The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-20
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1865. he was breveted colonel for gallant
and meritorious service during the war.
| He entered the regular establishment in
July, 1886, as second lieutenant of the
Fourteenth infantry (coloreD and remain
! ed with that branch of the army until jan
| uary, 1871.
| In September, 1888, he was appointed In
spector general with the rank of Major.
| At the opening of the war with Spain Pres
| ident Mckinley appointed him brigadier
general of volunteers and assigned him to
a division of the Fifth army corps COM
manded by General Shafter.
In July, 1898, he was chosen for the i'm
portant duty of opening the military op-
erations against the Spaniards by the cap
ture of Ell Caney and the interception of
the Spanish reinforcements then nearing
Santiago de Cuba.
General Lawton sailed for the Philippine
islands on the transport Grant January IS,
1899.
On General Lawton's arrival at Manila
he relieved General Anderson in command
of the regular troops. He captured Santa
Cruze, at the extreme end of the lake near
Manila, April TO-
The place, which was a Filipino strong
hold, fell into the hands of General Law
toms expedition after some sharp fighting
which formed one of the most interesting
battles of the war.
General Lawton and his staff, accompan-
led the troops some times leading charges
in Indian fighting tactics, which eventually
resulted in the complete route of the rebels.
The generals next hard fighting took
place in his attack on San Rafael, where
the American troops were met with
heavy fire from a large number of rebels
who were concealed in the jungle on all
sides.
His Indian Fighting Tactics
Only the adoption by General Lawton of
the tactics followed in Indian fighting in
the United States, every man for himself,
saved the division from great loss. AS
usual, General Lawton was at the head of
his line with his staff After the capture
of Isidro by General Lawton, President Nc
Kinley sent him the following message
ITO Otis, Manila:
Convey to General Lawton and his gall
liant men my congratulations upon the sue
cessful operations during the past month,
resulting in the capture of San Isidro.
"(Sgned VIM. M'KINLEY."
1t was announced June Is that General
Lawton had been placed in command of the
defense of Manila and the troops forming
the line around the city.
Early in October General Lawton was en-
gagged in dispensing the insurgents and cut
ting off the communication maintained by
them between Bacoor and linus by means
of the roads between those places. He was
successful in clearing the country of Fill
pinos and was sveral times under fire. He
then pushed northward captured a number
of towns and drove the insurgents every
where before him.
General Lawton and General Young arriv-
ed at Ayrat October 10, with force of
about 5000 men. He next made his head
quarters at Cabanatuan and took an ac-
tive part in dispensing the insurgents in diff
ferent parts of the country.
About the middle of November the where
aboutS of General Lawton and General
Young, on account of the rapidity of their
movements, became almost as mysterious
as those of Aguinaldo.
Suffered Great Hardships
General Lawton's troops suffered consid-
erable hardship in this series of energetic
movements. Numbers of the soldiers and
even some of the officers were described as
marching half naked, their clothing
being torn to shruls in getting through the
iungles; hundreds of them were bare-footed
and all of them living on any sort of pro-
visions. Bread was rare and caracao meal
and bananas were the supplies.
The general was at Tayug on December l,
his troops having captured large quantities
of insurgent supplies. Later he returned
to Manila and started on December Is to
capture San Mateo, where he was shot and
killed.