American fury in the Philippines. XLVII / Tondo

Report of Capt. R. E. Davis, Second Oregon U. S. Volunteer Infantry,
of Pursuit of Insurgents in Tondo, February 23, 1899.

MANILA, P. I., February 24, 1899.

Maj. PERCY WILLIS,
Commanding Second Battalion, Oregon U. S. V.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of my company's
actions during the skirmish and advance to Caloocan from Tondo,
February 23, 1899:

After receiving your order to deploy as skirmishers and protect the
left flank of the line, we advanced steadily with short rests for
better fire facilities, using both individual and volley firing, as
position of our line and enemy would permit. We burned all houses in
our rear, after thoroughly examining them, and sent to the rear about
fifty male prisoners. After the last halt on stone bridge I was
ordered to cross the lagoon and advance in skirmish line toward
Caloocan, examining and burning all houses in our front. In carrying
out these instructions we could not find a single stand of arms and
very few knives of any kind, although careful search was made for them.

After reaching the railroad station about two miles north of Tondo we
relieved the Montana company holding the road, and, awaiting your
advance, halted for lunch. Up to this point the country was full of
houses, and we burned them all after sending about one hundred men and
women to the rear. As they were not armed or in resistance and our
force was small we did not put them under arrest.

To sum up events we killed probably about thirty insurgents, as we
counted twenty five in our front while advancing. We sent to the rear
fifty prisoners and burned nearly one hundred houses.

Our total casualties were a slight superficial wound on index finger
of left hand of Martin Hildebrandt. We had a force of fifty men with
Captain Davis and Lieutenant Dunbar in command. I can not speak too
highly of the conduct of the men, as my only difficulty was to hold
them back and prevent unnecessary exposure to fire.

Very respectfully, R. E. DAVIS, Captain, Second Oregon U. S. Volunteer
Infantry, Commanding Company E.