The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-02-17
TAKING OF ILOIL0. RESI- -.
Particulars Concerning Its Capture
by the Americans.
OFFICIALS At WASHINGTON PLEASED
The War Department Feared That the
Landing of Our Troops Would he
Bioodier AFFAIR Than ~ Was
The Military situation.

Manila, Feb. 15. 5.-Particulars OF the
capture of Iloilo by the United States
forces under Brig. Gen. Miller have
been received here. On the morning
of February 10 Gen. Miller sent an
ultimatum to the commander of the
rebels on shore, notifying him that it
was his intention to take Iloilo, by
force, ii necessary. Non-combatants
and foreigners were warned to leave
the town within "a hours. The rebels
were also warned that they must make
no further belligerent preparations
The gun boat Petrol was then moved
to a position close in shore and near
the end of the rebel fort, while the
cruiser Boston took up her station at
the other end of the town.
Friday passed quietly. During the
day many refugees left the town of
Iloilo. The majority of them were
taken on board foreign ships lying in
the harbor. Searchlights from the
United States warships were kept all
night long illumin ating the town and
its defenses. The rebels so far as the
lookouts on the ships could discover,
remained quiescent throughout the
night
At three o'clock on the morning of
Saturday, February IL, the gunboat
Petrol sigualed to the cruiser Boston
that the rebels were working in their
trenches. In return the Petrol was
ordered to fire warning shots upon the
town from her three Founders. This
was done and the rebels replied with
a harmless fusillade. The Boston and
the Petrol then bonn barded the rebels
trenches, completely clearing them of
their occupants in a very short space
of time
Soon after the bombardment began,
flames broke out simultaneously in
various parts of the town. Thereupon
As marines, acting as infantry and ar
tillery, were landed from the cruiser
Boston, and company was sent
ashore from the guuboat Petrol. These
detachments marched straight into
the town of Iloilo, and, hoisting the
stars and stripes over the fort took
possession of the place in the name of
the United States.
The capture of the town and its de-
fences having been accomplished, the
marines and soldiers who had been
sent ashore proceeded to the task of
saving the American, English and
German consulates from destruction
by fire, which was raging among the
frail and inflammable buildings of the
town. The Swiss consuPs residence,
which was in the same row as the
consuls named, was burned The en- =
tire Chinese and native sections of the
town were destroyed, but foreign
mercantile property escaped with
slight damage. There was some de-
sultory fring by the enemy in the out
skirts of lloilo, but not a single Amer
lean was injured.
OFFICIALS AT WASHINGTON PLEASED.
Washington, Feb. IL. The contirma-
tion of the press reports detailing the
capture Of Iloilo were received AT the
war department yesterday with con-
siderable satisfaction. While no ap-
prehenson had been felt as to Gen.
Miler's ability to capture the capital
of the Viscayan federation or, for that
matter, anything else that was wanted
in the archipelago the reports of
strong intrenchmeuts that the natives
had been constructing around the
town led the department to fear that
the landing would be n bloodier affair
than either of the battles of Manila.
1t was with great satisfaction, there
fore, that Admiral Dewey's dispatch
was received saying that we had lost
no men at all, and the casualties
among the natives were much
smaller than at first reported.
The fact that foreign interests al
Iioilo are being satisfactorily guarded
is another source of qualification tC
the administration. What the future
will be, it is scarcely safe to say. The
president, from the inception of the
Spanish war, has been earnestly in
favor of the most humane policy anC
il is not intended to follow the severe
check to the Filipinos with a war o
subjugation If the insurgents will al
low this government to avoid it. Still,
it is recognized that Admiral Dewey
and Gen. Otis have a much better
grasp of the local situation than Il
possible here and the administration
does not propose to tie their handi
with unnecessary instructions.
THE MILITARY SITUATION.
New York, Feb. 10. "A dispatch t.
the Herald from Manila says: Gen
Otis said to the Herald correspondent
The situation is excellent now. A few day
ago Fillpinos. under Kapunan and Dolomer
came down the river. strong on the Tondo dis
trict, In the rear OF Gen. MaoArthur's division
Al that time the situation was alarming
ordered an attack upon Caloocan The ,orde
was TO clear out the enemy at least In front, 5
we would NOT be taken between the Fnipin
army and the forces OF Kapunan and Dolomer
Aguinaldo is collecting forces somewhere nea
Polo His present estimated strength Is 30. .0O(
How many more he will be able to collect IL
impossible TO tell perchance as many rs le, 0e'
The more he brings together the more satisne
we will be for we had rather have hlm attac
us than to hunt for him.
Gen. Macarthur said:
The military situation is excellent 10 the vi
oinity of Manila. We have obtained decide
strategetioal advantages There, are remot
consequences which. however depend quite o
mncn unon stAGHSa'sln hin as RapernlshiD. Mis-
apprehensions as 10 the terms OF the treaty
peace with Spain growing out OF difference
language and the previous political evolutio
of the islands make the diplomacy OF the situ