The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-08
THE NEXT OBJECTIVE POINT OF
THE AMERICAN ADVANCE IN
THE PHILIPPINES
CITY STRONGLY DEPENDED
SIX THOUSAND WELL ARMED MEN
THERE WHO ARE LOOKING
FOR A FIGHT
BOYS IN BLUE EXHAUSTED

Regiments In the Attacking Divis-
ions Now Number Less Than Fif-
ty Men to COmpany-san Fer
nandO the Most Satisfactory Rest
ing Place the Troops Have Found
No Advance Made on Sunday.
MANILA, May Ito clear the Filipi-
nos out Of Bacolor, about seven miles
south of San Fernando. will be the next
task of the Americans. The rebel gen
eral, Mascado. 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 Fer
nando, that they "can lick the whole
lot"
Bacolor is well intrenched, and thou
sands of natives are working like beav-
ers digging trenches and carrying the
dirt in baskets. The enemy uses his
rilemen for fighting only, but compels
Bolomen and Chinese, and even the
women, to labor necessarily.
The rebels have an outpost about a
mile beyond San Fernando, with a trench
that holds between 200 and 300 men.
From that point several volleys were
fired last night upon the camp of the
Twentieth Kansas regiment.
Neither Mag. Gen. Macarthur nor Mai
Gen. Lawton moved today, although each
reconnoitered the country in his own vi
cinity 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
is commanding Gen. Kings brigade dur
ing the latters illness, have been ma
terial1y strengthened and there is no dan
ger in that direction.
The armed steamers Laguna de Bay and
Cavadonga, under Capt. Grant, have gone
to Jugua, about FIVE miles southeast of
Baco1or, presumably to establish a base
Of supplies for the troops engaged on the
northern campaign.
MABINI is OUT.
1t is rumored that Mabini, president of
the cabinet and minister of foreign af-
fairs in the so-called Filipino govern
ment, who is a radical. is to be succeed F.
ed by Patreno, the framer of the Span
ish treaty of 1896 This change IS re-
garded as significant at the present juno
ture.
The entrance of the Americans into
San Fernando was virtually unopposed.
The Filipinos, who expected 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 battaHons of the Fif-
ty-first Iowa regiment, which swan the
river north of the city, We're 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, supposing
the Americans were there. They encoun-
tered no natives.
The few Spaniards and Filipinos who
were left welcomed the Americans and
opened their houses to them, Gen. Mac
Arthur accepting entertainment at the
hands of Senior Hizon, a sugar magnate.
If the inhabitants of the San Fernando
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 public buildings
and looted the Chinese quarter. 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 throats of some. Many Chinese hid
on housetops and in cellars, and some
escaped by cutting off their queues. There
are fifty fresh graves in the church yard.
The country beyond Calumpit Is full of
all sorts of ingenious trenches and pit
falls in the roads with sharpened bam-
hoo. Fortunately the Americans escap-
ed the latter.
In the swamps near San Tomas, where
Gen. Wheaton's troops did their hardest
RfrhfH CT. .lrfrN
in mud-were many bodies of Filipincs
smelling horribly.
ENJOYING LIFE.
The army is greatly enjoying life at
San Fernando, which is the most pic
turesque and wealthy town the Am=ri-
cans have entered since the occupation
of Manila. 1t is largely built of stone,
the river close at hand. and high hills
almost surround 1t. Many sugar fac
tories indicate a thriving industry in
that respect and there are numerous fine
residences. Gen. MacArthurs per
manent headquarters are established in
the best house in town. which is richly
decorated with frescoes and carved
woods.
The troops are encamped around in
the suburbs and are beginning to think
they may be quartered there duri3g ths
wet season.
After Bacolor has been cleared water
communication with Manila may be es-
tablished. Along the roads to Calum-
pit the fuel wagons and bull teams drag
ging provisions have to be ferried across
two rivers, but the Filipinos have sew
eral launches in the river delta
The American troops are much ex-
hausted by the campaign, except the
Iowa troops, which are comparatively
fresh. The regiments of the division
average less than fifty men to a COM
IL.
pearance.
Senator Albert Beveridge. of Indiana.
is here. studying the Philippine Ques-
ton. -
Brig Gen. Charles King has sailed for
the United States on board the transport