Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-03-24
INSURGENTS DRIVEN BACK
They Left 200 Dead Upon the Field.
Total nsurgent Loss in Killed. Wounded and Prisoners
Last Week Estimated at 2OOO-Severe Fighting at
Paney-AgunadO Executes 0fcers Who Counsel Peace.

Saturday, having made the voyage from
San Francisco in 26 days.
Lieut. Cowper of the British gunboat
Plover, crossed the lines of the insurgents
at Iloilo Friday. In long interview with
the insurgent leaders he advised them to
abandon their opposition to the Americans.
He told them the Americans had no wish
to rule in the spirit of old Spain, but they
wished to improve the country for the ben
eft of the people.
The natives reiterated their charges
that the Americans were guilty of acting
in bad faith; that their acts were not in
accordance with fair words. They assured
Lieut.. Cowper they were not fighting from
choice-were DESTROYS of renewing their
business and peaceful pursuits but deter
mined to make no compromise without con-
sulting Aguinaldo. They will stand or fall
with the island of Luzon. They treated
Lieut.. Cowper and his companions courte-
ously When asked by him as a dernier
resort what suggestion they had to make
toward solution they assured him frank
ly they were willing to negotiate for a
basis of peace through one of the great
Powers, preferably Great Britain. Lieut.
Cowper reported the result of the confer
ence to Gen Miller.
A company of the Washington regiment
captured $50 additional prisoners near
Taguig, beyond Pasig, and also seized
some ammunition Friday. The engineers
have bridged the Pasig river for the artil-
! lery and commissary trains.
Three companies of the 22d Infantry had
an engagement with force of insurgents
| Saturday nightnear Pateros.
/ The American losses were two killed and
| Is wounded. The losses of the enemy are
! not known but are OnSidarable
An attack was made by the rebels FRI
! day upon the battery at Iona church
| They were repulsed by the Pennsylvanians,
! with heavy loss lieutenant and two
/ privates of theI Pennsylvania company
| were wounded.
A correspondent at Hong Kong reports
! United States Consul Williams as saying
81 don't expect to live to the end of
the war, and gives this gloomy view of
! the situations The most remarkable feat
ure of the situation is the inability of the
| Americans and residents to estimate the
number, resources and plans of the Fill
pinos Prominent generals think that two
or three disastrous battles will break their
spirit and make them sue for terms. a
majority of the English and other residents
are of the opinion that the determination
of the Tagalos is the only guarantee of
peace; that they can easily be whipped if
they give battle, but that they will dodge
a meeting with the Americans in force.
Some people think they will risk battles at
| Malabon and Paranaque, where they are
strongly entrenched, and that if they are
defeated they will resume bush whacking as
long as any of them are left.
1t is reported at Manila that Aguinaldo
is taking extreme measures to suppress
signs calculated to cause cessation of hos
tilties. Twelve adherents of the plan of
Independence have been condemned to
death because they wrote advising surren-
der, and ali loyal Filipinos have been
called upon to perform the national service
of despatching them.
On Friday last Gen. Lagarada visited
Malolos for the purpose of advising Agui-
naldo to quit He argued with the insur-
gent leader and attempted to convince him
of the folly of his persistence in the face of
overwhelming odds. Aguinaldo was flu
rious at the advice and ordered Gen. Laga-
rada to be executed Immediately.
The unfortunate general was promptly
decapitated. Among the incidents of Sun
days fighting was the GOODNESS exhibited by
company of the Washington volunteers
J who crossed the river in native canoe
under a heavy fire, fifteen being taken
} across on each trip of the small boat to at
tack the enemys trenches.
: Gen. Otis says the American army and
gunboats now command the lake. lie es-
Inmates that property of the insurgents
valued at $500, 600 has been destroyed
, while quantities of rice and sugar and 40C
tons of coal, which is very valuable at Ma
Mia. have been captured.
5 The mountain bandtti of Panay Island
= recently threatened a serious attack upor
| IlOilO, but they were repulsed with a los,
3 of 200 men by Gen. Miller