Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1899-05-13
THE NEXT TASK 4 HARD ONE
Americans Will Attack 5000 En-
trenched FiIipinos.
ARE AT WORK ON DEFENsEs.

MANILA, May s.-To clear the Flip
mos 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
6 200 men there, well armed and pos
sessed of pie nty of ammunition. His
troops have never met American sold
iers, and they think, according to re-
ports carried to San Fernando, that
they can whip the whole lot
Bacolor is we'll intrenched, and
thousands of natl YES are working like
beavers, digging trenches and carrying
the dirt in baskets. The enemy uses
his rihemen for fighting only, but COM
pels the Bolomen and Chinese, and
even the women, to labor ince Ssantly.
The rebel outpost is about a mile
beyond San Fernando, with trench
shat holds between 200 and 800 men.
From that point several volleys were
fred last night upon the camp of the
Twentieth Kansas regiment
Neither Major General Macarthur
nor Major General Lawton moved to-
day, although 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 General Ovenshine and
Colonel Wholly, who are commanding
General Kings brigade during the
latter's illness, have been materially
strengthened and there is no danger
in that direction.
The armed steamers LaGuna de Bay
and Cavadonga, under Captain Grant,
have gone to Guagua, about five m lies
southwest of Bacolor, presumably to
esta blish base of supplies for the
troops engaged on the northern cam
paign.
It is rumored that Mabini, president
of the cabinet and minister of foreign
affairs in the so-called Filipino gov
eminent, who is a radical, is to be sue
ceeded by Patreno, the Trainer of the
Spanish treaty of 1896. This change
is regarded as significant at the pres
ent juncture. The entrance of the
Americans into San Fernando was
virtually unopposed. The Filipinos,
who expected the invaders to
approach from the sea, had
guarded, but there was only one line
Of trenches beyond San Tomas. Two
battalions of the Fifty-frst Iowa regi-
ment, which swan the river north of
the city, were smartly peppered while
in the water, but the rebels disap-
peared as soon as the Americans
reached the shore. In the meantime
the hospital squad had walked across
the bridge into the city, supposing
the Americans were there. They en-
countered no natives
The few Spaniards and Filipinos
who were left there welcomed the
Americans and opened their houses to
them, General Macarthur accepting
entertainment at the hands of Senior
Hizon, a sugar magnate.
If the inhabitants of the San Fer
nando region are to be believed, there
is little sympathy with the insur-
rection in that quarter. Before
evacuating the city the rebels
burned the church and the public
buildings and looted the Chinese quar-
tiers. They drove many rich Filipinos,
with their families. out of the city
before them, as well as hundreds of
Chinese, to prevent them helping the
Americans. They cut the threats of
some. Many Chinese hid on roof tops
or in cellars, and some escaped by cut
ting off their queues. There are fifty
fresh graves in the churchyard.
The country beyond Calumpit is full
of all sorts of ingenious trenches and
pitfalls in the roads, with sharpened
bamboo. Fortunately the Americans
escaped the latter.
In the swamps near San Tomas,
where General Wheaton's troops did
their hardest fghting-the men sink
ing to their waists in mud-are many
bodies of Filipinos. smelling horribly
The army is really enjoying life at
San Fernando, which is the most pic
turesque and wealthiest town the
Americans have entered since the
occupation of Manila 1t is mainly
built of stone, the river is close at
hand and high hills almost surround
it. Many sugar factories indicate a
thriving industry in that respect, and
there are numerous fine residences.
General MacArthur's permanent head
quarters is established in the best
house in the town.
After Bacolor has been cleared.
water communication with Manila
may be established Along the roads
to Calumpit the fuel wagons and bull
teams dragging provisions have to be
ferried, one by one, across two rivers,
but the Filipinos have several launches
in the river delta.
The American troops are much ex-
by the campaign, except the
Iowa frOODS which arc com ma rafiualv,
fresh The regiments of the division
average less than fifty men to a COM
pany, and all have a weather-worn
Senator Albert Beveridge of Indiana
is here studying the Philippine ques-
ton.