Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-08
FRESH TASK AWAITS
Bacolor, Held by Six Thousand Natives
Will Be Attacked Next,
TOWN IS SURROUNDED BY lNTRENCHMENTS
Rebel Garrison Has Yet to Learn How
Americans Fight,
MASCARDoS TROOPS BOAST OF PRoWtSS
Women and Chinese Dig bitches While
Native RiAemen Talk.
CARDo'S TROOPS BOAST OF PRowtSS
PLEASANT QUARTERS At SAN FERNANDO
city is More Substantially BuiIt and
More EavorRbiy Located Than Any
So Far Entered - Iownns
stand Campaign We'll.

More EavorRbly Located Than Any
So Far Entered - Iownns
stand Campaign We'll.
MANILA, May $40 p. m-To clear
the Filipinos out OF Bacolor, about hye
miles 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 possessed of plenty OF
ammunition. His troops have never met
American soldiers and they think, according
to reports received at San Fernando, that
they can whip the whole lot"
Bacolor is well ntrenched and thousands
of natives are working like beavers, digging
trenches ana carrying the dirt in baskets.
The enemy uses his riflemen for fighting
only, but compels the Bolomen and Chinese,
ana even the women, to labor necessarily.
The troops have an outpost about mile be-
yond San Fernando with trench that hold
between 200 and 800 men. From that point
several voleys were fired last night upon
the camp of the Twentieth Kansas regi-
ment. Neither Major General Macarthur or
Major General Lawton moved today al
though each reconnoitered the country in his
vicinity for some miles from headquarters,
developing the presence of small forces of
the enemy.
In the vicinity of Laguna de Bay the reb-
els arc extremely active. but the lines of
General Ovenshine and Colonel Wholly, who
is commanding General Kings brigade dur
the latter's illness, have been materially
strengthened and there is no danger in that
direction.
The armed steamers Laguna de Bay and
Cavadonga, under Captain Grant, have
gone to Guagua, about five miles southwest
of Bacolor, presumably to establish base
of supplies for the troops engaged in the
northern campaign
1t is rumored that Mabini, president of the
cabinet and minister of foreign affairs in
the so-called Filipino government, who Ia
radical, is to be succeeded by Patreno the
Trainer of the Spanish treaty of 1895. This
change Is regarded as significant at the pres
ent juncture.
The entrance of the Americans into San
Fernando was virtually unopposed The Fill
ipinos, who expected the invaders to ap-
proach 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 Fifty-f first Iowa reg-
mert, which swain the river rorth o. 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 got across
the bridge into the city, supposing the
Americans were there. They encountered no
natives.
Natives Are HospitabIe.
The few Spaniards and Filipnos who were
left welcomed the Americans and opened
their houses to them. General Macarthur
accepted entertainment at the hands of Senor
Hizon, a sugar magnate.
If the inhabitants of the San Fernando
Afytn 1,alt
sympathy with the insurrection in that
quarter Before evacuating the city the
rebels burned the church and the public
and looted the Chinese quar-
tiers. They drove many rich Fllipinos,
with their families, out OF the city before
them, as well as hundreds OF Chinese, to
prevent them helping the Americans. They
cut the throats of some. Many Chinese hid
on roof tops or in cellars and some escaped
by cutting off their queues. There are fifty
fresh graves in the church yard.
The country beyond Calumpit is full of all
sorts of ingenious trenches and pitfalls in
the roads, constructed with sharpened BAN
boo. Fortunately the Americans escaped
without injury
In the swamps near San Tomas, where
General Wheaton's troops did their hardest
fghting-the men sinking to their waists
in mud--are many bodies of Filipinos, smell
ing horribly.
The army is really enjoying life at San
Fernando which is the most picturesque and
wealthy town the Americans have entered
since the occupation of Manila 1t is largely
built OF stone, the river is close at hand
and high hills almost surround 1t. Many
sugar factories indicate thriving industry
IN that respect and there are numerous fine
residences. General MacArthur's permanent
headquarters are established in the best
house in town.
Inc troops are encamped around in the
SuDnrbs and are beginning to think they NAV
be quaftered there during the wet season.
After Bacolor has been cleared. water
communication with Manila may be estab-
llshed Along the roads to Calumpit tn,
fuel wagons and bull teams dragging pro.
Visions have to be forced, one by one. across
TWO rivers, but the Filipinos have several
launches In the river Delta
lhe American troops are much exhausted
by the campaign, except the Iowa troop,
whlch are comparatively fresh. The regI-
ments Of the division average less than aftv
men to company and all have a weather
worn appearance
Senator Beveridge of Indiana IA bar.
studying the Philippine question.
Brigadier General Charles King has saiIo,
for the United States on board the transnor,
Pueblo.