The record-union., 1899-04-11
American Forces Take the Chief
City on Laguna Bay
~
After One d the Sharpsst Battles Of the
Philippine Campaign.
Rebels Finally Driven Out Of Their
Stronghold, Leaving Sixty-Eight
Dead and Forty-Eight Wounded
on the Field-A Considerable
Number Also Taken Prisoner
American Losses Six Wounded.

<AAAACA
WASHINGTON, April 1O.-The fol-
lowing dispatches were received from
General Otis to-day:
Manila, April 9th.
"Adjutant General. washington:
Lawtons command captured Santa
Cruz, the chief city of Laguna Bay, this
morning. Casualties, six wounded In
surgent troops driven out, leaving six
ty-eight dead on the field, and large
number of wounded. Considerable num-
Der captured. Lawton will push west
ward OTIS
DETAILS OF THE CAPTURE.
MANILA, April 1O.-(6:50 D. m)-
General Lawton has. captured Santa
Cruz, at the extreme end of the lake,
and drove the rebels, who are COM
manded by Chinaman named Pao
wan, into the mountains. American
loss was six wounded. The rebels lost
sixty-eight killed and forty wounded.
Santa Cruz was the Filipino strong
hold on Lake Laguna Bay, and it fell
into the hands of General Lawton's ex-
peditlon after some sharp, quick fight
ing, forming one of the most interest
ing and important battles of the war.
The American commanders worked per-
fectly, with the exception that the pre-
ceding expedition was delayed owing
to navigation of the river About !, 900
picked men commanded by General
Lawton, on account of the illness of
General King, partly surrounded the
city, while the gunboats Laguna de
Bay, Oeste and Napidan, under the
command of Captain Grant of the Utah
Battery, shelled the city and outlying
trenches.
General Lawton and his staff accom-
panied the troops, sometimes leading
charges as in Indian fighting tactics,
which eventually resulted in the COM
plete rout of the rebels, with the small
est amount of damage to the city and
slight loss to the Americans.
The expedition started from San Pc
dro Macati at dusk on Saturday, intend
ing to capture Santa Cruz by assault
at daybreak. But in navigating the
shallow Pasig River, perhaps through
the cunning of the native pilots who
were not anxious to see the Americans
successful, several boats were ground
ed, and it was nearly dawn when the
troops reached the lake. The expedi-
ton then steamed cautiously forward,
the Napian and the Oeste a mile ahead
of the Laguna de Bay, which guarded
the rear
Rebel signal fires, however, were
lighted on the mountain tops. giving
alarm of the approach of the troops
1t was noon before the white church
towers of the city appeared in the
shadow Of the volcanic mountain. on
a marshy plain, dotted with additional
palm groves.
A casco, with force of 200 picked
sharpshooters under Major Weisenberg.
mostly belonging to the First Washing
ton Regiment. was run into a shallow
Inlet about five miles south of the city
Then few shells were sent toward the
entrenchments of the rebels at the edge
of the woods, sending the enemy
scampering inland. Then a number of
Americans jumped into the water, and
wading for about 400 yards, crept for
ward and formed in line, covering the
landing Of the remainder. which finish
ed debarking about 5 O'Clock
The three troops of the Fourth Cav
airy, unmounted, were sent ashore on
a dangerous marshy point, directly
south of the CITY. under fire from the
enemy's trenches.
Meanwhile in the town itself there
was utter silence, and not a sign of
life. General Lawton, desiring to make
an inspection and to give the inhabi-
tants an opportunity to surrender. went
on board the Laguna de Bay, and. ar
companied by the Associated Press
launch, steamed slowly to the dock, the
whole fleet watching anxiously When
it was discovered by the glasses that
the trenches and stone buildings were
swarming With white clad soldiers, the
two boats withdrew, receiving volleys
from the trenches thrown up on the
marshy plain north of the city.
The fotllla anchored in compact for
nation for the night, ready to resist
any surprises from the rebel gunboats
supposed to be in the lake
At sunrise to-day (Monday) the as
sault commenced The American out
lines south of the city stretch two miles
inland, and with it's left sweeping the
shore, it moved north, while the Fourth
Cavalrymen on the point advanced to-
ward the city, pouring voleys on the
trenches. simultaneously the ganboats,
lowering along the shore, shelled the
woods ahead of the troops, driving the
Filipinos inland. The Gatlings cleared
several trenches.
The whole brigade was divided into
squads of twelve, and the fighting was
carried on in the old time frontier fash
ion from behind trees, crawling through
brushes and running across the open.
The trenches that were not cleared
by the gunboats gave considerable re-
sistance when the line was nearing the
city, and the Laguna de Bay and Oeste
bombarded for an hour, in the hope of
making them too warm for occupancy.
but did not succeed in clearing them
entirely.
General Lawton, with the Twenty
fourth Infantry Battalion, approached
a narrow iron bridge across creek on
the south side of the town. Here a
company of Filipinos was intrenched
across the stream and behind a stone
barricade at the entrance to the bridge.
The Americans rushed forward in single
file and in the face of a CALLING fire
demolished the barricade with their