The Dickinson press., 1899-04-22
SANTA CRUZ FIGHT.
CAPTURE THE RESULT OF A MOST
INTERESTING BATTLE.

INTERESTING BATTLE.
American Soldiers, Aided by (iunboats,
Take tho Place without Loss Enemy
Suffered Severely - At Least Eighty
Killed, Many Wounded aud u Number
Captured Indian Fighting Tactics Used
by American Troops In tho Advance.
MANILA, April 1.-THE capture of
Santa Cruz by General Lawton's expo
dition followed one of the most inter-
esting and important battles of the war.
The American loss, owing largely to the
use of gunboats, was 6 wounded. The
Filipinos are known to have lost so
killed, many more wounded and a large
number captured. ThosAmcrican expe-
dition was under the personal command
of General Lawton and his plans worked
perfectly with the exception that prog
ress up the river was delayed by diff
cult navigation.
The expedition was composed of
about 1900 picked men. These troops
partly surrounded the city, while the
gunboats Laguna de Bay, Napidan 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. sometimes leading
charges in Indian fighting tactics, which
eventually resulted in the complete
rou of the rebels, with the smallest
amount of damage to the city and slight
loss to the Americans.
Beginning of tho Fight.
Canoes with a force of 200 picked
sh%arpshooters under Major Wcisen-
berger, mostly belonging to tho First
Washington regiment, were I'll into a
shallow inlet about five miles south of
the city. Then a few shells were sent
toward the entertainments of the rebels
at the edge of the woods, sending the
enemy scampering inland. A number
of Americans jumped into the water
and, wading for about 100 yards, crept
forward and formed in line covering
the landing of the remainder.
The three troops of the Fourth cav
airy, unmounted, were sent ashore on a
dangerous marshy point directly south
of the city under fire from the eneny's
trenches.
Meanwhile in the town itself there
was utter silence and not a sign of life.
General Lawton, desiring to give the
inhabitants IN opportunity to surren-
der, went on board the Laguna de Bay
and steamed slowly to the dock. When
it was discovered by the glasses that the
trenches and stone buildings were
swarming with whitehall soldiers the
boat withdrew, receiving volleys from
the trenches thrown up on the marshy
plain north of the city.
Gunboats Cleared the Way.
At sunrise Monday the assault COM
menced. The American outlines south
of the city stretched two miles inland
and, with its left sweeping the shore, it
moved north, while the Fourth cavalry
men on the point advanced toward the
city, pouring volleys upon the trenches.
simultaneously the %gunboats lowered
along the shore, Smelling, the woods
ahead of the troops and driving the Fill
pinos inland. The Gatlings cleared
several trenches.
The whole brigade was divided into
squads of - and the fighting was car
ried on in the old time frontier fashion
from behind trees, crawling through
bushes OF rushing across the open. The
trenches that were not cleared by the
gunboats gave considerable resistance
and the Laguna de Bay and Oesta bonn
barded them for an hour in the hope of
making them too warm for occupancy,
but did not succeed in clearing them
entirely.
General ESswton, with the Fourteenth
infantry battalions, approached a mar
row iron bridge across a creek on the
south border of the town. Here a COM
pany Of Filipinos was intrenchel across
the stream and behind a stone barricade
at the entrance to the bridge.
Faced a Calling Fire.
The Americans rushed forward in
single file in the face of a CALLING fire,
demolished the barricade with their
hands and drove the enemy from the
trenches, killing a dozen.
The Filipino soldiers in the town were
occupying 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
hedged in by a wall. This was a ver-
liable pepper pot. The Americans,
singly or in pairs, entered the houses
and many warriors were taken prison.
ers.
A considerable body of Filipinos fled
northward, crossing the open marshes,
but the Gatling guns poured upon them
a deadly hail until they disappeared in
the woods, Staying dozens.
Major W~eisenberger deployed the
sharpshooters along the shore and they
crept steadily forward with the Cat
lings. Suddenly a large body was sent
against the enemy in the woods, driving
them toward the mountains.
Lawton Occupies the Palace.
General Lawton established head
quarters at the elegant palace Of the
governor and a guard was Immediately
placed in the church, as the sacred edi-
fees are always the first objective point
of looters. Within an hour the town
was patrolled and all looting rigidly
prevented.
Almost all the inhabitants had fled
during the two preceding nights and
only a few Chinese shopkeepers have
emerged from hiding and resumed bust
ness.
On the marshes north of town were
found ~ dead Filipinos, some terribly
torn by shells and many others
wounded, to whom the Americans Of
fered their canteens as though they
were comrades. A surgeon who tray
ersed the field counted 80 killed and
General Lawton will report at least GO.
One Filipino, attempting to make his
Escape, slasli"d viciously at Major
Weisenberger, who shot and killed him.