The age-herald., 1899-04-11
LAWTON TAXES
 SANTA CRUZ Stronghold of Rebels on Lake
 la Guna de Bay SHARP, QUICK ENGAGEMENT One of the Most Important Bat- ties of the War. |, NATIVES LOST SIXTY-EIGHT MEN The Plans of the American Leaders
 Worked Perfectly.
The Plans of the American Leaders
 Worked Perfectly.
LAwToN COMMANDED IN PERSON
The United States Troops Will Now Sweep the Country to the South- ward Fighting Conducted in
 Old-Time Indian Style.

Manila, April 1O.-General Lawton has captured Santa Cruz, at the extreme end of the lake. He drove the rebels, who were commanded by Chinaman named Pao- Wah, into the mountains.
 The Americans had six men wounded.
 The rebels lost sixty-eight men killed and had forty men wounded
 An expedition consisting of about 1,50O men, commanded by Major-General Henry w. Lawton, left San Pedro, on the river Pasg, on Saturday night with the purpose of crossing Laguana de Bay and capturing the town of Santa Cruz, on the eastern shore of the lake.
 The American troops were then, as plan- ned, to sweep the country to the south.
 The American Force
 The force consisted of 200 picked sharp- shooters from the various regiments, Haw- thorne's mountain battery Gales squadron and three troops of the foarth cavalry un- mounted, Brooks and Tappen's battanoiisA of the Fourteenth infantry, Lineken's bat talion of the First Idaho infantry and F'rain's battalion of the First North Dakota infantry under General King.
 The hotila of twenty canoes lowed by the tugs and conveyed by the gunboats La Guna de Bay, Oesto and Naphidan and preceded by the launch containing General Lawton and General King, moved toward the lake just as evening was setting in. To was truly picturesque scene
 The men carried raions for ten days, with marching equipment. General Law tons plan was to reach Santa Cruz Sunday at daybreak, to capture or destroy any rebel gunboats or shipping, to take the a,,1 4Lz south of the lake, district not yet ex- plored by the Americans.
 Filipino Stronghold
 Santa Cruz was the Filipinos' stronghold on Lake la Guna de Bay and it fell into the hands of General Lawton after some sharp, quick fighting, forming one of .he most interesting and important battles of the war. Plans of the American command CTS worked perfectly, with the exception that the progress of the expedition was de- layed by the difficult navigation of the r'ver About 500 picked men composed the expedition, which was under the personal command of General Lawton, on account of the illness of General King. These troops partly surrounded tho city, while the gum boats La Guna de Bay, Napidau and Oeste under the command of Captain Grant of the Utah battery, shelled the city and out lying trenches.
 General Lawton and his staff accompan- charges in Indian fighting tactics, which eventually resulted in the complete rout of the rebels with the smallest amount of damage to the city and lighter to the Americans.
 Several Gunboats Grounded
 The expedition started from San Pedo Macati at dusk on Saturday. intending 10 capture Santa Cruz by daybreak. In nayi- gating the shallow Pasig river perhaps through the cunning of the native pilots Vyh O WI a \ n succeed, several boats grounded and 1t was nearly dawn when the troops reached the lake. The expedition then steamed cau- tiously forward, the Napdau and the Oeste a mile ahead, the La Guna de Bay guard- ing the rear.
 Rebel signal fires, however, were lighted on the mountain tops giving alarm of the approach of troops.
 It was noon before the white church tow CTS of the city appeared In the shadow of the great volcanic mountain on a marshy plain dotted with occasional palm groves.
 The Ascaco with a force of 200 picked sharpshooters under Major Weisenberger, mostly belonging to the First Washington regiment, was run into a shallow inlet about five miles south of the city.
 Rebels Sent scampering
 Then few shells were sent towards the cntrenchments of the rebels at the edge of the woods, sending the enemy scampers ing inland
 Then a number of men jumped Into the water. and wading for about 100 yards, crept forward and formed in line, covering the landing of the remainder, which fin. ished about 5 o'clock.
 The three troops of the Fourth cavalry, unmounted, were sent ashore on a dtan- eerous marshy point directly south of the city, under fire from the enemy
 Meanwhile, in the town Itself, there was utter silence and not sign of life. Gen, eral Lawton, desiring to make an inspec- ton and to give tho inhabitants an oppor- tunity to surrender, went board the La Cuno de Bay, and. accompanied by the Associated Press launch. steamed slowly to the dock the whole fleet watching anx- iously. When t was discovered with the glasses that theAtrenches and stone Du'id.
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