The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-28
AMERICANS TAKE CALAMBA.
TRADING TOWN FALLS BEFORE
VOLUNTEERS AND REGULARS.

Brig. Gen. Hall Commanded the Ex-
peditiOn-TwO Hours of sharp
Fighting in which Four Ameri-
cans Were Killed and Twelve
WOunded-Gunbonts Aided in the
Fight-FiIipinos Left Three Dead
and Twelve Captured.
Manila, July p, TAO p. m.-An expedl-
ton made up o< troops from San Pedro
Macad, Pasig and Morong, under Brig
Gen. r. II. Han yesterday captured Cal
amba, an important trading town on the
south shore Of Laguna de Bay. There were
TWO hours of sharp fighting during which
! four soldiers were killed and twelve
wounded. The trenches commanding the
harbor Were under water but the swamp
mess of the land made the work harder
The troops boarded cascoes Tuesday
night. The force comprised 400 of the
Washington Volunteers, 45o of the Twen-
tyhrst Infantry, 150 of the Fourth Cav
airy and Two guns of the First Artillery
These and the gunboats Napidan and
Cosco assembled opposite Calamba We'd
nesday afternoon Crowds Of people in
carts and on foot were seen rushing to the
hills. Natives escaping from Calamba in
| canoes said hundred insurgents he'd the
town.
force under Capt. McGrath of the
Twenty-frst Infantry and Capt Elton
herd landed east of the town, but found
a river intervening. Capt. McGrath and
Lieut.. Batson swan the river under a fire
from twenty Mauser rifles. Having cross
ed the stream, the officers procured a
casco to ferry the troops over.
The insurgents retreated through the
town. shooting from houses and bushes
as they fed to the hills. Three members
of the Washington regiment waded from
| cascoes through sWamps, often shoulder
deep, while a group of F'ilipinos, conceal
ed in hay stacks, was shooting at them
until the Napidan focused her six-pound-
ers and Calling guns on the stacks for a
few minutes. Most of the work was done
before the Washington volunteers could
reach the town.
The F'ilipnos left three dead. OF the
casualties on the American side two of
the killed and three of the wounded were
| members Of the Fourth Cavalry and two
killed and eight wounded belonged to the
Twenty-frst Infantry.
Were Glad to Get Away.
who emerged from the bushes with white
flags After the fight a dozen men holding
up their hands and shouting "Castlanos"
| met the American cavalry. Even Spanish
| soldiers embraced the Americans hysteric-
ally. There were fifty Spanish prisoners
at Caamba, of whom some were civil Of
hcials and some soldiers. They had been
given the choice of joining the Filipino
army or becoming servants TO Fipinos
and chose the army, intending to surrend-
er at the frs2 opportunity. Most of the
civilians reached the American lines dur
ing the fighting, but the insurgents took
others away with them in their retreat.
Gen. Hall captured twelve Fiipinos with
guns. Mai. Gen. Henry w, Lawton, Prof
Dean c. Worcester of the American Phil
ippiue commission, Mrs. Lawton and Gen.
LaWton son, accompanied the expedition
| on board launch and sat coolly in an I'M
protected boat close to The shore during
the fighting, the bullets splashing about
them.
Calamba is a town on Laguna de Bay
about thirty miles southeast of Manila. 1t
is much farther south than the Unite1
States troops have yet penetrated on land
Ii is in the province Of Iagura has a DoI)-
ulation Of 476 and is 27 miles from Santa
Cruz, on the eastern shore Of the bay. Its
capture is not considered of any strate-
eic Importance, except as a part of the
plan TO harrass and worry the insurgents
Gen. Hall to-day brought TO Mania the
Spaniards whom The expedition had re-
leased from captivity of more than year.
Lieut.. Larsen, commanding the Napldan,
to-day found long-missing Spanish gun
boat which had been covered with bushes
and fish nets so as not to resemble a YES
sell
The Fiiplnos, having met reinforce
ments and thinking that the Americans
had evacuated the town. descended from
the hills to-day, Intending to reoccupy
Calamba. Gen. Hall easily drove them
back. Gen. Hall will leave a garrison at
Caamba.
It is reported in Filipino circles in Ma
Mia that the insurgents recently received
consgnments of saltpeter and lead from
Japan. The insurgents had been expert
encing many difficulties in the manufac-
turc of good powder that which they pro-
duced lacking power of penetration and
range.
The two friars who were recently ar
rested mere on suspicion that they were
the bearers Of messages to Agulnaldo from
been liberated for want of evidence upon
which 10 prosecute them.
AS soon as authority can be received
from Madrid to insure necessary expendi-
lures, the Spanish general Jaramilo will
send a commission, composed of Senors
Toral and Rios 10 Tarlac to carry food
money, medicine and clothes to the Span
ish prisoners there. The commission will
also reopen negotiations for the release
Of the captured. 1t is reported that $3,0OO,-
Geo in Mexican money will be offered to
the insurgents for the release of the Span
iards. Gen. Jaramillo declines 10 confirm
Shis report.
CHARGED WITH DISCRETION.