Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-04-05

"This Macabebe company, armed
with so Mausers, Is Remingtons and
10 krag-Jorgensens, was commanded
by Capt. Russell L. Hazard, of the
| Eleventh United States Volunteer
Cavalry. With him was his brother,
Lieut.. Oliver 2. NJ. Hazard, of the
same regiment. Capt. Harry w.
Newton, of the Thirty fourth Iufan-
try, wastaken along because of his
familiarity with the locality, and
Lieut.. Burton j. Mitchell, Of the
Fortieth Infantry, went as my aide.
These were the only Americans ac-
companying the expedition.
"With the Macabebes were ex-in-
surgent officers, being Spaniard
and the other 3 Tagalos, whom ]
trusted implicitly.
Cali the American officers wore
plain blue shirts and khaki trousers.
They carried each a half blanket,
bat wore no insignia of rank. The
Macabebes were carefully instructed
to obey the orders of the four ex-in-
surgent officers.
"At 2 a. m. March 14th the Vicks-
burg put out her lights aud ran
ashore 20 miles south of Casiguran,
in the Province of Principe. The
party landed and marched to CAST
guran. The Americans had never
garrisoned this place, and the inhab-
itants are strong insurgent sympa-
thizers. Having arrived there the
ex-insurgent officers, ostensibly COM
manding the party, announced that
they were on the way to JON Gen.
eral Aguiualdo between Pautobagan
and Baler, that they had surprised
an American surveying party, and
that they had killed number, cap
turing five. They exhibited the
Americans as their prisoners.
Taking small quantity of cracked
corr, the party started on 9O-mile
march to Palanan. The country is
rough and uninhabited, and provi-
sions could not be secured. Our party
ate small shell-6sh, but were almost
starved. Wading swift rivers, climb
ing precipitous mountains aud pene-
trating dense jungles, we marched
seven days and nights, and on March
% had reached a point eight miles
from Palanan. We were then so
weak that it was necessary to send
to Aguinaldo's camp for food. Agui-
naldo dispatched supplies and direct
ed that the American prisoners be
kindly treated, but not be allowed
to enter the town.
"On the morning Of March 23rd
the advance was resumed. The col
umn was met by the staff officers of
Aguinaldo and detachment of
Aguinaldo's body guard. The Tag
alogs went ahead to greet Aguinaldo
and the column slowly followed,
finally arriving at Palanan. The
Tagalos entered the house where
Aguinaldo was.
Suddenly the Spanish officer,
noticing that Aguinaldo's aide was
watching the Americans suspiciously,
exclaimed:
Snow, Macabebes, go for theml'
"The Macabebes opened fire, but
their aim was rather Ineffective, and
only two insurgents were killed. The
rebels returned the fire. On hearing
the firing Aguinaldo, who evidently
thought his men were merely cele-
brating the arrival of reinforcements,
ran to the window and shouted:
"'Stop that foolishness. QUIT
wasting ammunitionp
"Hilario Placido, one of my Taga-
log officers, 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, exclaiming:
Il
"'You are prisoner of the
Americans!
''Col. Simeon Villa, Aguinaldo's
chief of staff, Major Alambra and
Others attacked PIacido. The latter
shot Villa in the shoulder. Alambra
ljamped out of the window and at
tempted to cross the river. 1t is
supposed that he was drowned. Five
other insurgent officers fought for
few minutes and then fled, making
their escape.
"Wheu the firing began assumed
command and directed the attack on
the house, personally assisting in the
capture of Aguinaldo. The insur-
gent bodyguard fled, leaving 30 rifles.
Santiago Barcelona, the insurgent
treasurer, surrendered without re
sistance. None of the Macabebes was
wounded.
"When captured Aguinaldo was
tremendously excited, but he calmed
down under my assurance that he
would be we'll treated. He had been
living at Palanan for seven mon tbs,
undisturbed except when detach-
ment of the Sixteenth Infantry
visited the town. On that occasion