The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-11
Loss to Americans Was
Slight.
Invaders Given Sharp Reception
In Some Places.


Cruz was the Filipinos' stronghold ON
Lake Laguns de Bay, and ii fell into the
hands OF General Lawton's expedition
after somo sharp, quick fighting, forming
one of the most interesting and important
tattles of the war.
The plans Of the Americans command
ers worked perfectly with the exception
that the progress of the expedition was
delayed by difficult navigation Of the
river. About 1900 picked men composed
the expedition which was under the per-
sonal command OF General Lawton. on
account of illness Of General King. These
troops partly surrounded the city while
the gunbosts Laguna de Bay, Napindan
and Oesto, under the command of Capt.
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 fighting tactics, which
eventually resulted In. the complete rout
Of the rebels with the smallest amount Of
damage to the city and slight loss to the
Americans. The expedition started from
San Pedro Macati at dark on Saturday,
intending to capture Santa Cruz by as.
sault at day break. But, In navigating
the shallow, tortuous Pasig river perhaps
through the cunning of the native pilots
who were not anxious to sec the Amori-
cans successful. several boats grounded
and it was nearly dawn when the troops
| reached the lake. The expedition then
steamed cautiously forward, the Napin-
| dan and the Oesto mile ahead and the
i 4 L. d. 1t ,..r
| Re bel signal fires, however, were
| lighted on the mountain tops, giving
warning of the approach of the troops
| 1t was noon before the white cnurch
| towers of the oity appeared In the shallow
of the great volcanic mountain, on
marshy plain, dotted with occasional
palm groves. A casoo with a force of 20O
picked sharpshooters, under Major
Weisenbe berger, mostly belonging to the
first Washington regiment was run into a
shallow inlet about 1ye miles south OF
the city.
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
hundred yards. crept forward and formed
in line covering the landing OF the re-
| mainder, which finished about five
O'Clock. The three troops of the 4th
cavalry, unmounted. were sent ashore
on dangerous marshy point, directly
south of the city under fire from the
\ enemy. Meanwhile in the town itself
there was utter silence and mott sign OF
| life.
| General Lawton, desiring to make an
| inspection and to give the Inhabitants an
opportunity to surrender, went on board
the Laguna do BAY and accompanied by
the Associated Press launch, steamed
/ Il. fDN
| ing anxiously. When 1t was discovered
| by the glasses that the trenches and stone
buildings wsre swarming with white clad
soldiers, the two boats Withdrew. re-
ceiving volleys from the trenches thrown
up on the marshy PLAIN north of the city.
Ihe f1otilla anchored in compact lorna
tion for the night ready to resist any sur
prises from the rebel gunboats supposed
| 10 be In the lake.
At sunrise today (Monday) the assault
commenced. The American line south of
| the city, stretched two miles inland and,
with It's lett sweeping the shore, 1t moved
north, while the fourth cavalry men on
| the point advanced toward the city pour
ing volleys upon the trenches Simultane-
ously the gunboatS lowered along the
shore, shellin2 the woods ahead OF the
troops and driving the tilipinos inland.
| The Gatlings cleared several trenches
| The whole brigade was divided into
squads of twelve and the lighting was
carried on in the old time frontier fashion
| from behind trees, crawling through
bushes or rushing across the open. Ine
| trenches that were not cleared py the
gunboats gave considerable resistance
when the line was nearing the CITY, aho
the Laguna dc bay anu Oesto bombarded
for an hour in the hope of making them
too warm for occupancy, but did not sue
coed in clearing them entirely
General Lawton with the 14th infantry
battalions, approached "a narrow iron
bridge across creek on the south border
of the town. Here a company OF f1nplnos
was entrenched across uhe stream and be-
shiud a stone barricade at the entrance to
the bridge. The Americans rushed for
ward In single file, In the face of gall
ling fire. demolishlng the barricade with
their 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 a regular
nest of them in the stone jail which Is
wedged in by wall. This was veritable
pepper pot.
The Americans singly and in pairs en-
tered the houses and many warriors were
taken prisoners. A considerable body of
Filipinos fled northward. crossing The
open marshes, but the Gatlings poured
upon them deadly tIe until they disap-
peared in the WOODS, staying dozens.
Major Weisenberger 0eployed the sharp
shooters along this shore, and they crept
steadily forward, aiding tie OEtHngs,
J Finally large body was seat against the
I enemy in The woods, driv ng them toward
the mountains. GenslHi i4awton estaD-
lished headquarters at the elegant palace
of the governor and u guard was isnnedi-
| ately placed in the church. as the sacred
editces are always the first objective Of