Evening star., 1900-05-28
Occupation of Iligan.

occupatiOh ol AlAbaHs
Shortly after the departure on March 81
the expedition arrived off Iligan. where the
usual white flags We're displayed and the
local president came out to the Manila
Major Craighilrs battalion was disem-
barked and promptly occupied the town.
which had been considered by the Span
iards as base of operations against the
Moros of considerable strategic value The
town itself does not look unlike an aban-
doned cantonment. The local president and
others wished some guarantee that their
property. religion and general rights would
be respected. and were informed that the
presence of our troops was a suffictent
guarantee of those rights. During the
Spanish occupation of this town three k1lo-
meters Of the projected railroad from Iligan
to Lake I.ano were in operation, the road
bed for four kilometers was completed and
al present there is considerable rolling
stock and material stored in sheds at Hi
gan.
On March 81 at 8 pm. Col. Goodwin and
staff and Company A. 40th United states
Volunteer Infantry, sailed on the Castel-
lano. accompanied by the United States
steamer Yorktown for Dapitan. where the
company is now stationed. The transports
Salvadora and Francisco Reyes remained at
Ilgan to unload, and. when released, to take
cargoeS of hemp at Surtgao back to Manila
The United States steamers Manila, Callao
and Panay, the transport Venus and the
launch Baltimore sailed on the morning OF
April l Tor MlSaniS, arriving OH tndt place
about II am. An insurrecto flag on the old
stone fort. on the approach of our ships,
was hauled down. and a white flag with an
insurrecto flag underneath hoisted in its
stead.
The Taking of Misamis.
In order to ascertain the meaning Of this
proceeding Capt. Smiley was sent ashore
with a flag of truce to demand the surren-
der of the town and the lowering of the in
surrecto flag. He found no organized re-
sistance, and that the flag had only been
raised in accordance with instructions re-
ceivcd some months previous from the in
surrecto provincial president of Cagayan.
Capt Smiley signaled this. together with the
fact that there were about thirty rifles in
the hands of the police force. to the Manila.
after having sent for the presidente and
chief of police of the town. Maj. McNamee.
with Companies and D of the 10th United
States Volunteer Infantry, then occupied
the town. with the usual flag raising. pa
rade OF troops and national salute. There
was a general air of stagnation about the
place. and many people had left the town
and gone into the hills but returned within
few hours after the arrival of the troops.
Twenty-Five men were held as prisoners in
the convento by the chief Of police. all of
whom were bound. some in stocks, and two
had recent gunShOt wounds. From investi-
cation 1t appeared that the prisoners be-
| longed to a faction who had been trying for
some time to Oust the existing insurrecto
party from power. Gen. Bates directed their
/ release and cautioned Maj. McNamee to Oh
| serve their future movements.
Condition at Oroquieta,
At daylight April 2 the transport Venus
] sailed for San Miguel bay to report to
| Gen. Bell, and the United States steamers
Manila. Callao and Panay sailed at the
! same time for OroQuieta, . town twenty