The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-08

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After an Exhausting Siege.
Manila, May ITO clear the Filipi-
southwest of San Fernando. will be
the next task of the Americans. The
rebel general, Mascardo, has force
of 5000 men there, well armed and pos
sessed of plenty of ammunition. His
troops have never met American SOL
diers. and they think, according to re-
ports carried to San Fernando, that
they can whip the whole lot
Bacolor is we'll intrenched, and thou
sands of natives are working like
beavers, digging trenches and carrying
the dirt in baskets. The enemy uses
his riflemen for fighting only, but COM
pels the bolomen and Chinese and even
the women TO labor necessarily. The
rebel outpost is about a mile beyond
San Fernando, with a trench that
holds between 200 and 800 men. From
that point several volleys were fired
last night upon the camp of the Twen-
tieth Kansas regiment.
Neither Major General Macarthur
nor Major General Lawton moved to-
day, although each reconnoitered the
country in his vicinity for some miles
from headquarters, developing the
presence of small forces of the enemy.
Rebels Extremely Active.
In the vicinity of Laguna de Bay the
rebels are extremely active, but the
lines of General Overshine and Colonel
Wholley, who is commanding General
Kings brigade during the latter's ill
ness, have been materially strength
ened, and there is no danger in that
direction.
The armed steamers Laguna de Bay
and Cavadonga,- under Captain Grant,
have gone to Guag,s1, about five miles
southwest of Bacalor, presumably to
establish a base of supplies for the
troops engaged on the northern cam
paign-
1t is rumored that Mabini, president
of the cabinet, and minister of foreign
affairs in the so-called Filipino govern
ment, who is a radical, is to be sue
ceeded by Patreno, the framer of the
Spanish treaty of 1896. This change is
regarded as significant at the present
juncture.
The entrance of the Americans into
San Fernando was virtually unop-
posed. The Filipinos, who expected
the invaders to approach from the sea.
had that side of the town strongly
guarded, but there was only one line
of trenches beyond San Tomas. Two
battalions of the F'ifty-first Iowa regi-
ment, which swan the river north of
the city, were smartly peppered while
in the water. but the rebels disappeared
as soon as the Americans reached the
shore. In the meantime the hospital
squad had walked across the bridge
into the city, supposing the Americans
were there. They encountered no ma
tives.
Welcome to Americans.
The few Spaniards and Filipinos who
were left there welcomed the Americans
and opened their houses to them, Cen
eral Macarthur accepting entertain
ment at the hanos of Senor Hizon,
sugar magnate.
If the inhabitants of the San Fernan-
do region are to be believed, there is
little sympathy with the insurrection
in that quarter. Before evacuating the
city the rebels burned the church and
the public building and looted the Chi
nese quarters. They drove many rich
Filipinos, with their families, out of
the city before them, as well as hun
dreds of Chinese, TO prevent them help
ing the Americans. They cut the throats
of some. Many Chinese hid ON roof tops
or in cellars, and some escaped by cut
ting off their queues. There are fifty
fresh graves in the churchyard.
The country beyond Calumpit is full
of all sorts of ingenious trenches and
pitfalls in the roads, with sharpened
bamboo. Fortunately, the Americans
have escaped the latter. In the swamps
near San Tomas, where General Wheat
on's troops did their fighting-the men
to their waists in mud-are
many bodies of Filipinos, smelling hor-
ribly.
Army Enjoying Life.
The army is really enjoying life at
San Fernando, which is the most pic
turesque and wealthiest town the Am
ericans have entered since the occupa- |
ton of Manila. 1t is mainly built of |
stone the river is close at hand and |
high hills almost surround it. Many /
sugar factories indicate a thriving in |
dustry in that respect. and there are
numerous fine residences. General Mac |
Arthur's permanent headquarters is es-
tablished in the best house in the town. |
The troops are encamped around in the |
suburbs and are beginning to think |
they may be quartered there during the |
wet season.
After Bacolor has been cleared. water |
communication with Manila may be es-
tablished. All along the roads to Ca |
lumpit the fuel wagons and bull teams |
carrying provisions have to be ferried |
one by one across two rivers, but the |
Filipinos have several launches in the |
river Delta.
The American troops are much ex-
hausted by the campaign, except the |
Iowa troops. which are comparatively |
fresh. The regiments of the division |
average less than fifty men to COM
pany, and all have a weather. worn ap-
pearance.
Senator Beveridge of Indiana is here |
studying the Philippine question.
Brigadier General Charles King has |
sailed for the United States on board |
the transport Pueblo.