Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-04-11
SANTA CRUZ HAS BEEN TAKEN.
General Lawion's Force Drove the In
surgentS Into the Mountains

General Lavton's Force Drove the In
surgents Into the Mountains
THE AMERICANS IN CLOSE PUR-
SUIT-IN THE FIGHT AT SANTA
CRUZ THE ENEMY'S CASUAL
TIES WE'RE 6S KILLED AND 40
WOUNDED ~ SIX AMERICANS
WE'RE WOUNDED THE INSUR-
GENTS WE'RE COMMANDED BY
A CHINESE OFFLCER-CLEAR
ING THE INSURGENTS OUT OF
SOUTHERN LUZON.
Manila, April 10.-6:50 p. m.-Gen.
I.awton has captured Santa Cruz, at the
extreme end of the lake. He drove
the rebels, who were commanded by
CIhinaanan named Pao-Wah, into the
mountains. The Americans had SIX
men wounded. The rebels lost 6S men
killed and had 40 men wounded.
Manila. April 10.-7 p. m.-Santa
Cruz was the Filipinos' stronghold on
Lake Laguna de Bay, and 1t fell INTO
the hands of Gen. Lawton's expedftlon
after some sharp, quick fighting, FORM
ing one of the most interesting aud I'M
portant BATTLES of the war,
The plans of the American command
er worked perfectly, with the exception
that the progress of the expedlCloh
was delayed by the difficult navlgarlon
of the river. About fifteen hundred
picked men composed the expedition
which was under the personal COM
Inand of Gen I4awton, on account on tue
Illness. of Gen. King. These troops
MARTY surrounded the city, while the
punboats Leguna de Bay, Napidau and
Oeste. under the command OF Captain
Grant. of the Utah battery, shelled the
city and outlying trenches.
Cen. Lawton and his staff accompa-
MED the troops, sometimes Leaning
charges in Indian fighting tactics
which eventually resulted in the com
nlete roaut of the rebels, with the small
est. amount of damage to the city anu
slight loss to the Americans.
The expedition started from San Pc
dro Macati ait dusk on Saturday, intend
ing to capture Santa Cruz by assault
at daybreak. But in navigating the
shallow. torturous Pasig river, perhaps
through the cunning OF the natlve
nilo+s who were not anxious to see the
Americans successful, several boats
grounded and it was nearly dawn when
4ba trnous reached the lake. The eX-
pedition then steamed cautiously TOT
ward. the Napidau and the Oeste
mile ahead and the Laguna de BAY
guarding the rear.
aebel signal fires, however, were
lighted on the mountain tops, giving
warning of the approach OF the troops.
It was noon before the white church
towers of the city appeared in the
shadow of the great volcanic mountain
dotted with occasional palm groves.
a casco with force of two hundred
picked sharpshooters, under MAJOR
Weisenberger, mostly belonging to the
First Washington regiment, was run
into a shallow inlet about five miles
south of the city.
Then a few shells were sent toward
the entertainments of the rebels at the
edge of the woods, sending the enemy
scampering inland
Then a number of Americans jumped
into the water, and wading for about
a hundred yards, crept forward and
formed in line, covering the landing
of the remainder, which finished about
5 O'Clock.
The troops of the Fourth cavalry,
unmounted, were sent ashore on a dam
gerous, marshy point, directly south OF
the city, under fire from the enemy's
trenches.
Meanwhile in the town itself there
was utter silence and not sign of
life. Gen. Lawton, desiring to make
an inspection and to give the inhabi-
tants an opportunity to surrender,
went on board the Laguna de Bay and,
accompanied by the Associated Press
launch, steamed slowly to the dock,
the whole feet watching anxiously.
When it was discovered by the glasses
that the trenches and stone buildings
were swarmed with white clad SOL
diers, the two boats withdrew, receiv
ing volleys from the trenches thrown
up on the marshy plain north of the
city.
The f1otilla anchored in compact for
nation for the night ready to resist
any surprises from the rebel gunboats
supposed to be in the lake. At sun
rise to-day (Monday) the assault COM
menced. The American line south of
the city stretched two miles inland and,
with its left sweeping the shore, it NOV
ed north, while the fourth cavalry on
the point advanced toward the city,
pouring volleys upon the trenches. Sim
ultaneously the gunboats lowered along
the shore, Smelling the woods ahead of
the troops and driving the Filipinos in
land. The gatlings cleared several
trenches.
The whole brigade was divided into
squads OF II, and the fighting was car
ried on in the old-time frontier fash
ion, from behind trees, crawling
through bushes or rushing across the
open. The trenches that were not
cleared by the gunboats gave consid-
cradle resistance when the line was
nearing the city, and the Laguna de
Bay and Oeste bombarded for an hour
in the hope of making them too warm
for occupancy, but it did not succeed
in clearing them entirely.
Gen. Lawton with the Fourteenth in
fantry battalions, approached narrow
iron bridge across creek on the south
border of the town. Here company
of Filipinos was entrenched across the
stream and behind stone barricade at
the entrance to the bridge The Am
orleans rushed forward in single file in