LUKBAN
jumped from the second floor window to the ground as agile Samareños jumped out of the window behind him in pursuit . He got up and ran past the corner of the convent where the cook Bertholf was standing with his Krag . Bertholf fired , killing one of Connell ’ s pursuers , but more than a dozen Samarenos quickly drove Connell to the ground under a rain of blows and the Captain died there , beside the convento . 18
Pvt . George E . Meyer heard a succession of shouts , the tower bells ringing a deafening appeal , and saw a crowd of natives with Abanador going towards them with the intention of cutting them from their weapons in the barracks . “ They were brandishing bolos and clubs and yelling like devils ,” said Meyer . 19
Pedro Duran in his story said he did not see the tactical adjustments Abanador had to make . While in their original plan Abanador was to signal first , in the account of two American survivors , it would not have been right for him to do so for that would be noticed by the sentries . He had to neutralize the sentry first as he shouted his signal to the boys in the belfry and his men to attack , “ Atake , mga Balangigan-on !” ( Attack , men of Balangiga !) The cane signal would have wasted a few precious seconds and alerted the guards . 20
By his own account , Gamlin , the sentry at Post No . 3 , did not become unconscious from the butt of his own rifle . But he fell down . Abanador accordingly followed with a bayonet thrust to his body , which wounded him slightly , and when he rose , he was again struck on the head with a bolo by another native but he managed to remain standing . He followed the rush of prisoners toward the main barracks to get another rifle . But he was met by Mariano Valdenor with a bolo and a knife . He managed to grapple with the Filipino but was hit by the knife . Still he managed to run and find a ladder to climb his barracks using the bamboo ladder brought by the natives . He could not find any rifle there either . So he ran downstairs and rushed to Betron ’ s quarters . He found a rifle , then turned around to fire at an attacker . From there he started shooting at the natives who were throwing down the rifles from the window . 21
Gamlin managed to go back to the main barracks where he found four other soldiers . Here they set up a defensive perimeter and killed some more Filipinos with their rifles . It became the assembly point of the soldiers who were still alive . Sgt . Betron , being the most senior noncommissioned officer , then took command of the depleted company . The firing from their group caused the natives to retreat and probably provided the Americans the needed respite to regroup . 22
Escape According to Pvt . Meyer , for a moment , they considered the chance
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