Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-04-13
LAWTON'S CAMPAIGN
An Expedition Starts to Capture
the Town Of Santa Cruz.
OPINION ABOUT The EXPEDITION.
War Department Authorities Expect I'm.
portant News-AgulnaidO Issues .
Decree Declaring spanish the
Ufiicial Language.

LdWtOu, WHICH oIdT Icu ioSV Cdtufun.
night with the intention OF crossinl
Laguna be Bay, capturing the town 0
Santa Cruz, on the eastern shore Of tn
lake, and then sweeping the country Il
the south, consists of 200 picked sharp
shooters. chosen from various regi
ments, Hawthorne's mountain bat
terry, Gales squadron, three troops o
the Fourth cavalry, unmounted, will
bronchos and tappans, battalion of thu
Fourteenth infantry, Linck's battalion
Of the First Idaho infantry ant
FRAMES battalion of the First Nortl
Dakota infantry, under Gen. King
The flotilla Of 20 canoes, towed by tugs
and conveyed by the gunboat Laguns
de BAY, Oeste and Rapidan and pre-
coded by the launch containing Gen
Lawton and Gen. King, started from
San Pedro Macati, on the river Pasig
moving toward the lake just as even
ing was setting in. 1t was a truly
picturesque scene. The men were all in
high spirits and carried rations for ten
days, with the lightest marching
equipment.
Gen. Lawtons plan was TO reach
Santa Cruz the next morning at day.
break, to capture or destroy any rebel
gunbosts or shipping, or take the
town and then to scour the country to
the south of the lake, district not
yet explored by the Americans. The
tactics will be those of the old time
frontier fighting, and it is probable
that the command will be divided into
squads OF IL under non-commissioned
officers
In Gen. Lawton's absence, the Sec
ond division is temporarily commanded
by Gen. Ovenshine, whose lines ex-
tend from the beach near Malate,
south of Manila, to the shore Of La
guna de Bay, beyond Pasig, distance
OF about seven miles,
The withdrawal of the IS companies
constituting the expeditionary force
made gap in the line from the beach
to Culiculi, just southwest OF San Pc
dro Macati, which was subsequently
filled by the Fourth regular infantry.
The rebels on the extreme right had
evidently been informed OF the with
drawal of the troops and they at.
tempted to sneak through after night
fall, but they met with warm recep-
tion and fell back in disorder on dis
covering that the line was still intact
OPINION ABOUT THE EXPEDITION.
Washington, April 10. The war de-
partment authorities look for mpor-
tantnews from Manila to-day announc-
ing in all probability the capture of
the city of Santa Cruz, a leading town
in a country as yet untouched by the
American forces and now in the hands
of the Filipinos' force No report OF
the movement of Gen. Lawton's men
has been made to the war department,
but the Associated press announce.
ment occasioned no surprise, for the
move is looked upon as one of the nat
ural steps in Gen. Otis carefully laid
plan against the insurgents
Santa Cruz is place of considera-
Bile Importance in several respects. 1t
is the capital of the province of La
guna and has population, according
to the best available information here,
of considerable more than $4,000 per-
sons. 1t is re garded as likely that
Gen. Lawton already has gained pos
session of this stronghold, for it is
but short journey over the Bay La
COON, fresh water sea which comes
almost up to Manila itself, which is As
miles away from Santa Cruz
The details of the dispatch show
Gen. Lawton by essaying the forma-
ton of squads of p men each, will
make a thorough reconnaissance of
the ground before making definite
attack upon the city. 1t is felt here
that there will be only show of re-
sistance by the natives and whether
they actually surrender the town or
abandon it to the southwark, the cam
paign against the place will serve as
an object lesson Of the determined
policy of our forces in the islands
Santa Cruz is apparently an opening
wedge for the country beyond From
it lead highways in all directions, to
Manila by gong around the shores of
Bay Lagoon, and to the important
point of Batangas and the well adj.
vanced province of Tayabas, whose
capital city is located 81 miles from
Manila, Gen. Lawton. however NAV
Postmaster Killed and His Office Robbed.
Wichita, Kan, April IA special
to the Beacon from North Enid, Ok,
says Postmaster William II. Day was
cut with Ratchet and killed this
morning and the office robbed. There
IL no clew to The murdcrers