The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1899-04-14
Capture OF SANTA CRUZ
Most Interesting Battle of
the War.
NO AMERICANS WERE KILLED
FiIipinos Driven From the City with
Great Loss-GeneraI Lawton's Plans
Perfect Success.

Manllas april lS.-0cneIat baWtOn
has captured Santa Cruz, at the ex-
treme end Of tie lake. and driven the
rebels, who were commanded by
Chinaman named Pc Wah, into the
mountains. The American loss was
ak wounded. The rebels lost 6S killed
and 40 wounded.
Santa Cruz was the Filipino strong
hold in Lake Laguna de Bay, and it
fell into the hands OF General Lawton's
expedition after some sharp, quick
fighting, forming one of the most in
teresting and important battles OF the
war. The plans OF the American COM
man1ers worked perfectly, with the ex-
ception that the progress of the expedi-
tion was delayed by the difficult navi-
CATION Of the river
About 800 picked men. commanded
by General Lawton, on account OF the
illness of General King, partly sur
rounded the city while the eunboats
Laguna de Bay, Oeste and Napidan,
under the command Of Captain Grant,
OF the Utah battery, shelled the city
and outlying trenches.
General Lawton and his staff accom-
panied the troops, sometimes leading
charges in Indian-fghting tactics,
which eventually resulted in the com.
plete rout of the rebels, with the
smallest amount OF damage to the city
and slight loss to the Americans.
A casco, with a force of 200 picked
sharpshooters, under Major Weisen.
berger, mostly belonging to the First
Washington regiment. was run into a
shallow 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
number of Americans jumped into the
water, and. wading for about 400 yards,
crept forward on the line, covering the
landing of the remainder, which fin.
ished debarking about O'Clock.
Three troops of the Fourth cavalry, un-
mounted, were sent ashore on dam
gerous marshy point, directly south oil
the city, under fire from the enemy's
trenches. Meanwhile in the town it.
self there was utter silence, and there
was not sign of life.
At sunrise the assault commenced.
The American outline south of the city
stretched two miles inland, and with
its left sweeping the shore, 1t moved
north, while the Fourth cavalrymen,
on the point, advanced toward the city,
pouring volleys on the trenches.
Simultaneously the gunboats hover
ing along the shore shelled the woods
ahead of the troops, and drove the Fill
pinos inland. The gatlings cleared
several trenches.
The trenches that were not cleared
by the gunboats gave considerable re-
sistance 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 did not succeed in clearing them
entirely.
General Lawton, with the Four
teenth infantry battalions, approached
narrow iron bridge across creek on
the south border of the town. Here a
company of Filipinos was intrenched
across the stream and behind stone
barTicade at the entrance to the bridge.
The Americans rushed forward in
single file in the face OF CALLING fire,
demolishing the barTicade with theif
hands, and drove the enemy from the
trenches, killing dozen.
The Filipino soldiers in the town,
secreted in various buildings and firing
from the windows, gave the invaders
an interesting hour. There was reg.
ular nest OF them in the stone Jail,
which is hedged in by wall. This
was veritable peppeipot. The Amer
leans. single or in pairs, entered the
houses, and many warriors were taken
prisoners.
General Lawton established head
quarters at the elegant palace Of this
governor, and guard was Immediately
placed in the church, as sacred edifices
are always the first objective point oi
looters. Within an hour the town was
patrolled, and all looting rigidly pre-
vented.
Almost all the inhabitants had fed
during the two preceding nights, and
only few Chinese shopkeepers have
emerged from hiding and resumed bus.
iness,
on the march north Of town were
found 40 dead Filipinos, some terribly
torn by shells. and many others
wounded, to whom the Americans
offered their canteens as though they
were comrades. A surgeon who ira
versed the field counted 80skilled, and
General Lawton will report at least S.
A Strategic Position.
Manila, April l2.-The capture by
Lawton OF Santa Cruz is of immense
strategic importance. 1t Ia the key to
Laguna de Bay, and now cuts of Agui-
naldo from the troops south of Manila.
As the wires are cut he cannot COM
municate promptly except with the
troops he has with him,