Filipinos Were The Aggressors

FILIPINOS WERE THE AGGRESSORS

First Shot Of An American Sentry Was The Signal For Fighting

Manila, Feb. 7.- There is but one story here of the origin of the fight of Saturday night and Sunday. It originated with the firing of a Nebraska sentry at Santa Mesa upon Filipinos who were deliberately crossing the line, after repeated warnings, with the evident purpose of drawing our fire. The first shot from the American sentry was evidently accepted as a pre-arranged signal for it was followed almost immediately by a terrific fusillade along the entire Filipino line on the north side of the Pasig river. The American outposts returned the fire with such vigor that the Filipino fire was checked until the arrival of re-enforcements. The American firing line consisted of the Third artillery, the Kansas and Montana regiments, the Minnesota regiment, the Pennsylvanians, the Nebraskans, the Utah battery, the Idahos, the Washingtons, the Californians, the Fourth cavalry, North Dakota volunteers. Sixth artillery, and Fourteenth infantry.

The Filipinos brought artillery into action at Galingatan at 10:30, but it was not effective. During the night the United States warship poured a hot fire into the Filipino trenches at Caloacan, and by 1 a .m. the Americans had apparently completely routed the enemy ind had taken the villages of Palawpong, Santa Mesa, Paco, Sananta, San Pedro, Macorte, Pandoncan, and Pasai, had destroyed hundreds of native huts and had secured position of the water main and reservoirs, a distance of over six miles. The Tennessees joined the firing line at 10 o'clock on Sunday morning and assisted in capturing Santa Mesa.