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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