Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1899-12-21
HIGHLY ENCOURAGING.
es-A Fight in the CIouds-The Pur-
suit of A@uinaIdO- Nabin's Surrend-

er.
Washington, Dec. 14.-The secretary
of war regards the information con-
veyed in Gen. Otis dispatches yester-
day as the most important that has
come to hand for months past. The
capture of Mabini, reported by Mac
Arthur from Bayambang, is especially
gratifying. 1t is believed that the
Filipino leader was trying to make
his way across the country from Ban
gued-Where he had been obliged to
part company with Aguinaldo Il fort
night agO-to the east of LuZon. The
members of the Philippine commission
now in Washington declare that Ma
bini was the head and front of the in
surrection.
Aguinaldo was only tigurehead.
Mabini was the brain and directing
power behind him. He is Il paralytic;
+ an old man, but of extraordinary abil-
ity, and his counsdls were always con-
elusive with the Filipinos. lie was
concerned in the first uprising against
4 the SpaRfards. For short time he
waveredfpsn AguinaJdo's breach with
the. Americans, but finally cast his
fortunes with the insurrection, and
was president of the council. lie was
also the financial strength of the
movement, as without his backing
Aguinaldo would have had no. credit.
Next in Importance to the capture
of Mabini was the bold stroke of Capt.
McCalla, Of the Newark, in capturing
the whole province of Cagayan: With
Macarthur holding the province of
Isabella adjoining, and Young's hold
ings OH the opposite or western shore
of the upper peninsula, the American
forces are now in technical occupation
OF the whole northern end of LuZon
from point just north of the Gulf
of Lingayen. . McCalla, posted at the
port of Aparri, the only good port on
the northern end of the island, COM
nlands the greater part of tue whole
length of the Rio Grande, affording
entrance by boats to a full third of
the interior of the island.
1t is up this river that Capt McCalla
is sending steam launches carrying
supplies to Maj. Bachelor. The lat
ter officer, with a few negro soldiers,
has Just completed one of the most
daring marches connected with the
present campaign. DetachinE his lit
tie force from Macarthur week ago
he drove straight through the center
first and northward, cutting loose
from his communications and bound
to reach Aparri or be captured or
killed in the attempt. Capt. McCalla's
advices indicate that he has succeeded,
being now within touch of this navy
on the north shore.
Manila, Dec. 1.-THE following dis
patch, dated Ceryantes, December S,
has just been received from eorre-
spondent with Maj. March's battalion:
Mai. March with 125 men is about
starting for Bonto, the principal town
in the province of that name, IT, the
northeast, through an Absolutely deso-
late country and over Il mountain 10,-
900 feet high. lie is pursuing A-suin-
aldo, whose escort, now reduced to so
men, is known to be there. Accord
ing to the natives, Aguinaldo intends
to disguise himself and to take Il cir
cuitous trail toward Bayombang, prov
ince of Nueva Nizcaya."
Mai. March, with 300 men, arrived
at Cervantes, in the heart of the Tildad
mountains on the evening of December
3. about 20 hours behind Aguinaldo,
who had believed he had found an ia
accessible refuge. On December
the American commander had a won
derful fight in II cloudenveloped
mountain pass 5000 feet above the
sea, completely routing Gregorio del
Pillars force of 200 picked men in d
position almost strong enough to rival
1hermopylae. Pillar died at the front
OF his men, urging them to make a
stand. until the ball of a sharpshooter
pierced his head. His followers tried
to carry away the body, but were COM
PEELED to lay it down.
Two Americans were killed and
were buried by their comrades where
they fell. The others, carrying nine
wounded, camped for the night on top
of the mountain, an eminence of 1000
feet, suffering greatly from the cold
blasts. In the morning they marched
to Dugaqui, where they learned that
Aguinaldo, with few men and three
women, all carried on litters, had
passed along the same trail to Cervan.
ties, where he was during the fight.