Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1899-05-11
THE AMERICAN TASK
The Capture of BacolOr, a Filipino
Stronghold, Planned.
REBELS INTRENCHING THE PLACE.
A Significant Change in the Filipino Cab
inet-Our Army Enjoying Life at San
Fernando King Leaves
Manila for Home.


Manila for Home.
Manila, May $40 clear the Filipi-
nos out of Bacolor, about five miles
southwest of San Fernando, will be the
next task OF the Americans. The rebel
general, Mascardo, has force of 5000
men there, well armed and possessed
of plenty of ammunition. His troops
have never met American soldiers and
they think according to reports carried
to San Fernando, that they can whip
the whole lot" Bacolor is well in
trenched and thousands of natives are
working like beavers, digging trenches
and carrying the dirt in baskets. The
enemy uses his rihemen for fighting
only, but compels the Bolomen and
Chinese, and even the women, to labor
necessarily. The rebel outpost is about
mile beyond San Fernando, with n
trench that holds between 200 and 800
men. From that point several volleys
were fred Saturday night upon the
camp of the Twentieth Kansas regi-
ment.
Neither Mai. Gen. Macarthur nor
Mai. Gen. Lawton moved Sunday, al
though each reconnoitered the country
in his vicinity for some miles from
headquarters, developing the presence
of small forces of the enemy. In the
vicinity of LaGuna de Bay the rebels
are extremely active, but the lines of
Gen. Ovenshine and Col. Wholly, who
are commanding Gen. Kings brigade
during the latter's illness, have been
materially strengthened and there is
no danger in that direction.
The armed steamer La Guna de Bay
and Cavadonga, under Capt Grant,
have gone to Guagua, about five miles
southwest of Bacolor, presumably to
establish a base of supplies for the
troops engaged in the northern cam
paign.
1t is rumored that Mabini, president
of the cabinet and minister of foreign
affairs in the so-called Filipino govern
ment, who is radical, is to be sue
ceeded by Patreno, the Trainer of the
Spanish treaty of 1896. This change is
regarded as significant at the present
iuncture. The entrance of the Ameri-
cans into San Fernando was virtually
unopposed. The Filipinos, who eX-
pected the invaders to approach from
the sea, had that side of the town
strongly guarded, but there was only
one line of trenches beyond San
Tomas. Two battalions of the Fifty
first Iowa regiment, which swan the
river north of the city, were smartly
peppered while in the water, but the
rebels disappeared as soon as the Ameri-
cans reached the shore. In the mean
time the hospital squad had walked
across the bridge into the city, sup
posing the Americans were there.
They encountered no natives. The
few Spaniards and Filipinos who were
eft there welcomed the Americans and
opened their houses to them, Gen.
Macarthur accepting entertainment at
the hands of Senior Hizon, sugar mag
nate.
If the inhabitants of the San Fer
| nando region are to be believed, there
, is little sympathy with the insurrection
: in that quarter. Before evacuating
the city the rebels burned the church
/ and the public buildings and looted the
: Chinese quarters. They drove many
2 rich Filipinos, with their families, out
= Of the city before them, as well as hun
dreds of Chinese, to prevent them help
ing the Americans. They cut the
throats of some. Many Chinese hid on
roof tops or in cellars and some escaped
i by cutting off their queues There are
50 fresh graves in the churchyard.
, The country beyond Calumpit is full Of
= nll sorts of ingenious trenches and pit
. falls in the roads, with sharpened BAN
: boo Fortunately the Americans es
9 capped the latter. In the swamps neal
. San Tomas, where Gen. Wheaton's
: troops did their hardest fighting-thC
men sinking to their waists in mud
are many bodies of Filipinos, smelling
horribly.
= The army is really enjoying life al
v San Fernando, which is the most pic
: turesque and wealthiest town the Amer
l. leans have entered since the occupation
e Of Manila. 1t is mainly built of stone
r the river is close at hand and high hill
e almost surround it. Many sugar fac
d tories indicate a thriving industry il
l. that respect and there are numerou
l. 6ne residences. Gen. Macarthur per
manent headquarters is established il
the best house in town. The troop
# are encamped around in the suburb
10 and are beginning to think they ma,
~ be quartered there during the wet sea
>, son.
~ Brig. Gen. Charles King has saile
i for the United States on board tn
# transport Pueblo.
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