Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-04-13
SANTA CRUZ FALLS
AMERICANS TAKE ANOTHER FILL
PINO STRONGHOLD.
OUR CASUALTIES LIGHT
But Over so Rebels Killed and Many
More Woundeo-Lawton Estah-
fishes Headquarters in Elegant
Palace of decentralization
Show No Fear in Assault on City.


Manila, April IL p. m. Monday
Santa Cruz, the F'ilipinos stronghold |
on Lake Laguna de Bay, fell into the
hands Of Gen. Lawt0ns expedition
after sharp, quick fighting, forming
one of the most interesting and i'm
portant battles of the war. The plans
OF the American commanders worked
perfectly, with the exception that the
progress of the expedition was some
what delayed by the difficult naviga-
ton OF the river. About 1900 picked
men composed the expedition, under
the personal command of Gen. Law
ton, on account of the illness of Gen
King. These troops partly surround
ed the city while the gunboats Laguna
de Bay, Napidan and Ooste, under
command of Captain Grant, and the
Utah battery shelled the city and
trenches. Gen. Lawton and staff
accompanied the troops, sometimes
leading the charges in Indian
fighting tactics, which eventually re-
suited in the complete route of the
rebels, with the smallest amount of
damage to the city and a slight loss to
the Americans. The expedition start
ed from San Pedro Macati at dusk on
Saturday, intending to capture Santa
Cruz by assault at daybreak. but in
navigating the shallow, tOrtuous Pasig
river several boats were grounded and
it was nearly dawn when the troops
reached the lake The expedition
then steamed cautiously forward, the
Napidan and Ooste a mile ahead
the Laguna de Bay guarding the rear
Rebel signal fires, however, lighted the
mountain tops, giving the alarm of the
approach of the troops. 1t was noon
before the white church towers of the
city appeared in the shadow of the
great volcanic mountains on the
marshy plain dotted with occasional
palm groves.
The CascO, with force of 200 picked
sharpshOOters, under Major Weisen-
berger belonging to the LIST Washing
ton regiment, ran into a shallow inlet
five miles south Of the city. A few
shells were sent toward the entrench-
| ments of the rebels at the edge Of the
woods, the enemy scampering inland.
A number of Americans jumped into
the water, and wading about a hun
dred yards, crept forward ana formed
in line, covering the landing of the re-
mainder, which was finished about
O'Clock. Three troops of cavalry
unmOunted, were sent ashore at a dan
gerous marshy point, directly south of
the city, under the fire of the enemy's
trenches. Meanwhile in the town il
self there was utter silence and not
sign of life.
Gen. LaWtOn, desiring to make an in
SpectiOn and give the inhabitants al
opportunity to surrender, went Oh
board the Laguna 0e Bay, and accom-
panied by the Associated Press launch,
steamed to the dock, the whole fleet
watching anxiously. Then it was dis
| covered by glasses that the trenches
| and stone buildings were swarming
with white-clad soldiers and the two
boats withdrew, receiving volleys from
the trenches on the marshy plain
anchored in compact forma-
ton for the night, determining to re-
sist any surprises from the rebels gun
boats supposed to be in the lake.
At sunrise today (Monday), the as
sault commenced. The American out
lines south of the city stretched two
miles inland, with the left sweeping
the shore, and moved north, while the
4th cavalry on the point advanced to-
ward the city pouring volleys upon the
trenches. simultaneously the gun
boats lowered along the shore, she'll
ing the woods ahead of the troops and
driving the Filipinos inland. The Cat
lings cleared several trenches The
whole brigade divided into squads of
II and fighting was carried on in old
time frontier fashion, behind trees.
crawling through bushes or rushing
across the open. The trenches that
were not cleared by the gunboats gave
considerable resistance when the line
was nearing the city and the Lagunda
de Bay and Ooste bombarded the
trenches for an hour in the
hope of driving the enemy
out, but did not succeed in clearing
them entirely. Gen. Lawton, with the
4th infantry battalion, approached
from the narrow bridge across the
creek south of the border Of the
town. Here a company of Filipinos
was intrenched across the stream be-
hind a stone barricade at the
entrance of the bridge. The
Americans rushed forward in
single file, faced a CALLING fire, and de-
molished the barricade with their hands |
and drove the enemy from the |
trenches, killing dozen. The Filipino |
soldiers in the town were secreted in |
various buildings and, firing from win
dows, gave the invaders an interesting /
hour. There was a regular nest OF |
them in the stone Jail which was edged |
in by wall. This was a veritabIe |
pepper pot. The Americans, singly or
in pairs, entered the houses and many
warriors were taken prisoners. A
considerable body of Filipinos fed !
northward, crossing the open marshes,
but the Gatlings poured upon them a
deadly hail until they disappeared in
the WOODS, Staying dozens Major
Weisenberger deployed the sharp
shooters along the shore and they
asI h.