etire. The 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 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 considerab