plied Manila. Those three companies were put on patrol duty along the pipe line for more than a month, engaging in frequent skirmishes with the enemy. March 4th all three companies had a sharp conflict, sweeping everything before them. March 5th, Company C encountered a strong force, which was held at bay until reinforcements came up, after a furious exchange of volleys. March 6 there was a movement through the Maraquina valley by Company G, which called for courage and endurance, as the enemy beset on every side. Lieut. C. A. Murphy, commanding a Hotchkiss and Catling battery, got into close quarters during this tour, but escaped with only two men wounded.
On the night of February 22, one of the most perplexing problems ever faced by any troops was thrown upon the provost guard, including the Second Oregon. Friends of the leader, Aguinaldo, in the effort to get the city of Manila to rise against the Americans, and to destroy the place over the heads of the American forces, had secretly inducted two full regiments with their arms into the city through the American lines. On the evening of .Washington's birthday, when the Americans were supposed to be celebrating, fires broke out in three quarters of Manila. It soon developed that the Filipino firemen were in league, as noth- ing was being done to stop the flames. American soldiers had to combat the flames, shoot at the lurking enemy on housetops and through windows, protect tens of thousands of women and children from fire and bullets, and do all this in a darkness illumined only by the burning buildings. For the work done that night, the Second Oregon received especial commendation from Provost Marshal General Hughes, and other high officers.
Next morning after the Manila fire, the Filipinos which had been fighting all over the city during the night, assembled in the Tondo district for a final stand. Companies E and M, under Major Willis, were sent as the Oregon contingent to attack this force. A hot engagement resulted, in which some 60 of the Fili- pinos were killed, and 50 taken prisoners, without casualty among the Oregon men.
Provost guard duty for the regiment ended March 12, when Col. Summers was ordered to take the field with Companies B, D, E, I, L and M, leaving A on city guard duty, F at the palace, and H in the customs house. Col. Summers was assigned for one unit in General Wheaton's flying command to drive up the Pasig to Laguna de Bay. Fighting began at San Pedro Macati the morning of March 13. Flanked and shelled by river gunboats, the Filipinos fled, so that the Oregon men were under fire but a brief time and lost no one. Next morning at Pasig Col. Summers took Companies E and I across the main river to flank entrenchments on Pasig Island. A swift detour brought the command upon the enemy, but after a few fusilades, the Filipinos fled, having wounded two Oregon men. Next day fighting on the same line was resumed, and Pasig was taken^ one man being killed and two wounded in the Oregon regiment, although there were many fatalities among the Filipinos and the firing was heavy for a period. March i8th, Companies B, D, E, I and L made a brilliant march to sweep the upper Pasig delta, having to fight in skirmish order for much of the outward movement, and were credited with 25 miles' marching at the close of day.
After clearing out the river districts, plans were laid for the northern march from Manila, on Aguinaldo's capital — Malolos. The Second Oregon returned to Manila March 20th for this campaign, and was joined by Major Eastwick's battalion, and Companies F and A. March 24th the regiment was put in the trenches at Caloocan, facing the strongest imaginable earthworks occupied by the Filipinos, and next morning the command, constituting the left wing of the army, dashed at the Filipino forces. This charge and the day's fighting by the regiment were one of the most brilliant, witnessed during the Filipino insurrec- tion. The formidable trenches captured could have been held against any infantry- force, if they had been properly manned. As it was, the regiment lost five killed outright, four mortally wounded, and 42 others were severely wounded, consti- tuting the heaviest single day's loss sustained by any of the volunteer or regular
