e shelled,
and the insurgents were firing their guns in the direction of the
armoured train, but they failed to get the range. Meantime, a company
of the Kansas Regiment made a bold charge across a paddy-field and
found shelter in a ditch, whence they kept up a constant fire to divert
the enemy's attention whilst Colonel Eunston, the commander of the
regiment, with a lieutenant and four men, crept along the girders of
the bridge. The enemy, however, got the range and bullets were flying
all around them, so they slid down the bridge-supports, dropped into
the river, and swam to the opposite shore. Scrambling up the bank,
revolvers in hand, they reached the trenches just as the insurgents
were hurriedly evacuating them. Indeed, the Filipinos' defence of their
trenches was extremely feeble during the whole battle. On the other
hand, for the first time, the insurgents ventured out into the open
against the Americans. General Antonio Luna, the Commander-in-Chief,
could be seen galloping furiously along the lines exhorting his men to
hold their ground, and he succeeded in deploying them into an extended
line of battle to receive the enemy's onslaught. The insurgents kept
up a desultory fire whilst the troops forded the river, and then they
were pursued and driven off to the outskirts of the town. The flames
rising from several buildings appeared to indicate an intention on the
part of the insurgents to abandon their stronghold. Simultaneously,
Generals Hale and Wheaton were coming forward with their columns,
each having had some hard fighting on the way. The junction of forces
was effected; a fierce fire was poured into the trenches; General Hale
and his men made a dash across a stream, up to their waists in water;
the Utah men followed with their batteries, cheering and dragging
their field-pieces with desperate energy to the opposite bank; the
enemy gave way, and the armoured train crossed the bridge. The total
American loss that day did not exceed nine in killed and wounded,
whilst the insurgent losses were at least 70. During the night the
engineers repaired the Bagbag bridge for the rest of the troops to
pass, and fighting was resumed at six o'clock in the morning. The
deserted trenches were occupied by the Americans to pick off any
insurgents who might venture out into the open. A general assault by
the combined columns was then made on the town, which was captured,
whilst the bulk of the insurgents fled in great confusi