Chapter III: The Insurrection (2)

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 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 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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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 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 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 remained 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 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.

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 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.

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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 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.