Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-04-03
FUNSTON'S STORY,
ne oafih$ SeneraI Tells of the Cap
ture OF Aguinaldo-A WeiI-Iaid
and Clever Plan


ment concerning the capture of the
Filipino leader:
The confidential agent of Aguinaldo ar
rived February % at Pantabangan, in the
province of Nueva Ecija, northern Luzon,
with letters dated January II, II and ID
These letters were from Emilio Aguinaldo
and directed Baldermero AguinaldO to
take command of the provinces of Central
Luzon, supplanting Gen. AlejandrinO.
Emilio Aguinaldo also ordered that 400
men be sent him as soon as possible, say
ing that the bearer of the letters would
guloe these men to where Aguinaldo was.
Cen. Funston secured the correspondence
OF Agu1naldo's agent and laid his plans
accordingly. Some months previously he
had captured the camp of the insurgent
general Lacuna, incidentally obtaining La
cuna 8 SEAL official papers and a quantity
OF signed correspondence. From this ma
terlaI two letters were constructed osten-
S1bly from Lacuna to Aguinaldo One of
these contained information as to the prog
ress Of the war. The other asserted that
pursuant to orders received from Balder-
nero Aguinaldo, Lacuna was sending his
bsst company to President Emilio Agui-
naldo.
His plans completed and approved, Gen.
Funston came to Manila and organized his
expedition, selecting rs Macabebes, all Of
whom spoke Tagalog fuently. Twenty
wore insurgent uniforms, and the others
the dress of Filipino laborers. This Maca-
bebe company, armed with so Mausers,
IL RemlngtoEs and ten -Jorgensens,
was commanded by Capt. Russell T. Haz-
card. of the Eleventh United States volun-
teer cavalry. With him was his brother.
Lieut.. Oliver P. M. Hazard, Of the same
regiment. Capt. Harry W. Newton Thir-
ty-tourth infantry, was taken because
of his familiarity with Casiguran bay
infantry, went as Gen. Funston's aid
These were the only Americans accompany
ing the leader of the expedition. With the
Macabebes were four ex-insurgent officers,
one being a Spaniard and the other three
Tagalos, whom Gen. Funston trusted i'm
plicitly. Gen. Funston and the officers
wore plain blue shirts and khaki trousers.
They carried each half blanket, but
wore no insignia of rank The MacabebeS
were carefully instructed to obey the or
ders of the four ex-insurgent officers.
On the night Of March the party en-
parked Oh the United States gunboat VickS-
burg. It was originally intended to take
cascoes from the island of Polillo and to
drift to the mainland; but storm arose
and three of the cascoes were lost. This
plan was aband oned. AT two a. M, March
IA, the Vicksburg put her lights out and ran
inshore Is miles south Of Casiguran, prov
ince of Principe The party landed and
had never garrisoned this place, and the in
habitants are strong insurgent sympa
thizers. Having arrived there, the eX-in-
surgent officers, ostensibly commanding
the party, announced that they were on
the way to join Aguinaldo between Pauto-
bang and Baler, that they had surprised
an American surveying party and that
they had killed a number, capturing five.
They exhibited Gen. Funston and the other
Americans as their prisoners.
The insurgeIt presidente Of Casiguran
believed the story Two Of the Lacuna let
ters, previously concocted, were forward
ed to Aguinaldo at Palanan, province of
Isabella. Gen. Funston and the others were
kept imprisoned for three days, surrep-
titiously giving orders at night On the
morning of March II, taking a small guam
tity Of cracked corn, the party started on
q 90-mile march to Palanan. The country
is rough and uninhab ited, and provisions
could not be secured. The party ate small
shell fish, but were almost starved. Wad-
ing swift rivers, climbing precipitous
mountains and penetrating dense jungles.
they marched seven days and nights, and
on March % had reached a point eight
miles from Palanan. They were now SO
weak that it was necessary to send to Aguf-
naldo's camp for food. Aguinaldo. DIS
patched supplies and directed that the
American prisoners be kindly treated but
not be allowed to enter the town.
On the morning of March % the advance
was resumed. The column was met by the
staff officers of Aguinaldo and detach-
ment of Aguinaldo's body guard, which was
ordered to take charge of the Americans.
While one Of the eX-insurgent officers con-
versed with Aguinado's aid another, Il
Spaniard, sent a courier to warn Gen. Fun
ston and the rest who, with II Macabebes,
were about an hour behind. Having re-
ceived this warning, Gen. Funston avoided
Aguinaldo's detachment and joined the
column, avoiding observation. The Taga-
los went ahead to greet Aguinaldo and the
column slowly followed, finally arriving at
Palanan. Aguinaldo's household troops,
so men in neat uniforms of blue and white,
and wearing straw hats, lined up to receive
the newcomers. Gen. Funston's men
crossed the river in small boats, formed on
the bank and marched to the right and ther
in front Of the insurgent grenadiers. The
Tagalos entered the house where Aguinal-
do was.
Suddenly the Spanish officer noticing
that Aguinaido's aid was watching the
Americans suspiciously, exclaimed: .'Now.
go for them" The Macabebes
opened fire, but their aim was rather in
effective, and only three insurgents were
killed. The rebels returned the fire On
hearing the firing, Aguinaldo, who evident
ly thought his men were merely celebrat-
ing the arrival Of reenforcements, ran to
the window and shouted: ''Stop that fool
quit wasting ammunition"
Hilario Placdo, one of the TagaIog off,
GERS and former insurgent major, who
was wounded in the lung by the fire of the
Kansas regiment at the battle of Caloocan,
threw his arms around Aguinaldo, exclaim-
ing: "You are a prisoner of the Anfer-
cans
Col Simeon Villa, Aguinaldos chief of
staff, Maj Alambra and others attacked
the men who were holding Aguinaldo.
Placido shot Villa in the shoulder. Alan
bra jumped out of the window and attempt
ed to- cross the river. 1t is supposed that he
was drowned. Five other insurgent Off
GERS fought for a few minutes and then
fled, making their escape.
When the firing began Gen. Funston as
sumed command and directed the attack
on the house, personally assisting in the
capture of Aguinaldo. The insurgent
bodyguard fled, leaving 20 rifles. Santiago
Barcelona, the insurgent treasurer, sur
rendered without resistance.
AguinalGo, who talked freely of past
events, said he supposed Gen. Trlas would
proclaim himself dictator, even not know
ing that Trias had surrendered He be-
haved courteously and gave no trouble.
Gen. Funston says Aguinaldo is above
the average in intelligence and has pre-
manners
Col. Mcclure Retires.
Philadelphia, March 30.-Col. A. X.