Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-04
AGUlNAlDO is WOUNDED
INSURGENTS CHIEFS DIARY AND
HORSE CAPTURED.
Men In Mai. March's Command Saw
the Officer Fall-BIOod
ON Saddle.

A dispatch from Vigan, Luzon. via Ma
Mia, June 3, says: Major March, with his
detachment OF the 33d Regiment. overlook
what is believed to have been Aguinados
party on May 10. at Lagat, about 100 miles
northeast Of Vigan. The Americans killed
or wounded officer. supposed to be
Aguinaldo. whose body was removed by
his followers.
Aguinaldo had 100 men, Major March
120. The American commander reached
Laboagan, where Aguinaldo had made his
headquarters since March 9, on May Z.
Aguinaldo had fled seven hours before, leav-
ing all the beaten trails and travelling
through the forest along the beds of
streams. Toward evening, May 10. Major
March struck Aguinados outpost about
a mile outside of Lagat. killing four Fill
pinos and capturing two. From the latter
he learned that Aguinaldo had camped
there for the night.
Although exhausted and half starved.
Major March's men entered Lagat on the
run. They saw the insurgents scattering
into the bushes or over the plateau. A
thousand yards beyond the town, on the
mountainside. the figures of twenty-five
FilipinoS, dressed in white, with their lead
err on a gray horse, were silhouetted against
the sunset. The Americans fired a rolley
and saw the officer drop from his horse.
His followers fed. carrying the body.
The Americans on reaching the spot,
caught the horse, which was richly sad
died. Blood from badly wounded man
was on the animal and on the ground. The
saddle bags contained Aguinaldo's diary
and some private papers, including proc.
lamations. One of these was addressed ITO
the civilized nations" 1t protested against
the American occupation of the Philippines.
There were also found copies Of Senator
Beverages speech. translated into Span
ish, and entitled THE Death Knell of the
Filipino People"
Major March. believing that the Filipinos
had taken to river, which is a tributary
to the Chico, followed 1t for two days.
reaching 1fao, where he learned that a
party of Filipinos had descended the river
May 20 on a raft with the body of dead
or wounded man upon a litter. covered
with palm leaves.
There Major March reviewed his COM
mand. shoeless and exhausted and picked
out twenty-four of the freshest men. with
whom he beat the surrounding country for
six days longer, but without finding any
trace Of the insurgents. The Americans
pushed on and arrived at Apart May ~.
The officer shot was either Aguinaldo or
his adjutant; and as the horse was richly
caparisoned, it is a fair presumption that
it was Aguinaldo.
The soldiers of General Young, military
governor Of northwestern Luzon, captured
early last month an insurgent officer with
papers revealing Aguinaldo's whereabouts.
General Young Immediately organized for
pursuit, giving Major March chance to
finish the work begun in November. Major
March left Candon May 10, hurrying north
a battalion divided into two parts. started
from Rangued. province Of Abra, covering
the trails westward. The garrisons in the
Cagayan valley were disposed in such a
way as to guard the avenues of escape
eastward.
Spies heralded the approach OF Major
March with signal fires. On reaching La
boagan he apprehended a letter in Aguin-
aldo's handwriting, the ink of which was
hardly dry, addressed to an officer of guer-
rillas of the Filipino army. and saying:
There having arrived this morning at
Laboagan a hostile column from Bokoc.
have set out with all my force My road
has no fixed destination"
This was signed 'Col. David" a sobri-
quet. Aguinaldo called at the prestdencia,
from which he issued DEGREES and where
his followers celebrated Easter with a ban
Quet at a triangular table, when speeches
were made eulogiZing Gregoric de Pillar.
That night Major Marchs men slept in the
bamboo. resuming the advance In the morn
ing, and reaching Lagat. forty miles distant,
in two days. although it was raining hard
in the mountains all the time.
Aguinaldo's papers are very important.
They show that he took refuge in Isabella
province, where he remained until he
tablished himself at Laboagan, province
of Abra, where he proposed to direct the
rainy season operations. Until recently he
was ignorant of outside events, making no
pretense of directing the Instruction, hap
ply If indeed he might be able to keep alive
among the hostile Igorrotes, who killed Sc
eral Of his followers.