No history of the Utah batteries will be complete without a narrative of the exploits of the gunboats. While the land forces performed their duties with great honor and are to be commended in every way possible, it must be remembered that a portion of the men were fighting on the water and did work of such a character that they won especial mention from those in charge when the big guns were hurling death and the Gatlings were barking fire at the opposing army.
At first the proposition of building gunboats was not at all popular with the authorities. Some opposed the scheme on the grounds that it could not be successfully accomplished with the limited means at hand and the rivers of Luzon to contend with. However, later developments attested that those who were the originators of the plan showed greater wisdom than their opponents.
Sometime prior to the breaking out of hostilities between the American forces and the natives General Otis conceived the idea of employing gunboats on the rivers and lakes for the purpose of opening up lines of communication between difficult portions of our own lines. The fact that the rivers were shallow was the one serious objection to the project, but this difficulty was eliminated by the adoption of light draught boats. The nature of the country in the vicinity of Manila and the other towns where the heaviest fighting took place is such that it was apparent to those who were aware of these conditions that this craft might be engaged in protecting the advance of the infantry and artillery; could hold the hostile bands in check until favorable positions could be taken, and be of wonderful service in the campaign.
The first vessel to engage in this kind of work was the "Laguna de Bay," which has made a reputation never to be forgotten so long as the history of the war in the[Pg 78] Philippines remains familiar to the American mind. This vessel is doubtless as well known as the "Olympia," the flagship of gallant Admiral Dewey, and while there are those who fail to recall the fact that the "Boston" or the "Raleigh" took part in the attack on the Spanish in the bay of Manila, it is safe to assert that the operation of the "Laguna de Bay" and her sister craft will ever be fresh in the minds of those who have made even a casual study of the events which took place during the campaign carried on by the brave men from the youngest State in the Republic.
The "Laguna de Bay," the first converted gunboat, was placed in commission on January, 1899. She was formerly used by the Spanish as an excursion boat on the body of water from which she derived her name and prior to the fall of Manila had been captured by the Filipinos and turned over to the United States. She was by no means a small craft considering her environments—shallow rivers and muddy bayous. She was 140 feet in length, 40-foot beam with a draught of four feet. When she was fitted out it was decided to give her some protection for the men, so her main deck, the upper deck, the pilot house and the Gatling battery, were protected by a double sheeting of steel. The many bullet marks on this light armor demonstrated afterwards the wisdom of this policy. At this point it may not be out of order to interpolate the fact that her companion gunboats were similarly protected, which accounts for the small list of casualties.
The armament of the gunboat consisted of two three-inch marine guns, two 1.65 Hotchkiss revolving cannon and four Gatlings. At first Lieutenant R.C. Naylor was in charge of the guns, while Captain Randolph of the Third United States Artillery commanded the vessel. In addition to the men from the Utah batteries, several were detailed from the various regiments to act as sailors, riflemen and cannoneers.
The boats which were added to the fleet were the "Oeste," the "Napindan" and the "Cavadonga." The last went into commission on May 6th and was commanded by Lieutenant William C. Webb. The crews of the vessel[Pg 79] were made up of members of the Utah batteries and men from the Twenty-third United States Infantry, the First South Dakota Infantry and the Third United States Battery.
On the morning of February 5th the "Laguna de Bay" steamed up the Pasig to the town of Santa Ana while the Nebraska, California and Washington troops assaulted the enemy from the land. Twenty minutes after the boat turned her guns upon the town the principal buildings were in flames and the stricken garrison made all haste toward San Pedro Macati and Guadaloupe. Next she turned her attention to those portions of the enemy stationed in Bacoor and Mandaloya. Her forward guns tore great gaps in the enemy's earthworks and her Gatlings raked the trenches with so galling a fire that the foe was sent flying towards the woods in the region of Pasig with the Nebraska Infantry in speedy pursuit. The following morning the boat passed Santa Ana, where two three-inch Krupp guns had been captured by the Idaho troops, and reconnoitered the native position in the woods beyond. Late that afternoon she returned to Manila and replenished her coal bunkers, when she resumed her old position at the Nebraska landing.
March 7th the gunboat again passed Santa Ana and went up as far as Guadaloupe, where the First California was quartered. General Anderson came up the river in a launch and a consultation was held as to future operations. Nothing of moment happened that day, but on the morrow General King arrived on his way to Pasig for the purpose of demanding the surrender of the town. He desired the "Laguna de Bay" to await his return. A vigilant patrol was kept up that evening and during the night three shots were fired by sentries from the boat. The day following was uneventful, but on the 10th the "Oeste," which was towing a casco, came alongside and stated that Colonel Stotsenberg had sent word that the insurgents were massing west of the camp of the Nebraska regiment.
It was on the 14th that word was received from Colonel DuBois of the Idaho regiment to hurry up stream at all speed. This was done and an effort made to anchor[Pg 80] off the mouth of the Pateros, where the infantry fire was very brisk. Here it was that Lieutenant Harting met his death. Harting with four men got aboard and the line was dropped when the boat sank, being swept almost immediately under the gunwale of the "Laguna de Bay." The three men forward grasped the gunwale and were saved, but the officer and the fourth man went down stream. Though the Lieutenant was a good swimmer, no sign of him could be seen. He was heavily laden with revolver, belt and ammunition. Lieutenant Larson jumped overboard to rescue him, but was unable to get even a glimpse of him. His body was found two days later near General Otis's headquarters. The fourth man escaped by swimming ashore.
