The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-20
SPAN|AR|)S OF PLUCK
"BaIer" TO Them a Name of
Proudest Memory
BESlEGED BY FILIPINOS
Wouldn't Yield Even When
the War Was Over.

| Correspondence OF Associated Press)
Manila, March s-There are hundreds
OF miles of Pacific coast OF this island
unknown to our army. hundreds Of miles
where We have no garrisons, a long
stretch Of coast familiar only 10 such
naval officers whose duty has led them
TO patrol or sound thu eastern side OF
Luzon- There are few towns or villages
on this coast and one can cruise along
it for days seeing no sign OF human oc-
/ cupadon. Down south, in the Camarines
and Albay provinces. there are a few
ports on the Pacific side, such as Lee
gaspi. Tobacco and Daet. and these We
have lately occupied and garrisoned: but
| with these exceptions and that OF Bale
the Pacific coast of Luzon island is prac-
| ticaily unknown to our army Of occupa-
ton.
General Funston last month led an ex-
petition into Baler. on the Pacific side.
and a little north OF Manila, and left
there a garrison OF the Thirty-fourth vol
unteer infantry. A Span1ard in Spain or
here in Manila. would not think OF cali
ing this little hamlet simply Baler: with
him 1t would be "Baler. so heroically de-
Tended by the Spanish soldiers" or
glorious Baler,'' and today if a soldier
of Spain can truthfuIly say: II was at
Baler," he at once becomes great and
envied in the eyes of his comrades. He
is the subject of a hero worship of a
distinctly commercial and gratifying
character-it is considered an honor to
drink with a hero of Baler"
During the summer of 1895 the Span
ish forces at Baler were having their
customary trouble with the Filoinos in
that vicinity Some of this Spanish gar
| rison were killed and about fifty Span
iards commanded by a captain withdrew
with years provisions, into the now
historic church OF Baler and there they
were besieged by the rebels for eleven
months. This garrison, reduced TO thirty
three souls. surrendered TO the Filtpinos
with all the honors Of war. July 2. 1898
In the summer Of 1899, the head of the
Spanish army in the Philippines realized
that the resistance OF this RaIer garri-
son was needless and rather cut Of p ace.
inasmuch as the United States had van
pushed Spain. declared her sovereignty
over the Filipino people and was en-
gagged in Quellng their revolt. 1t was
consequently decided TO communicate
with this garrison. explain to them these
facts and order them to quit. With this
end in view Lieutenant Colonel Aguilar
arrived off the town OF Ba,er May 30.
and explaining his mission 10 the Fill
pino officer commanding that district, re-
ceived the latter's permission 20 land and
communicate with the besieged Span
iards. Early one morning Colonel
Aguilar approached the church with a
white and Spanish flag. only to be told
by the guards TO come back that same
afternoon at 3 o'clock. as the command
ing officer, Lieutenant Saturino Martin
Cerezo, had been UP all night. was then
sleeping and could not be disturbed. At
the colonel was accorded the privilege
of speaking to the lieutenant and handed
him a letter from the lieutenants com
manding officer, directing him to place
himself under Colonel Aguilar's orders.
The lieutenant refused 70 follow these
orders and even after he had been shown
newspapers which proved that his resis-
lance was needless and inopDortune. he
still declined to surrender or leave the
church he had so long defended II have
provisions enough to last my garri On
until August Is: not until these are ex-
hausted will 1 surrender" he said
Colonel Aguilar returned to Manila with
out accomplishing the object of his trip
Later in July, a Spanish commission
from Manila went to the Filipino lines 10
trace and bring about the release Of the |
$500 Spanish prisoners still held BY the
rebels. Their efforts were unsuccessful. !
except in the case Of the defenders Of the 1
Baler garrison, numbering thirty-three 4
all told. This band had surrendered I
July 2. their ammunition and food being /