The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-01

FaSlS ana MOrOnS, unOer
General r. H. Hall, yesterday captured
Calamba, an important trading town
on the south shore of Laguna de Bay.
There was two hours of sharp firing
had, during which four soldiers were
killed and twelve wounoed. Ahe
trenches commanding the harbor were
under water, but the ~swampiness Of
the land made the work harder.
The troops boarded cascoes Tuesday
night. The force comprised 400 OF h
Washington volunteers, $50 of n
Twenty-first infantry, $50 of the Fourth
cavalry and two guns of the First ar
tillery. These and the gunboats Napi-
dan and Costo assembled opposite Ca
lamba Wednesday afternoon. Crowds
of people in carts and ON o were seen
rushing to the hills. Natives escaping
from Ca1amba in canoes said 100 insur-
gents held the town.
A force under Captain McGrath, of
the Twenty-first infantry, and Captain
Eftonherd, landed east of the town, but
found a river intervening. Captain Nc
Grath and Lieutenant Batson swan
the river under a fire from twenty
NlduSeF T1ileS. I1dVlLS CrOSSSu Lie
stream, the officers procured a casco
to ferry the troops over. The insur-
gents retreated through the town,
shooting from houses and pushes as
they fed to the hills. Three members
of the Washington regiment waded
from cascoes through swamps, often
Shoulder-deep, while a group of Phil
ippinos, concealed in hay stacks, were
shooting at them until the Napidan TO
cused her 6-pOunders and Calling guns
on the stacks for a few minute Most
of the work was done before the WASH
fngton volunteers could reach the town.
The Philippines left three lead. OF
the casualties on the American side
two of the killed and three of the
wounded were members of the Fourth
cavalry and two killed and eight
wounded belonged to the Twenty-first
infantry. There was much shooting by
amigos. who emerged from the bushes
with white flags. After the fight a doz-
en- men holding up their hands and
shouting "~castillanos," met the Amer
lean cavalry. Even Spanish soldiers
embraced the Americans Historically.
There were fifty Spanish prisoners at
Calamba, of whom some were civil Of
ficials and some soldiers. They had
been given the choice of joining the
Philippine army or becoming servant
Ito Philippines, and chose the army, in
tending to surrender at the first OPP
p%ortunity. Most of the civilians reach
ed the American lines during the
fighting, but the insurgents took others
away with them in their retreat.
General Hall captured twelve Philip
pinos with guns.
Major General Henry w. Lawton,
Professor Dean G. Worcester, of the
American Philippine commission; Mrs.
Lawto and General Lawton's son ac-
~cOmpanied the expedition or board a
launch and sat cOOlly in ar unprOtect-
ed boat close to the shore during the
fighting, the bullets splashing about
them.
General Hall today brought to Ma
Mia the Spaniards whom the eXpedi-
tiOn had released from captivity of
more than a year.
Lieutenant Larsen, commanding the
Napidan, today found a long-missing
Spanish gunboat, Which had been COW
ever with bushes and fish nets 50 as
not to resemble a vessel.
The Philippines. having met rein
forcements and thinking that the Amer
leans had evacuated the town, descend
ed from the hills today, intending ito re-
occupy Calamba. General Hall easily
drove them back. Genera Hall will
leave the garrison at Calamba.
SUPPLIES FROM JAPAN.
1t is reported in Philippine circles in
Manila that the insurgents recently re-
CSINou COIISlS lllIeIlIS OI SdlLp6lre anu
e from Japan. The insurgents had
been experiencing many difficulties in
the manufacture of good powder, that
which they produced lacking power Of
penetration and range
The w friars who were recently ar
rested here on suspicion that they were
the bearers of messages to Aguinaldo
from the Philippine junta at Hong
Kong, have been liberated for want of
evidence upon which to prosecute them.
AS soon as authorization can be re-
ceived from Madrid to insure the ne
cesSary expenditures, the Spanish gen.
-eral, JaramillO, will SEND a commission
composed of Seniors Toral and Rios to
'Tarlac to carry food, money, medicine
and clothes to the Spanish prisoners
there. The commission will also reopen
negotiations for the release of the cap
tured. 1t is reported that 49, 900, 900 in
Mexican money will be offered to the
insurgents for the release Of the Span
iards. General Jaramillo declines to
confirm this report.
AN UNIMPORTANT VICTORY.
Washington, July 27.-Calamba is a
town On Laguna de Bay, about thirty
miles southeast of Manila. 1t is much
farther south than the United States
troops have yet penetrated on land. 1t
is IN the province of Laguna, has a
population of IL ,476, and is twenty-seven
- NAoAs OA lin SoSNGAh
shore of the bay. It's capture is not
considered of any strategical import
ance, except as a part of the plan to
harass and worry the insurgents.
TO BE COURT-MARTIALED FOR
DISCRETION.
san francisco, July 27.-On board the
transport OHIO, which, with the New
port, sailed at midnight last night for
the Philippines, was Benjamin Givens,
private of Company III, Fourth United
States manacled and guard
ed, to be returned to Manila for trial
upon the charge of 'desertion in the
face of the enemy" the penalty of
which is death. The young soldier, has
been confined in the Preside guard
house since last Friday. He was taken
there from the transport Indiana. He
had been drinking heavily and in his
half-crazed condition went aboard the
Indiana Four or five days out the
first sergeant of his company, who was
coming home dn charge OF an insane