Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-04-15

on tho fiNIu.
Manila. April 11.-Gcncral Lawton
has captured Santa C."az. at the ex-
IRENE end of tho lake He drove the
rebels. who were commanded by 4
Chinaman named Pao- Wuh. into the
mountains The Americans had one
man killed and six wounded.
Santa Cruz was the Filipinos' strong
hold on Lake Laguna de bay. and il
;ell into the hands of General Lawton'a
expedition after some sharp. quick
fighting, forming one of the most in
teresting and important battles of the
war.
The plans of the American COM
manders worked perfectly, with the
exception that the progress of the ex-
petition was delayed by the difficult nav
igation of the river About $500 pick
ed men composed the expedition
which was under the personal COM
mand Of General Lawton. on account
of the illness of General King.
The expedition started from San
Pedro Macati at dusk on Saturday, in
tending to capture Santa Cruz by as
sault at daybreak. But in navigating
the shallow, tortuous PaSig river,
perhaps through the cunning of the
native pilots, who were not anxious to
see the Americans successful, several
boats grounded. and it was nearly
dawn when the troops reached the
lake The expedition then steamed
cautiously forward. the Napidan and
the Oeste mile ahead and the Laguna
10 c,,nrdiDcr no
A casco. with force of 200 picked
sharpshooters. under Major Weisen-
berger, mostly belonging to the First
Washington regiment. was run into a
shallow inlet about five miles south
of the city.
Then few shells were sent toward
the entertainments of the rebels at the
edge of the woods. sending the enemy
scampering inland.
Then a number of Americans jump
ed into the water and wading for
about a hundred yards. crept forward
and formed in line. covering the land
ing of the remainder, which finished
about o'clock.
The three troops OF the Fourth cav
airy, unmounted. were sent ashore on
dangerous marshy point. directly
south of the city, under fire from the
enemy's trench.
Meanwhile in the town itself there
was utter silence. and not sign OF
life General Lawton, desiring to
make an inspection and to give the
Inhabitants an opportunity to sur
render. went on board the Laguna de
Bay and. accompanied by the news
paper launch. steamed slowly to the
dock, the whole fleet watching anX-
iously. When it was discovered by the
glasses that the trenches and stone
buildings were swarming with white
clad soldiers the two boats withdrew.
receiving volieys from the trenches
thrown up on the marshy plain north
of the city.
The fiotilla anchored in compact for
nation for the night. ready to resist
any surprises from the rebel gunboats
supposed to be in the lake At sun.
rise yesterday the assault commenced.
Tie American line south of the city
stretched two miles inland. and with
its left sweeping the shore it moved
north, while the cavalrymen on the
point advanced towards the city, pour
ing volleys upon the trenches. Stimuli
taneously the gunboats lowered along
the shore. Smelling the woods ahead of
the troops and driving the Filipinos in
land The gatlings cleared several
trenches.
The whole brigade wHs divided into
squads Of e, and the fighting was car
Tied 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 re-
sistance when the line was nearing the
city, and the Laguna de Bay and the
Oeste bombarded for an hour in the
hope of making them too warm for oc-
cupancy, but did not succeed in clear
ing them entirely.
General Lawton, with the Fourteenth
infantry battalions, approached a mar
row iron bridge across the creek on the
south border of the town. Here Il
company of Filipinos was intrenched
across the stream and behind a stone
barricade at the entrance to the bridge.
The Americans rushed forward in sin
gle file. demolished the barricade with
their hands and drove the enemy
from the trenches. killing dozen.
The Filipino soldiers in the town,
sacrcted in various buildings and firing
Lem the windows, gave the invaders
an interesting hour There was a reg
ular nest cf them il the stone jail,
which is edged in by wall. This was
q veritable pepperpot.
The Amer cans, singly or in pairs,
entered the houses, and many war
riors were taken prisoners.
A considerable body OF Filipinos fled
northward, crossing the open marshes.
but tne gat!ings poured upon them
deadly hail until they disappeared in
the woods. leaving dozens of dead be-
hind
Major Weisenberger deployed the
sharpshooters along the shore. and
they crept steadily forward, aiding TN"
gatlings. Finally a large body was
sent against the enemy in the woods,
driving them toward the mountains.
General Lawton established head
quarters at the eiegant palace of the
governor and 4 guard was immedi-
ately placed in the church. as the sa-
cred edifices are always the first OBJ
jective of hooters. Within an hour
the town was patrolled and all looting
eigdly prevented.
Almost all the inhabitants had fed
during the two preceding nights, and
only few Chinese shoplieepers have
emerged f:Uin hiding and resumed
business.
On the marshes on the north of the
town were found 10 dead Filipinos-
some terribly torn by shells-and
many others wounded, TO whom the
Americans offered their canteens as
though they were comrades. A sur
geon who trlyersed the field counted
80 killed, and General Lawton will re-
port at least 6S.
Senator Mcmillan Denies a Bumor.
Washington. April 1.-Persistent
reports have been circulated here for
some time of an intention on the part
of Secretary Alger to resign after the
inquiries into the conduct of the war
have ended, and last night these were
coupled with the statement that Sena-
,f