The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-04-13
GENERAL HENRY W. LAwToN.

partly surrounded the city, while the
gunboats Laguna de Bay, Rapidan and
Oeste, 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, some times leading
charges in Indian fighting tactics
which eventually resulted in the com.
plete rout of the rebels, with the small
est amount of damage to the city and
slight loss to the Americans.
The expedition started from San
Pedro Macati at dusk on Saturday, in.
tending to capture Santa Cruz by as
sault at daybreak. But in navigating
the shallow, tortuous Pasig river, per-
haps through the cunning of the native
pilots, who were not anxious to see the
the Americans successful, several boats
grounded and it was nearly dawn when
the troops reached the lake. The expe-
dition then steamed cautiously forward,
the Rapidan and the Oeste mile ahead
and the Laguna de Bay guarding the
rear.
Rebel signal fires, however, were
lighted on the mountain tops, giving
warning of the approach Of the troops.
1t was noon before the white church
towers of the city appeared in the
shadow of the great volcanic mountain
on marshy plain dotted with occasional
palm groves.
A casco with q force of 200 picked
sharpshooters, under Major Weisenber
ger, mostly belonging to the First Wash.
ington regiment, was run into shallow
inlet about five miles south of the city.
Then few shells were sent toward
the entertainments Of the rebels at the
edge of the woods, sending the enemy
scampering inland.
TT en- number of Americans jumped
into the water and, wading for about
100 yards, crept forward and formed in
hne, covering the landing of the remain.
der, which finished about o'clock.
The three troops of the Fourth cavalry,
unmounted, were sent ashore on a dan.
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
General Lawton, desiring to make an
inspection and to give the inhabitants
an opportunity to surrender, went on
board the Laguna de Bay and, accom-.
panied 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
swarming with white.clad soldiers, the
two boats withdrew, receiving volleys
from the trenches thrown up on the
marshy plain north of the city.
The flotilla anchored in compact for.
nation for the night, ready to resist any
surprises from the rebel gunboats sup
posed to be in the lake. At suprist
Monday the assault cQmmenced. The
American line south of the city stretched
about two miles inland and, with it,
left sweeping the shore, it moved north,
while the Fourth cavalrymen on the
point advanced toward the city ponring
yolleys upon the trenches. SimultaD.
eously the gunbOats hovered along the
shore, shelling the woods ahead of the
troops and driving the Filipinos inland.
The gatlings cleared several trenches,
The whole brigade was divided into
squads of IL, and the lighting was car,
ried on in the old time frontier fashion,
from behind trees, crawling through
bushes or rushing across the open. The
trenches that were not cleared by the
gunbOats gave considerable resistance
when the line was nearing the city, and
the Laguna de Bay and Oeste bonn,
barded for about an hour in the hope OF
making them too warm for occupancy,
but did not succeed in clearing them en-
tirely.
General Lawton, with the Fourteenth
infantry battalions, approached a mar
row iron bridge across creek on the
south border Of the town. Here com.
pany of Fiiipinos was entrenched
across the stream and behind a stone
barricade at the entrance to the bridge
The Americans rushed forward in sim
gle file, in the face of CALLING fire, de-
molishinR the barricade with their
Io..,4s, - u4OYe Ine enemy ItOm the
Intrepchments, killing dozen.
Tive Filipino soldiers in that town Sc
ereted in various buildings and firing
from the windows, gave the invaders
an interesting time. There was a regu-
lar nest of them in the stone jail,
which Is edged in by wall. This was
veritable pepperpot.
The Americans, singly and in pairs,
entered 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 a
deadly hail until they disappeared in
the woods, staying dozens.
Major Weisenberger .deployed the