By order of the Commanding General February 16th, Major Grant took command of the river force and Captain Randolph rejoined his regiment. The next day an assiduous fire was directed against San Pedro Macati with telling effect.
The commanders now decided that in case the forces stationed at Guadaloupe should be too strongly pressed by the enemy they should fall back to San Pedro Macati, setting fire to the convent and other principal buildings as they returned. In this instance the gunboat was to steam up above Guadaloupe. On Sunday, February 19th, this very thing was done though the insurgents as yet had made no advance. The soldiers left the convent after firing it. As the gunboat moved up the stream she met with a determined resistance. The opposing force repeatedly assailed her, but her Gatlings finally compelled them to withdraw. An unsuccessful effort was made to explode a quantity of nitro-glycerine in the convent by the use of percussion shell. The boat then advanced nearer the town where it engaged the insurgents on both sides of the river. Every gun now played upon the enemy's lines. In the course of twenty minutes twenty-five three-inch shells, 4200 Gatling, 1500 Krag-Jorgenson and 800 Springfields were expended. This spirited defense caused the prudent native to withdraw to a country less subject to leaden bullets, and the boat dropped down stream. In the afternoon Admiral Dewey visited the "Laguna de[Pg 81] Bay" in quest of information, and while he was securing what he came after a Filipino sharpshooter began taking pot shots at the Admiral, who, being unprotected, decided he was far enough inside the enemy's lines and turned back.
At San Felipe Lieutenant Naylor was sent ashore on the following day to cut down some trees and burn some huts so the view of the boats' gunners would not be obstructed, which duty was performed under a straggling fire.
Admiral Dewey visited the gunboats on the 21st, stating he would send two rapid-fire guns for the "Laguna de Bay." That was the object of his visit, which was short. The same day General King and his staff came aboard and were taken up the stream. Word was soon afterward received that the Wyoming battalion was going to advance on the enemy near Guadaloupe on the left of the river early the following morning but as the gunboat was not in a position to aid in the expedition she remained inactive when the firing began the next morning.
On the day following Lieutenant Naylor again landed with a small force of men at San Felipe, where he set fire to the buildings and cut down trees which would have obstructed the view. Nothing occurred until the night of the 25th, when desultory firing was heard at San Felipe, and following this matters were unusually quiet until the night of March 1st. That day the insurgents were encountered at San Pedro Macati and the Gatlings, the three-inch and the 1.65-inch guns were brought into action. During the firing Sergeant Shea received a slight wound in the hand. A three-inch gun was disabled in this engagement. Two days later another conflict took place at the same point resulting in the complete defeat of the enemy, who was forced from his position after a severe bombardment.
The morning of March 4th opened cloudy with "Laguna de Bay" at San Pedro. A sharp skirmish soon began. The natives held their position for some time but were finally compelled to give way before the superior strength of the Americans. Under orders from General Wheaton the gunboat followed them and directed a dead[Pg 82]ly fire into the woods on both sides of the river. During the fight, which lasted several hours, the boat was frequently struck by the bullets of the enemy. It was during this encounter that Private John Toiza of the Third Artillery laid down his life. He was shot in the left breast, the bullet passing downward through his heart, killing him instantly. A shell also lodged in the 1.65-inch gun, disabling it for the time.
On March 5th Admiral Dewey again came alongside and stated that General Otis had declared he believed he would keep the gunboats down the stream if they did not cease fighting so much. Then the Admiral added with emphasis, "We ought to have three such boats."
Two days later when Hale's brigade made an advance upon the insurgents on the left, and the natives were hurried with great speed toward Mariquina and the San Mateo river, the "Laguna de Bay" again performed excellent service in flanking them and turning their left wing against our right.
Very early on the morning of March 13th the battle of Guadaloupe and Pasig opened, the attention of the guns on the boat being centered on Guadaloupe. Meanwhile Wheaton advanced his troops on the right to Patteros and along the Pasig. The advance to Guadaloupe began along the river with the gunboat in the vanguard. Two insurgents partially concealed in the bushes on the banks were taken prisoners and turned over to the Twenty-third Infantry. Sunken cascos, loaded with rock, were frequently encountered, but the boat avoided them with only a little delay. Generals Anderson and Wheaton moved up from the right and the gunboat started up the stream. Near the Mariquina river they met with a fierce fire from both sides of the stream but no one on the boat was injured. Two Filipino launches were noticed but they got away. A casco was found in which were the clothing of some Filipino officer and men. The wearers had escaped.
On the day following there was a brisk engagement at Pasig in which the town was bombarded with good effect, some thirty of the enemy being killed, while the remainder were sent flying in all directions.[Pg 83]
Nothing of interest occurred until Wednesday, March 15th, when a casco manned by natives was chased down the river. She was overhauled but not until her crew had jumped overboard and swam ashore. The "Laguna de Bay" raised a white flag for the purpose of investigating, but the insurgents instead of recognizing it pivoted a sharp small rim fire upon the boat which answered with a heavy rain of shell and shrapnel.
Two days later an expedition, led by the gunboats, headed for Morong on the opposite side of the lake. Lieutenant Webb with a Gatling and twenty-four men went ashore to make a reconnoissance. This small detachment was followed by three infantrymen under Captain Pratt. Upon the advance of the Americans the enemy retreated quickly across the plain and disappeared in the shades of the mountains beyond. One thousand bushels of rice and three cascos were captured at this place and a letter from General Pilar directing a general advance on Pasig was also found. But few inhabitants remained in the town and upon questioning them it was learned that the Filipinos had several large launches on the Pagsanyan river.
Major Grant had long been working t............