Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/801

Rh commands during the struggle in the Philippines. Col. Summers and his gallant troops received universal praise for the work of this day, which has been named the battle of Malabon.

Marching north the day after the Malabon engagement, the Second Oregon had two days of almost constant fighting, a rather severe engagement occurring the following day, when six men were wounded. Charging ambushed Filipinos and trenches at break-neck speed had become an Oregon habit, and in every engagement the toll among the enemy was heavy, as the Oregon soldiers used their weapons with deadly accuracy.

Following these engagements, headquarters of the regiment were established at Malinta, and the regiment was put on railway guard duty continuously from that date until April 23, when it was put in the General Lawton division to invade the Rio Grande valley. While doing guard duty, several minor engagements occurred among the companies. The night of April 10th, there was a concerted attack on all the camps by Filipinos, which was a most exciting affair, but resulted in few fatalities. One outpost belonging to Company M was cut off, two men killed outright, a third mortally wounded, and another nearly killed. Following this night attack, the adjacent country was raided and cleared of the enemy by frequent excursions.

Col. Summers was given command of a provisional brigade in the Rio Grande de Pampanga campaign, taking with him seven companies of the Second Oregon, and eight companies of the Thirteenth Minnesota, one troop of the Fourth Cavalry, and one section of light artillery. Lieut.-Col. Yoran commanded the regiment. Fighting began at Norzagaray April 23d, when the enemy was pushed out of the town. On April 25th, the Oregon regiment attacked and took Angat, and again occupied the town the next day. On the 27th the brigade moved onto Marunco, and took San Rafael later. There was some delay then, to give the peace commission opportunity to negotiate with the Filipinos, but on failure of these overtures, the column again advanced through the Rio Grande valley. About this time General Lawton organized a memorable body, which was known as the scouts, giving chief command to a civilian named Young, and second command to a private named Harrington, of the Second Oregon. This command proved a powerful agent in dislodging Filipinos, and did the work so swiftly and safely that it revealed new tactics of the greatest value in fighting the natives. Lieut. Thornton, of the Second Oregon, later commanded the organization, after the first two leaders had been killed. Several Oregon men were in the scouts organization.

Baliuag, Massin, San Ildefonso and San Miguel were captured in rapid succession, with a light engagement at each place, which resulted in an occasional casualty among the Oregon men. Brig.-Gen. Summers was given the especial distinction of commanding in the capture of San Isidro, as his brigades led in the assault, and his disposition of the troops pleased General Lawton so thoroughly that the glory of taking the objective of the campaign was left with the Oregon man. At Tabon bridge, the day before reaching San Miguel, the scouts did a particularly fine piece of work in dislodging a force of Filipinos from an entrenched position commanding a bridge. By rapid rushing through the grass, fighting from cover, and using deadly accuracy in shooting, the scouts, under command of Lieutenant Thornton, routed an overwhelming force of the enemy before the main column could arrive. Chief Scout Harrington of the Second Oregon, was killed and buried there.

While encamped at Candaba, May 22d, en route down the Rio Grande valley, the regiment received information that it had been ordered to Manila to prepare for embarkation on transports for home. There was a riotous celebration of this event, very closely akin to the welcome given news of selection to go to the Philippines, just one year previously in the Presidio. For its work during this campaign, the Second Oregon received unstinted praise of the commanding general Lawton.