Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-05-10
SK|RM|SH NEAR san MIGUEL
Rebel Force Opened Fire on LawtOn's
Reconnoiterlng Parties.
MAI. DIGGLES WOUNDED-THE
ENEMY OPENED THE ENGAGE
MENT BY A VOLLEY FIRE FROM
B E HIND ENTRENCHMENTS.
TWO AMERICANS WOUNDED
AND TAKEN TO MANILA-REB-
Ell FORCES READY TO FIGHT
EACH OTHER.

Manila, May ga accommodating party
from Maj Gen. Lawton's command,
which consisted of two companies of
the Minnesota regiment and two COM
panles OF the Oregon regiment, under
command OF Maj. Diggles, of the Min
nesota regiment, advanced yesterday to
a point near San Miguel, which is about
IL miles north of Balinag. There the
Americans were met with yolley from
a force of rebels behind a trench.
Maj. Diggles was wounded in the
head, and private soldier was also
wounded. Maj. Diggles and the private
together with ten typhoid patients,
were brought by special train to Manila
to-day.
The Don Jose, the last of the missing
steamers under the American flag
which were detained by the insurgents
since the beginning of the war, was
found by the gunboat Manila at Batan-
gas, and arrived here to-day.
New York, May "a dispatch to the
Journal from Manila says Only the en-
treaties OF Aguinaldo last Tuesday
averted civil war between the forces
of his two rival generals, Luna and
Mascardo. They were actually drawn
up in battle array. This and a positive
confirmation of the news that Luna was
dangerously wounded in the shoulder
in the battle of st. Tomas are the most
important items of intelligence brought
to-day by the army gunboats La Guna
de Bay and Cavadonga, which returned
to-day from brisk expedition up the
San Fernando river.
1t was Immediately before the battle
of st. Tomas that the insurgents so
nearly arrived at the point of begin
ming to eXterminate one another. Gen.
Luna, when he saw that an engagement
with the American troops was inevita-
BILE, sent back an aide post haste to
Bacolor, where Gen. Mascardo was, de-
handing reinforcements. Mascardo's
reply was that he would take orders
from no one but Aguinaldo. This de-
fiance so Infatuated Luna that. in spite
of the impending conflict with the COM
mon enemy, he took 1,500 of his soldiers
and made forced march to Bacolor,
intent on chastising his comrade in
arms.
Mascardo was nothing 10th to fight
it out. and ordered his command into
| line Of battle. Shouts of defiance and
hate were heard on both sides. Outside
| the opposing forces the insurgent camp
| was all confusion. Aguinaldo, terrified
| by the situation. ordered his chief of
staff, Col Arguelles, to make peace at
all hazards. The soldiers had loaded
their pieces and were waiting for orders
| to begin the onslaught when Arguelles
galloped between the lines. frantically
waving a flag of truce.
There was an angry conference be-
tween him and the rival generals. Ag-
| uinaldo was drawn into it. With all
the intensity at his command he begged
Luna and Mascardo not to plungs the
| Filipino forces into civil strife at time
when they were already broken and de-
| moralized by successive defeats at the
hands of the Americans. His entreaties
prevailed for the time being. Luna sui
| lenly returned to the front. after the
commanding general had provided him
with reinforcements and ordered Mas
cardo to be courtmartialed for not hav-
! ing sent them at first.
The battle of st. Tomas followed, and
Luna, on whose ferocity in the field
Aguiraldo placed his chief reliance, re-
| ceived wounds that will surely disable
him for the rest of the campaign, and
may cause his death.