Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-04-13
Cen. LAWT0N
TAKES A HAND
The Old Indian Fighter Strikes a
Telling Blow in the Phillip
pines Campaign.
CITY OF SANTA CRUZ is CAPTURED
The Capital Of Laguna de Bay
Province Taken, Many Fill
pinos Being Killed.
THE ENEMY WILL BE PURSUED
f.awton Crosses Lagua dc Bay witt,
1900 Picked Men and Drives
the Rebel Force There
Into the Interior.

Manila, April 10.-7 p. m.-General
Lawton has captured Santa Cruz, at
the extreme end of the lake. He drove
the rebels, who were commanded by
u Clinnman named Pao-Wah, into the
mountains. The Americans had six
wounded. The rebels lost 68 killed and
forty wounded.
p. IN. Rebels along the railroad
fired on a scouting party this after
noon. wounding two Kansans.
Washington, April 10. The follow
ing has been received from Otis.
'Lawton has captured Santa Cruz,
the chief city of Laguna de Bay, this
morning. Casualties, six wounded.
The insurgents were driven out, lcav-
ing siNty-eight dead ON the field and
large number of wounded. A con-
siderable number were captured. Law
ton will pursue"
Manila, April 1917 p. M Santa
Cruz was the Filipinos stronghold on
Lake Laguna de Bay, and it fell into
the hands of General Lawton's expedi-
ton 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 command of Cen
eral Lawton, on account of the illness
of General King. These troops partly
surrounded the city, while the gun
boats Laguna de Bay, Napidan and
Ocste, under the command of Captain
Grant, of the Utah battery, shelled the
city and outlying trenches.
General Lawton and his staff accom-
panied the troops, sometimes leading
charges in Indian fighting tactics,
which eventually resulted in the com
plete rout of the rebels, with the
smallest amount of damage to the city
and slight loss to the Americans.
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. per-
haps through the cunning of the ma
tive pilots, who were not anxious to
sec 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 La
g'lna de Bay going in the rear
Rebel signal fires, however, We're
lighted on the mountain tops, giving
alarm of the approach of the troops.
1T was noon before the white church
towers of the city appeared in the
shadow OF the great volcanic noun
tain, on marshy plain dotted with
occasional palm groves.
A casco with Il 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 a few shells were sent toward
the entertainments Of the rebels at the
edge OF the woods. sending the enemy
scampering inland
Then number of Americans
jumped into the water. and wadnp for
about 10 yards, crept forward and
formed in line, covering the landing
of the remainder, which finished about
S o'clock The three troops of the
Fourth cavalry. unmounted, we're sent
ashore on Il dangerous, marshy point,
directly south of the city, under fire
from the cnemy's trenches.
Meanwhile i'm the town itself there
was utter silence and not Il sign of life.
General Lawton, desiring to make an
inspection and 10 give the inhabitants
an opportunity to surrender, went ON
board the Laguna de Bay and, accom-
panied by the Associated Press launch.
steamed slowly to the dock, the whole
fleet watching anNiously. When it
was discovered by the glasses that the
trenches and stone buildings were
swarming with Whitehead soldiers the
two boats withdrew, receiving volleys
from the trenches thrown up on the
marshy plain north of the city.
The fiotilla anchored in compact for
mation for the night, ready to resist
and surprises from the rebel
gunboats supposed to be i'm the lake.
AT sunrise Monday the assault COM
menced. The American outline south
of the city stretched two miles inland,
and, with its left sweeping the shore,
it moved north while the Fourth cav
alrymen on the point advanced toward
the city, pouring volleys upon the
trenches. simultaneously the gun
boats showed along the shore, Smelling
the woods ahead of the troops and
driving the Filipinos inland. The gait
lings cleared several trenches.
The whole brigade was divided into
squads of twelve, and the fighting
was carried on in the old time from
tier fashion from behind trees, crawl
ing through bushes or rushing across
hn
cleared by the gunboats gave consid-
cradle resistance when the line was
nearing the city, and the Laguna 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 Four
pntlNnApv niiccrlOM ccrrrO