Iron County register., 1899-05-11
TIE PHILIPPINE CAMPAIGN.
gbe CAPTURE of BacoIor the Next job
Marked Out for Our Brave
Boys in the Orient.


Manila, May s.-To clear the Fill.
/ pinos out of Bacolor, about five miles
southwest of San Fernando, will be
! the next task of the Americans. The
rebel general Mascardo has force cf
6,0o0 men there, well-armed and pos
sessed of plenty of ammunition. His
| troops have never met American sol
diers, and they think, according to re-
ports carried to San Fernando, that
they can whip the whole lot"
working Like Beavers.
Bacolor is well intrenched, and
thousands of natives are working like
beavers digging trenches and carrying
the dirt in baskets. The enemy uses
his rifiemen for fighting only, out
compels the Bolomen and Chinese, and
even the women to labor incessantly.
y Rebel Outpost.
The rebels have an outpost about
mile beyond San Fernando with a
trench that holds between 200 and 800
men. From that point several vol
leys were fired last night upon the
camp of the Twentieth Kansas regi-
ment Neither Maj.-Gen. Macarthur
{ MaI.-U0l. l4ctWlOJ1 IoNSd
although each reconnoitered the coun-
| try in his vicinity for some miles from
headquarters, developing the presence
Of small forces of the enemy.
American Lines strengthened.
In the vicinity of La Guna de Bay
the lines of Gen. Ovenshine and Col.
| Wholly. who is commanding Gen.
Kings brigade during the latter's ill
ness, have been materially strength
ened and there is no danger in that di-
| rection.
The armed steamers La Guna de Bay
and Cavadonga, under Capt. Grant,
have gone to Guangua, about five miles
southwest of Bacolor, presumably to
establish base of supplied for the
troops engaged in the northern cam
paign.
A Significant Change.
It is runored that Mabini, president
of the cabinet and minister of foreign
affairs in the so-called Filipino gov
ernment, who is radical, is to be sue
ceeded by Palermo, the Trainer of the
Spanish treaty of 1896. This change is
regarded as significant at the present
juncture.
Entry of San Fernando UnoppOscd.
The entrance of the Americans into
San Fernando was entirely unopposed.
The Filipinos, who expected the in
yaders to approach from the sea, had
that side of the town strongly guard
ed, but there was only one line OF
trenches beyond San Tomas. Two bat
talions cf the Fiftyfrst 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 encountered 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 Senor Hizon, sugar
magnate.
If the inhabitants of the San Fer
nando region are to be believed there
is little sympathy with the inaurrec-
ton in that quarter. Before eIacuat-
ing the city the rebels burned the
church and the 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, 20 pre-
vent them helping the Americans.
They cut the throats of some. Many
Chinese hid on rooftops or in cellars
and some escaped by cutting of their
queues. There are so fresh grs yes in
the churchyard.
FUN of Trenches and Pitfalls.
The country beyond Calumpit is full
of all sorts of ingenious tranchcs and
pitfalls in the road with shaI pened
bamboo. Fortunately the Americans
escaped the latter. In the s,gamps
near San Tomas, where Gen. Wheaton's
troops did their hardest fighting--the
men sinking to their waists in mud
are many bodies of Filipinos, smelling
horribly.
The Army Enjoying Life.
The army is really enjoying life at
San Fernando, which is the most pic
turesque and wealthy town the Amer
leans have entered since the occupa-
ton of Manila. 1t is largely built of
stone, the river is close at hand and
high hills almost surround it. Many
sugar factories indicate thriving ;ll-
dustry in that respect, and there are
numerous fine residences. Gen. Mac
Arthur's permanent theadquarters is cs-
tablished in the best house in town.
The troops are encamped around in
the surburbs, and are beginning to
think they may be quartered there
during the wet season.
Water Communication with Manila.
After Bacolor has been cleared wa
ter communication with Manila may
be established.
Troops Much Exhausted.
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 so men to a company |
and all have a weatherworn appear |
ance.