approaching insurgents, who seemed astounded to find that the artillery occupied such an advanced position. when nine shells had been sent into their line, the filipinos gradually drew back and were not seen any more on this part of the line during the fight.

preparing for an engagement

preparing for an engagement.

the seventeenth and twenty-second infantry were the support on this end of the line, which faced to the north.

on the west, east and part of the north line were the kansas and montana infantry. it was to this point that the two guns of lieutenant gibbs were moved when the firing began, and here the guns inflicted severe damage on the islanders. another gun of battery b was[pg 75] also placed near this part of the line under lieutenant hines, but it was unnecessary from this position to use the artillery.

this fight was the first time the american soldiers during the whole campaign had repulsed an attack from behind intrenchments, and they laid back and smiled as the black men approached and then passed out some volleys that made the whole advancing line reel. when the tagalans began to retreat under the awakened storm, the americans followed, and as the filipinos recoiled from one regiment they were broken against another. a company of the twentieth infantry located near santo tomas was almost cut off by the advancing column of the enemy, and a company of the montana men was sent to its assistance. the fight lasted nearly two hours and the filipino loss amounted to several hundred. the only casualty on the american side was a slight wound received by a montana man, which shows clearly what the americans could do in a contest with a black man under conditions more or less equal. colonel funston stated afterwards that a shell from one of lieutenant gibbs's guns had killed fifteen filipinos.

the burying of dead filipinos the next day was a tragic sight. sixty-four were engulfed in one trench. they were brought up in caribou carts, and the american pulled them off with ropes and deposited them in the common grave.

there was another fight on the 22nd, but the filipinos seemed to have lost their dash and courage of a few days before, and on this occasion the artillery was not called out.

a few days later word came that the utah battalion was ordered home, and on the 24th day of june the utah men boarded the train for manila and were carried away from the smoke of war and the darkly fought battlefields of the east.

sergeant john a. anderson with one gun of battery b and a rifle of the sixth artillery was in the flying column of general lawton, who left a path of ashes around[pg 76] the pampanga province and finally drove the insurgents from san isidro with his detachment on the 21st of march and arrived on the same day at bocaue. the order to march came on the 23rd and the sergeant was given a position on the left of the thirteenth minnesotas. from the brow of the hill above norzagaray the guns began shelling at 1500 yards. the front line was silenced but at this point the natives made an effort to turn the right flank, and it was necessary to throw many shrapnel into the advancing insurgents column before it turned. the next day norzagaray was entered after the place had been shelled, and during this slight advance the artillery was in action five times. colonel sommers personally commended the detachment on the accuracy of its gunnery and its promptness. on the 25th ongaut was burned and on the 26th there was an engagement which lasted for some time below baliuag. san maguel was taken on the 4th, and on the 13th a few shells were thrown into san isidro, but the insurgents, after repeated defeats, showed small resistance here and soon retreated.

on the 24th the artillery arrived with the infantry at candaba, and the detachment remained quartered here until the order arrived for the utah men to return to manila. the plan of lawton's campaign was for his troops to drive the insurgents towards candaba, where they could be met by the advancing forces under major kobbe and the river gunboats. but when general lawton came down to candaba there were none but american soldiers there as the insurgents forces had disappeared in the interior.

shortly after the arrival in malolos the utah men were joined by corporal dusenbury and two other men of battery b. they with a revolving hotchkiss cannon were picked up by general wheaton early in his advance from caloocan, and were highly praised by the general for the skill and efficiency they had shown in many dangerous places. general wheaton showed his appreciation of the work of the guns by attaching several regular and oregon infantrymen to the pieces, in order that they could be carried over rough places with the greatest possible dispatch.