Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-04-13
THE REBELS ARR GRITTY
Refuse to Give Up Without
Making a Fight.
DIE WITH RIFLES IN THEIR HANDS
Movement of Lawton's Force In the Cap
ture of santa Cruz-Many PHILIPPINES
Killed and a Large Number Wounded
American Casualties Are Light.


World Cablegram. I'm the fighting at
Santa Cruz the Fourteenth regiment
of United States infantry caught the
fleeing native garrison of the city in
a cul-de-sac, from which there was no
escape. Hoping that the rebels would
surrender the American troops held
their fire. But the hope was vain. The
rebels doggedly refused to throw down
their arms and died. rifles in hand.
Santa Cruz was the Filipinos strong
hold on Lake Laguna de Bay and it
fell into the hands of General Law
tons expedition after some sharp
quick fighting, forming one OF the
most interesting and important battles
of the war. Plans of the American
commanders worked perfectly with
the exception that the progress of the
expedition was delayed by the difficult
navigation of the river. About 1900
picked men composed the expedition
which was under the personal COM
mand of General Lawton, on account
of the illness of General King. These
troops partly surrounded the city
while the .gunboats Lagua de Bay
Napidan and Oeste, under the COM
mand of Captain Grant of the Utah
battery, shelled the city and outlying
trenches.
General Lawton and his staff ac-
companied the troops, sometimes lead
ing charges in Indian fighting tactics
which eventually resulted in the com
plete route of the rebels with the
smallest amount of damage to the city
and slight loss to the Americans.
General Lawton, desiring to make
an inspection and to give the lnhab'
itants of Santa Cruz an opportunity
to surrender, went on board the La
guna de Bay and steamed slowly &c
the dock, the whole fleet watching
anxiously. When it was discovered by
the glasses that the trenches and
stone buildings were swarming with
whitehead soldiers the two boats with
drew, receiving vOlleys from the
trenches thrown up on the marshy
plain north of the city.
The fotilla anchored in compact
formation for the night, ready TO re-
sist any surprises from the rebel gun
boats supposed to be in the lake.
At sunrise the assault commenced.
The American outline south OF the
cityA stretched two miles inland and
wit hts left reaching the shore 1t NOV
ed north, while the Fourth cavalry
men on the point advanced toward the
city, pouring volleys on the trenches.
simultaneously the gunboats hoVered
along the shore, Smelling the WOODS
ahead of the troops and driving the
Filipinos inland. The Cuttings cleared
several trenches. The whole brfgaLe
was divided into squads OF twelve ana
the fighting was carried on in the Old
time frontier fashion, from behind
trees, crawling through bushes or
rushing across the open. The trenches
that were not cleared by the gunboats
gave considerable resistance when the
line was nearing the city and the La
guna de Bay and Oeste bombarded for
an hour in the hope of making them
too warm for occupancy, but did not
succeed in clearing them entirely.
General Lawton, with the Fourteenth
infantry battalions, approached mar
row iron bridge across a creek on the
south border of the town. Here d
company of Filipinos was intrenched
across the stream and behind stone
barricade at the entrance to the bridge.
The Americans rushed forward in sim
gle file in the face of gatling fire, de-
molishing the barricade with their
hands and drove the enemy from the
trenches, killing a dozen.
The Filipino soldiers in the town,
secreted in various buildings and firing
from the windows, gave the invaders
an interesting hour. There was a reg
ular nest of them in the stone jail,
which is hedged in by wall. This
was a veritable pepper pot. The Amer
leans singly or in pairs entered the
houses and many warriors were taken
prisoners.
A considerable body of Filipinos fed
northward, crossing the open marshes,
but the Cuttings poured upon them a
deadly hail until they disappeared in
the woods, Staying dozens.
Major Weisenberger deployed the
sharpshooters along the shore and they
crept steadily forward, aiding the Cat
lings. FinaAy large body was sent
against the enemy in the woods, driv-
ing them toward the mountains.
General Lawton established head
quarters at the elegant palace Of the
governor and guard was Immediately
placed in the church, as the sacred
edifces are always the first objective
of hooters. Within an hour the town
was patrolled and all looting rigidly
prevented.
Almost all the inhabitants had fled
during the two preceding nights and
| only a few Chinese shopkeepers have
emerged from hiding and resumed bus
mess.