Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-05-10

The rebels have an outpost about a
mile beyond San Fernando, with a
trench that holds between two and
three hundred men. From that point
several volleys were fired last night
upon the camp of the Twentieth Kan
sas regiment.
Neither Major-General Macarthur,
nor Major. General Lawton moved to-
day, although each reconnoitered the
country in his own vicinity, for some
miles from headquarters, developing
the presence of small forces of the en-
emy. In the vicinity of La Guina de
Bay the rebels are extremely active ;
but the lines of General Overshine and
Colonel Whalley, who is commanding
General Kings brigade during the lat
ter's illness, have been materially
strengthened, and there is no danger
in that direction.
The armed steamers LaGuna de Bay
and Cavadonga, under Captain Grant,
have gone to Guagua, about five miles
southwest of Bacolor, presumably to
establish q base of supplies for the
troops engaged in the northern cam
paign.
1t is rumored that Mabini, president
of the cabinet, and minister of foreign
affairs in the so called Filipino govern
ment, who is d radical, is to be sue
ceeded by Paterno, the framer of the
Spanish treaty of 1896. This change
is regarded as significant at the present
ljuncture.
The entrance Of the Americans into
San Fernando was virtually unop-
posed. The Filipinos, who expected
the invaders to approach from the sea
had had that side of the town strongly
guarded, but there was only one line OF
trenches beyond San Tomas. Two
battalions of the Fifty-first Iowa regi-
ment which swan the river north OF
the city, were smartly peppered in the
water; but the rebels disappeared 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 ma
tives.
The few Spaniards and Filipinos
who were left welcomed the Americans
and opened their houses to them, Gen.
eral Macarthur accepting entertain
ment at the hands of Senor Hizon, a
sugar magnate.
If the inhabitants of the San Fernan-
do region are to be believed, there is
little sympathy with the insurrection
in that quarter. Before evacuating
the city the rebels burned the church
and the public buildings and looted
the Chinese quarter. They drove
many rich Filipinos, with their fam
lilies, out of the city before them, as
well as hundreds of Chinese, to pre-
vent them helping the Americans.
They cut the throats of some. Many
Chinese hid on roof tops or in cellars
and some escaped by cutting of their
queues. There are so fresh graves in
the church yard.
The country beyond Calumpit is full
of all sorts of ingenious trenches and
pitfalls in the roads, with sharpened
bamboo. Fortunately the Americans
escaped the latter.
In the swamps near San Tomas,
Where General Wheaton's troops did
their hardest fghting-the men sink
ing to their waists in mud-are many
bodies of Filipinos smelling horribly.
The army is really enjoying life at
Sar Fernando, which is the most pict-
uresque and healthy town the Ameri-
cans have entered since the occupa-
tion of Manila. 1t is largely built of
stone, the river is close at hand, the
high hills almost surround it. Many
sugar factories indicate thriving in
dustry in that respect, and there are
numerous fine residences. General
MacArthur's permanent headquarters
is established in the best house in
town, which is richly decorated with
frescoes and carved woods. The
troops are encamped around in the
suburbs and are beginning to think
they may be quartered there during
the wet season.
After Bacolor has been cleared water
communication with Manila may be
established. Along the roads to Ca
lumpit the fuel wagons and bull teams
dragging provisions have to be ferried
one by one across the rivers but the
Filipinos have several launches in the
river Delta.
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 COM
pany, and all have weather worn ap-
pearance.
Senator Albert Beveridge, of In
diana, is here studying the Philippine
question.
Brigadier-G General Charles King has
sailed for the United States on board