The three big Utah guns were rushed to a position on the right of the station, about 100 yards from the enemy, and where there was partial protection from a nipa hut. Earthworks were quickly thrown up and to divert the enemy's attention while this was going on, a squad of Montana men kept up a constant fire from a position immediately in front of the artillery. Bullets came in sheets from the Filipino position. A Montana sharpshooter, shot through the head, fell dead at the foot of the half-made emplacement. Fleming's guns pointed through an aperture broken through the solid brick walls of the station facing the half-demolished bridge. Further off to the left Corporal Bjarnson with the revolving Hotchkiss was with the line of Kansas infantry under Colonel Funston. Out on the left Colonel Funston was performing the famed and intrepid feat by which he was able to cross the river. Protected by the swift fire of the revolving Hotchkiss, a Kansas man with a rope swam the swift moving waters of the Pampanga and fastened one end to the base of a bamboo tree. Then Funston with about forty of his men crossed the river on hastily constructed rafts, guided by the long ropes. Suddenly this small body of warriors charged and attacked the insurgents on the left flank. The insurgents who had valiantly and stubbornly held their position, were terrorized by the unexpected onslaught, and the whole line in the east side of the bridge sprang from the intrenchment and fled northward along the railroad embankment. Natives were strewn thick upon the banks of the river as they ran. A mounted Filipino officer was shot through the heart as he stood with flashing sword vainly trying to rally his confused and fleeing troops. The Tagalans to the right were touched with consternation and fled from their bulwarks. And so during this one hour Colonel Funston performed the most dashing deed of the war and the Malay hosts were driven from their strongest defense. Fifteen hundred American soldiers in this battle contested with 12,000 intrenched warriors of Luzon, and won by their prowess and the strategy of a gallant leader.
The two brigades were allowed to rest for several days on the sunny banks of the Pampanga. On May 14th the troops began the march toward San Fernando, which lies green and low at the base of Mt. Arayat, which can be seen for many miles around. The artillery, with the mules, crossed the river on rafts. Wheaton advanced up the railroad track while Hale's brigade strung out over the Apalit road.
A revolving Hotchkiss cannon and one Gatling gun, manned by Battery B detachments, were mounted on trucks. This moving battery was commanded by Lieutenant Naylor. As the troops approached Santo Tomas the insurgents were discovered, intrenched on both sides of the railroad. As the infantry engaged them on the right, Lieutenant Naylor's machine guns played on the thin line of smoke curling above the Filipino intrenchment. As the infantry pressed them on the right they retreated over the railroad towards a long line of intrenchments, and the bullets from the Gatling fell among them here faster than autumn leaves. Colonel Funston, at the head of his troops, took the fire line of intrenchments on the left of the track and moved down on the Tagalans, who had constructed a long line of intrenchments parallel with the railway. They were beaten back by the Kansas men, but in this charge Colonel Funston fell, having sustained a slight wound in the arm. During this engagement General Luna, most renowned of the Filipino chiefs, was wounded in the arm, and as there was only a light infantry fire, the opinion prevailed that this was inflicted by Lieutenant Naylor's fast-clicking Gatling gun. General Wheaton personally praised Lieutenant Naylor for his work in the Santo Tomas battle, and afterwards in his report recommended him for meritorious service.
Over on the right up the Apalit road Captain Wedgewood and Lieutenant Critchlow were encountering difficulties. The insurgents had constructed pitfalls in the road. They were thinly covered with a layer of leaves and earth and the wayward feet of mule and soldier were menaced beneath with sharp pointed wedges of bamboo. These were discovered early in the march and no accidents resulted from them. There was some brisk fighting on this end of the line and the big guns shelled the insurgents on the opposite side of the river. The whole of the next day was consumed in transporting the artillery and equipage across the river on a raft constructed by the engineers, and on May 6th they entered San Fernando.
This fair city was half destroyed by flames, and when the troops entered no lingering black warriors could be found. They had all retreated farther north, following in the general direction of the railway. Major-General MacArthur's headquarters were established near the center of that part of the city which was untouched by the flames, and close by the Utah guns were parked. Later one of the big guns was utilized for outpost duty, a rather remarkable use for artillery. Every night after the Filipinos had begun to gather again near the city one of the pieces with a gun crew would go down a sunken road and watch all night with the farthest outposts of the infantry.
During this period Major-General Otis had issued an order offering thirty pesos to every Filipino warrior who would return his rifle to the American authorities. On May 23rd Major Bell went on an expedition up the railway track for the purpose of posting up the order, and took with him two troops of the Fourth Cavalry and a revolving Hotchkiss gun, manned by Sergeant Emil Johnson and Corporal Hesburg of Battery A and Private Martin of Battery B. All the men were mounted and the cannon equipped with a small Filipino horse, so that if necessary a hasty retreat could be made. They proceeded up the railway track, and notices were duly and conspicuously left at Bacalor and Quiuag. Just as the forces reached the outskirts of Santa Rita they were fired on by a large body of insurgents, who were heavily intrenched around the city. The revolving cannon was used effectively and Major Bell and his men went into action five times, but the insurgent attack was too fierce for the small force and it was obliged to retreat. With a whoop of joy the Filipinos rose from their trenches in pursuit, cheering loudly as they came. They followed for five miles through Bacalor, and as far back as their old intrenchments surrounding San Fernando. The rather meagre encouragement of having been able to chase a small troop of cavalry seemed to give the Tagalans at this time an idea that they had the whole American force in retreat.
During the night word was brought to General MacArthur that the Filipinos were preparing to make an attack early the next morning. At dawn the Montana and Kansas regiments and a platoon under Lieutenant Naylor went out to meet them. The Filipinos were in force in their old position to the northwest. The Kansas went through some cornfields on the left and the Montanas through a sunken road to the right. The artillery remained in a concealed position in the center and waited until the two regiments had moved up on the startled natives from both flanks. As the insurgents retreated in confusion the big guns played on the scattered ranks. A large number of the natives were killed during this clever maneuver and thirty of their rifles were captured.
The Tagalans when on the warpath are persistent. The next day they occupied intrenchments farther to the north. They were again driven back and this time they took up a position towards Mexico and in front of the Iowa troops.
During the next few days the Malay hordes came toward San Fernando from all sides. Eventually their forces completely surrounded the city. General MacArthur watched their plans, saw them tearing up the earth for intrenchments and waited. It was apparent that they were preparing to march with crushing force upon the American troops.
The cloud burst on June 16th. Just at that time, when the Americans were not looking for them, the Tagalans descended on the town. Captain Fred Wheeler was out on a plain drilling a troop of the Fourth United States Cavalry. It was in the morning and there was a heavy mist. One of Captain Wheeler's men informed him that he could see the "niggers" coming. The Captain could see nothing and sent for his glasses, but before they arrived the long skirmish line of the Tagalans could be seen emerging like spectres from the mist. Then there was a remarkable spectacle—the Fourth Cavalry and the Tagalan warriors racing for the same intrenchments. The cavalrymen arrived first and there the battle began.