New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-21
THE RIO GRANDE EXPEDITION.
LITTLE GUNBoATs CLEARING THE RIVER
BANKs-P PICTURESQUE INCIDENTS
OF THE ADVANCE.

OF THE ADVANCE.
Manila. May 20 $50 a. m.-The expedition up
the Rio Grande River met with no resistance ex-
cept at the outskirts Of San Luis, where several
hundred Filipinos were entrenched on the banks
of the stream. The rebels retreated beyond Can
daba, and the gunboats steamed ahead, all the
way training their Calling guns upon the banks
and dropping shells wherever uniform appeared
on shore The gunboats dispersed the insurgents
before San Luis After they had passed sharp
shooters from trees across the river. hundred
wards distant harassed the 18th Infantry. which
was marching by tours along the narrow.
wooded road from which the troops were unable
TO see the enemy. The members of one battalion
Law on their faces In the road for a quarter OF
an hour trying to locate the rifiemen and return
their fire. Two Americans were wounded.
The road wound close to the stream and was
thickly settled 1t was a picturesque march.
Many groups of hundreds Of natives were clus-
tered under the trees on the opposite bank. dis
playing white shirts. towels, sheets, or anything
white. on poles. Some shouted welcomes to the
American soldiers, but most Of them maintained
q sullen silence.
An old man. in a carriage. met the troops two
miles outside Of the town. He said
IT have lived in England and have told the
people that the AlncTlCdiiS dIc hhc thc i%"e"'"
and that they need not be afraid"
FEARED THEY WOULD BE KILLED.
CAPTAIN Grant in command of the gunboats
landed before the troops arrived, and met with
a porto Rican" welcome. The natives. who
had assembled on the shore, crowded about the
Americans with fulsome expressions of friend
chin apparently half afraid that they would be
massacred.
CAPTAIN Grant quickly distributed the men
from the gunboat Laguna de Bay to guard
the town, and the natives sent a messenger to
tell the people who had taken refuge In the
swamps to return. Hundreds Of the natives
thereupon returned timidily. man with an
improvised flag OF truce flying from bamboo
pole preceding each party.
A capuchin priest. one OF the few whom the
| Filipinos had not imprisoned. was found at Can
| daba He said 1t was useless to try to con-
vince the natives that the Americans had not
| come TO Cypress them, as they believed their
leaders. who had strongly impressed this belief
| upon them, and who have told stories of mas
sacres rapes and Filipino victories. The walls
of the town were placarded with reports of the
slaughter Of Americans. hundreds of whom were
| said to have been taken prisoners.
RAID ON INsURGENT STORES
As soon as Major Kobbe reached San Luis
| the natives raidel the insurgents rice stores.
| All day a stream OF half naked people emerged
from the storehouse, in the manner Of ants.
rushing TO their homes with bags OF rice on their
| heads.
On Thursday night body OF rebels returned
| to San Luis and burned part OF the town. Lieu
tenant Cunningham. with Signal Corps party,
engaged in running a telegraph line. was
| camped near the place. Major Kobbe sent the
| Army gunboat Cavadonga there. and found the
| party to-day In the town.
The Rio Grande since Major Kobbe started
has been the highway for the exodus OF the
natives. and to-day there Is a continuous pro-
cession of matched cascoes. with white flags
drifting down the river and containing whole
families OF twenty 10 thirty persons with their
household goods and animals board Thou
sands OF these boats have passed the Army
gunboats.
The Nebraska regiment marched from San
Fernando TO Calumpit to-day for a thirty DAYS
rest. The regiment numbers about three hun.
dred weather-beaten veterans. Two OF the coua.