The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-10


Men on Into the UnexpIored Dis
trict-Tactfcs Those of Frontier
Fighting.
MANILA, April 9.-The exnedition ~
LOU men, under Maj. Gen. Henry w. Law
'oh' winch started last night with the in
.entloh OF crossing Laguna de Bay, cap
turing the town Of Santa Cruz on the
eastern shore of the lake and then sweep
ing the country to the south. consists Of
1oo picked sharpshooters, chosen from tha
various regiments. Hawthorne's mounted
battery, Gales squadron three troops OF
the Fourth cavalry, unmounted, with
pronchos. Tappan's battalion of the Four
teenth infantry and Lincks battalion of
the First North Dakota infantry. under
Gen. King.
Inc notlila Of twenty canoes, towed by
tugs ana conveyed by the gunboats La
suna de Bay, Oestand Rapidan and pre-
ceoeo Dy the launch containing Gen Law
ton and Gen. King, started from San Pc
oro Macati, on the river Pasig, moving
toward the lake just as evening was set
ting In The men were all feeling In
high spirits and carried rations for ten
days. with the lightest marching eouin-
ment.
Gen. Lawton's plan was to reach Santa
Cruz this morning at daybreak. CAPTURE
or destroy any rebel gunboats or shin
ping, to take the town and then to scour
the country to the south of the lake. a
olstr1ct not yet explored by the Ameri-
cans. The tactics Will be those of the
old time frontier fighting, and 1t is prob
able that the command will be divided
into squads Of twelve, under non-com-
missioned officers
In Gen. Lawton's absence the second
division is temporarily commanded bv
Gen. Ovenshine, whose lines extend from
the beach near Malate, south to Manila
to the shore of Laguna de Bay, beyond
Pasig,- a distance of about seven miles.
The withdrawal of, the eighteen com
pan1es, constituting the expeditionary
1orce, made gap in the line from the
beach to Calieuli, just south of San Pc
dro Macati, which was subsequently filed
by the Fourth regular infantry
Inc rebels on the extreme right had ey-
identity been Informed of the withdrawal
OF the troops and they attempted to sneak
through after nightfall, but they met with
warm reception and fell back In disor-
der on discovering that the line was still
intact
Santa Cruz is the principal town on the
southeast shore of Laguna de Bay, the
large lake east of Manila which occupies
more than half the breadth of Luzon ISL
and at that point. Santa Cruz is the cap
1tal Of Laguna province, has a popula-
ton of about 1900, and is forty-eight
miles from Manila
Soon after the capture of Pasig hv
Wheaton's brigade gunboats cleared the
lake Of the rebel vessels and reduced
some works at Santa Cruz. No landing
was made, as the rebels were in consid-
erable force at the town, and the gum
boats did not carry men enough to hold
the place against them.
The recent operations by MacArthur'a
division, resulting in the capture of Ma
lolos, the rebel capital, have been to the
north Of Manila. While these operations
were proceeding Ovenshine's and Kings
brigades, under Gen. Lawton, were hold
ing the line of the Pasig river This
stream runs from Laguna de Bay to Ma
nila bay. Holding the river and con-
trolling the lake and bay, the Americans
were able to prevent the rebels of the
southern provinces from coming to the
aid of those of the north. The only
route open by which the rebels could
join forces was clear around the lake,
and through the mountains along the
east coast, distance of about $50 miles,
Gen. Otis has evidently resolved to ex-
tend his lines clear across Luzon island
and also to push the rebels in the south
ern provinces. The dispatch of Lawtons
expedition to Santa Cruz is step in that
direction. Santa Cruz will form a base
from which to operate into the southern
provinces, and thus still farther break
up the insucgent forces Supplies can be
sent to Santa Cruz by water, thus avoid
ing the difficulties of the low country just
south of Manila
IMPORTANT NEWS EXPECTED.