The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-05-18
|SRBLLINC TRENCHES.
Lruy Guuboats Bombarding the
Philippines Rebels.
kUTINY OF LUNA's SOLDIERS.

"A Battle Between Two Branches OF the
Filipino Army Avcrted at the Inst
Moment by Aguinaldo Ordering q
Court Martial.
Manila, May 9.-The army gunboats
tlaguna de Bay and Covadonga have
had a series of hot fights with the
rebels along the San Fernando river,
which flows through the province OF
Pampanga.
They left Manila on Sunday and
crossed Manila bay. to open up COM
municat!on by water with General
MacArthur's army at the front.
Proceeding up the river they dis
covered bamboo distractions in the
channel and the shores lined with
All the rapid fire guns on the two
boats were turned upon the rebel po-
sltions. Filipino sharpshooters made
few Intellectual attempts to pick of
men on the decks, and then fed from
their defenses. Many dead were left
In the trenches.
Another stand was made at the VII
lage Of Sepmoan. which was shelled
and destroyed by the gunboats. OBJ
structions in the river were then re-
moved, and the Laguna de Bay and
her consort continued up the river,
shelling more shore trenches en- route.
A Filipino force fired upon the
boats from the town Of Guagua, which
was then shelled and captured. The
town had been partly burned by ia
surgents on the approach Of the Ameri-
cans. and is now occupied by our
troops. An insurgent launch at Qua
qua was destroyed in the fight. An in
spection of the town graveyard showed
400 newly made insurgent graves.
Jose Enfante. the Mestixo governor
Of Guagua under the so-called Fill
pino republic, was still at the post
when the Americans arrived and did
not attempt to escape. He Informed
the invaders that 500 armed insurgents
retreated to Bacolor upon hearing the
cannonading.
From 5000 to 5000 natives, the gov.
ernor said, had been killed since the
beginning of the rebellion.
He furnished the first authentic con-
frmation of the report that General
Luna had been seriously wounded.
The general was shot both In the
shoulders and abdomen at the battle
of San Tomas.
There were no casualties on the
American side In the gunbOats' run
ming fight along the river.
Bacolor will be the next center Of the
American operations. A force of sew
eral thousand Filipinos has gathered
there. with the intention, 1t is be-
lieved. of flanking General MacAr-
thurs left and diverting his move
ments against the Filipino army to
the northward.
The decentralization Of the Filipino
army has eliminated in an open revolt
by General Mascardo and his 5000
men against General Luna, second only
to Aguinaldo in command. MascardO
refused to accept orders from Luna,
and there was almost battle between
the two Filipino armies. Finally the
controversy was submitted to Aguin-
aldo, who ordered a court martial.
The capture of Balibog, Macabele,
San Tomas, Minalin and some small
villages was effected last week with
trifiing losses to the Americans, and
the week ended up with the capture OF
San Fernando. Lawton's next move
will be the capture Of Balcolor, where
the rebel General Mascardo and his
5000 troops are located.
Colonel Manuel Arguelles and Lieu
4tenant Jose Bernal, Of the Filipino
army, came in under q flag Of truce
three days last week and conferred
with General Otis. They urged ces-
sation of hostilities until the Filipino
congress could be assembled. General
Otis however. insisted upon an un-
conditional surrender.