The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-06-22
Washington Boys Know del Pillar.

General Pho del Pillar, reported cap
tured in yesterday Manila dispatches,
is no stranger OF the officers and men
of the First Washington regiment.
In fact some of the hardest skirmishes
of the campaign was conducted in del
Pillars province and for more than
four months some portion of his COM
mand was directly opposed to the
regiment.
The insurgent general, while of
course unknown 10 the Americans ex-
cept by reputation, considered one of
the ablest substitutes Aguinaldo had
in the field. He was ranked second in
ability only to that energetic young
commander himself.
1t was del Pillar who came nearer
than did any other Filipino to infiict-
ing serious loss on the regiment
from this state. That was at the
time OF Captain Fcrtson's death.
The regiment was quariered at Pasig
or rather the headquarters and perhaps
one small battalion of men fit for
duty were quartered there The great
er portion of the town had been bar
den, but the ruins OF the adobe walls
across the San Mateo river still stood
and the thick growth of bamboo and
bananas made an excellent cover.
Previous expe rience with the fight
ing qualities of the enemy had how
ever, bred contempt and no one
thought of the possibility of their
coming in to close quarters attack.
Pillars men were of better. stuff,
however, for one night the scouts re-
ported the "niggers" digging trench
across the river and not oyer 100 yards
from the trenches where the little
garrison was getting what sleep the
mosquitoes and heat would allow
Just at the break of day Fortson
and his handful of men were ordered
across the little bridge near the Pasig
church to run the niggers out" They
had just reached the end of the bridge
when they were greeted with yolley
not from the newly constructed in
surgent trench, but from an old ansido
factory to the left. The captain and
three others were SO badly wounded as
to die within day or two. There
was hurried consultation. The in
surrectos were behind the stone walls
of the factory and ruins in position
that could only be taken by "rush'
tactics.
At this juncture "Buck" Harland,
chief of the regimental scouts, offered
to cross the river and burn them out.
He accomplished his perilous mission
undetected. When the flames began
to amount to the tbatch roof of the
inmates broke for cover. They were
followed by volleys and then c and
another company were sent after them.
It was reported that Pillar led his
men in person that night in what was
expected TO have been rush at the
lines as soon as enough insurgents had
been quietly brought up to close quar-
tiers. Pillar was at first reported killed
during the firing, but it was afterwards
found he had simply been wounded,
how seriously no one ever knew, al
though his wound was known to have
compelled his retirement from the
field for some time.
Among the cHrios in the possession
of Tacoma volunteers there is an ebony
ruler taken from Pillars quarters al
Santa Ana after the retreat OF the
Washington men on the opening night
OF hostilities. There is also full Off
clal dress suit taken from his residence
and supposed to have belonged to him
which is on exhibition at the Ferry
museum. 1t is a part of the Fife col
lection-Ledger.