The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-08
GENERAL YOUNG PUSHING FORWARD
INTO THE MOUNTAINS.
THIRTY-SIX HOURS BEHIND HIM.
General Young Expects to Overtake
the Filipino Chief in Beunguet Pass.
The Insurgents In Their Retreat
Young, With Exhausted Men and
Tired Horses, Has pushed Beyond
Communication With the Army.

Manila, December 4.-An Associated
Press dispatch from Santa Cruz, prov
ince Of Ilocos, forwarded by courier to
San Fabian, says that General Young,
with three troops of the Third cavalry
and Major Peyton c. March's battalion
Of the Thirty-third infantry, was at
Santa Cruz today. The Americans left
Hamapacan, province of Union. this
morning, expecting to have a hard
fight at Tagudin, in South Ilocos prov
ince, but they found, on arriving there,
that 600 rebels, under General Tino, had
evacuated thirty-six hours before, de-
serting an almost impregnable posi-
ton.
The insurgents had been ~entrenched
at Tagudin, on the north side OF the
river, where 100 we'll disciplined troops
could have slaughtered a whole brigade
crossing the river, with the men up to
the armpits in water.
The residents of Tagudin received the
Americans outside the town with a
brass band. They had been robbed of
almost everything by the insurgents,
and were glad to welcome friendly and
protecting troops.
A similar reception awaited General
Young at Santa Cruz. Prominent cit
liens, headed by a band, escorted the
American officers to houses, where
rest and refreshments were offered.
General YOung's command was al
most without food. The men had been
living or the country, which affords
out little, and the horses were COM
pletely worn out, most of them without
shoes.
AGUINALDO IN THE MOUNTAINS.
The inhabitants of Santa Cruz and of
other 'towns through which the Amerf-
cans passed, say that Aguinaldo and
his entire refugee army have one into
the mountains eastward sine the Ore
gon, Samar and Callao attacked Vigan
and landed a force there.
In several towns General Young was
shown letters written by Lieutenant
Gilmore, showing that he had been
kindly treated by the citizens and had
been entertained by them when he
passed through last May.
Reports indicate that all the Ameri-
can prisoners, some twenty-five or
thirty, were at one time in Benguet
province, but it is supposed now that
they have been removed into Lepanto
province.
General YOung's desire is to pursue
the rebels into the mountains. There
is no communication between his small
command and any Of the other Ameri-
can columns, except Indirectly per-
haps, by sighting and signaling United
States gunboats bound ito or from Ma
Mia.
Captain Rumbold, with t~hirty-five
men of Company G, Thirty-second in
fantry, while escOrting the signal corps
laying the wire from Porac to Florida
Blanca, charged and routed seventy
insurgents. killing a captain and sew
eral privates. The Americans found OF
the captain the sword and revolver
that were taken from the body OF
naval cadet Welborn G.. Wood, who was
killed by the insurgents while in COM
mand of the gunboat Urdaneta, when
that vessel was captured in the Dram
river
An Associated Press dispatch from
Dagupan, containing advices later than
those from Santa Cruz, says that Cen
eral Young hopes to find Aguinaldo in
Benguet mountain pass and to capture
him there. Both entrances to Benguet
are fortified. Two troops of the Third
cavalry will reinforce General Young
in the pass.
Manila, December 5, 9:05 a. m.-Colo-
mel Hood, while accommodating near
San Miguel, drove a force of insurgents
from Ildefonso, killing several. Five
Americans were slightly wounded.