Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-20
General Lawton Fell While Leading
His Men in Battle.
SAD NEWS VERIFIED BY GEN. Otis
Additional Details of the DepIorabIe
Event at San Mateo.
EXPRESSIONS OF REGRET

General LawtOn. engaged in driving in
Surgents from San Mateo section of coun-
Try. northeast of Manila, killed instantly at
..;:sn yesterday morning. A great loss to us
and his country. OTIS"
Secretary Root and the President each
expressed his profound grief at the con-
trmation of the report of the death of the
gallant general.
The following additional details of the
death of Gen. W. II. Lawton were cabed
to the Associated Press from Manila last
night:
Gen Lawton left home Monday night,
having returned from his northern opera
tions Saturday, to lead an expedition
through Mariquina valley which has been
an insurgent stronghold throughout the
war. The valley has several times been
invaded. but never held by the Ameri-
Gen. Geronimo was supposed to
have there the largest organized force
north Of Manila. and Gen. Otis wished to
garrison Mariquina-
The night was one of the worst of the
season. \ terrific rain had begun. and is
still continuing. Accompanied by his staff
and Troop l. 18th Cavalry Gen Lawton
set out at Q o'clock in advance of the main
force. consisting OF the 11th Cavalry and
one battalion each of the Doth and 9th In
1dntry. which started from La Iona at
midnight. With small escort he led the
way through an almost painless country
distance of fifteen miles over hills and
horses climbing the rocks and sliding down
the hills. Before daybreak the command
had reached the head of the valley
Fought Three Hours.
San Mateo was attacked at 8 o'clock and
three hours fight snsued This resulted
In but few casualties on the American side,
apart from the death of Gen. Lawton, but
ths attack was difficult because of the nat
ural defenses of the town. Gen. Lawton
1rip live ol-n
yards of small sharpshOoters' trench, con-
sp!cuous in the big white helmet he always
wore and light yellow rain coat. He was
! also easily distInguishable because of his
comma nding stature.
Tie sharpshooters directed several close
shoLs, which clipped the grass near. His
star officers called Gen. Lawton's attea-
ton 10 the danger he was in. but he only
laughed with usual contempt for bullets.
Suddenly he exclaimed: I am shot"
cEnched his hands in desperate effort to
stand erect. and fell into the arms OF a
san officer
Orderlies rushed across the field for sur
EeOns. who dashed up Immediately, but
their efforts were useless. The body was
taken - a clump OF bushes and laid upon
srrrtcher. the familiar white helme, COW
er!n= The face Of the dead general
Death Came With Victory.
Almost at this moment the cheers of the
American troops rushing into San Mateo
Were ruiuSlng with the rifle volleys Al
ell the river to the town, carrying the lit
Ter on their shoulders. the staff preceding
with the colors. and a cavalry escort fol-
'i'wfUe- The troops filed bareheaded
tLroS=E the building, where the body was
iaIf. and many ii tear fell from the eyes
a. u-u who had long followed the intrepid
LaWtun. The entire command was strick-
EN- With grief. though each had
suffered personal loss
owing 20 the condition OF the country.
which = impossible so far vehicles are
r"Ucorned. the remains could not be
brought 10 Manila today.
Mrs. LAYTON and the children living
in a government residence. formerly occu-
pied ny a Spanish general
San MateO lies between q high noun
tain. behind. and a broad, shallow stream
IN front, with wide sandbars. which the
iI-surcent trenches and the buildings COM
IuEud. The Americans were COMPELLED to
4 I'd the river under fire. II was while
they We're lying in the rice fields and vol
lCyiug across. preparatory to passing the
Stream. that Gen. LAYTON was shot All
Except the officers were behind cover. A
etaff officer was wounded about the same
time. and one other officer and seven men
were wounded.
After three hours fighting the Fflipinos
w5r.- dispersed into the mountains.
Col Lockett took command when Gen.
LAYTON fell
LnTton n Peerless Soldier.
The news Of the tragic death of General
LawtOu came with q painful shock to the
all Of whom the deceased general was per
s0nally known. Many were indeed I'M
willing ar first to believe the evil tidings
and Insisted upon official confirmation. sin
S'tiarly slow in this case. before they would
l,-ti-Ve il. One reason for this incredulity
was the knowledge on the part Of many
Of his old colleagues Of his marvellous luck
and they could not bring themselves TO be-
Hevr that the man Of a thousand Skin
nlisheS OF midnight attack the Indian hun
ter ard the veteran Of the civil war, should
AT last tdll a victim to the bullet of the
deSihsed Filipino For Lawton was a SOL
der o. soldiers; man of action: always In
the van, and yet. with all his splendid
courage he was never reckless He never
exposed his men without due consideration
or TIE risks and the stake; his men knew
ms and they would unhesitatingly fol-
70" IawI"ns leau under what seemed to
De the most desperate conditions.
The Capture of Geronimo
The Indians came to know him as the
most active. vgilant wary and determined
OF foes. and his pursuit and capture of Ge-
ronirn". the famous Apache chieftain has
gone down TO history one of the most
remarkable campaigns ever undertaken
with the small force in hand General
Miles picked out Lawton OF all men to lead
The chase after the dreaded Indian chief
and for three months, day and night. with
out a pause, through all sorts OF vicIssI-
tudes Of weather and personal suffering.
LAYTON hung on the trail like a bloodhound
until the game was run to earth, and for
the first time in quarter OF century
southeastern Arizona was paciied
A Soldier Since Seventeen.
Lawton was a soldier when a boy He
was only seventeen years of age and study
ing to tit himself for college when the civil
war broke out. That was in Indiana, and
nine days after the first shot was fired at
Fort Sumter the youngster dropped his stud
les TO enter the 9th Indiana Volunteers He
entered 50 zealOusly into his soldierly duties
that when his regiment vas mustered out
'hree months later he was sergeant of Com
p&ny d He lost no time in re-en,istine as
"Illi ergeant, and In August of 81 was
Ii0' lieutenant in the Both Indiana Volun-
IvCTS- The Indiana troops saw Sorns of n,
hedEi'SN HShtng of the war. and Lawton
was Always IN the thick of it, His Drnmo-
lions were rapid: in May, 1862 to captain
ana IN November. 1854. TO lieutenaut colo,
mel He also received brevet OF Ueuten-
am S'lnhei Tor gallant and meritoriors
out III 1855, and then, to the great surprise