The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-04-11
manila Dispatch, March 2Sth.)


Aguinaldo arrived February 28th at
Pantabangan. in the province OF
Nueva Ecija, Luzon, with letters dated
January II, II and Il. These letters
were from General Aguinaldo and
directed his brother, Baldomero
Aguinaldo, to take command in the
provinces OF Central Luzon, supplant-
ing General Ale andrino. General
Aguinaldo also ordered that 400 men
be sent him as soon as possible, say
ing that the bearer of these letters
would guide these men to where he
was.
Il secured the correspondence of
Aguinaldo's agent and laid my plans
accordingly. Some months previous
~ | had captured the camp OF the
insurgent general Lacuna, inciden
tally obtaining Lacuna's seal, official
papers and a quantity of signed cor
respondence. From this material
two letters were constructed, osten-
sibly from Lacuna to Aguinaldo. One
of these contained information as to
the progress of the war. The other
asserted that pursuant to orders re-
ceived from Baldomero Aguinaldo,
Lacuna was sending his best company
to 'Presidente Emilio Aguinaldo.'
My plans completed and'approved,
l came to Manila and organized my
expedition, selecting 70 Macabebes,
all Of whom spoke Tagalog fusnely.
Twenty wore insurgent uniforms and
the others the dress Of Filipinos labor
ers.
This Macabebe company, armed
with 80 Mausers, 10 Reming tons and
10 Krag-Jorgensens, was commanded
by Capt. Russell t. Hazard, of the
Eleventh United States Volunteer
Cavalry. With him was his brother,
Lieut.. Oliver P. M. Hazard, Of the
same regiment. Capt. Harry w.
Newton, of the Thirty-fourth Infan-
try, was taken along because of hi.
familiarity with the locality, and
Lieut.. Burton j. Mitchell, of the For
tieth Infantry, went as my aide. These
were the onl y Americans accompany
ing the expedition.
with the Macabebes were four ex-
insurgent officers. one being a Span
lard and the other three Tagalos,
whom l trusted implicitly.
''All the American officers wore
plain blue shirts and khaki trousers.
They carried each half blanket, but
wore no insignia Of rank. Tho Maca-
bebes were carefully instructed to
obey the orders of the four ex-insur.
gent officers.
'On the night CT March Sth the
party embarked on the United States
gunboat Vicksburg. 1t was origi-
nally intended to take cascoes-native
canoes-from the Island of Polillo
and drift to tho mainland; but a storm
| arose and three cascoes were lost.
This plan was abandoned.
''At 2 a. M, March 18th, the Vicks-
burg put out her lights and 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 inhabi-
tants arc strong insurgent sympa-
thizers. Having arrived there tho
ex-insurgent officers, ostensibly COM
handing the party, announced that
they were on their way to join Gen
eral Aguinaldo between Pautobagan
and Baler. that they had surprised an
American surveying party, and that
they had killed number and cap
tured five. They exhibited the Amer
leans as their prisoners.
The insurgent president of CAST
guran believed the story. Two Of the
Lacuna letters previously concoted,
were forwarded to Aguinaldo at Pa.
lanan, province of Isabella. We
American officers were kept impris-
oned for the three days, surreptitious-
ly giving orders at light.
''On the morning of March 18th,
taking a small quantity of cracked
corn, the party started on 90 mile
march to Palanan. The country is
rough and uninhabited and provis-
ions could not be secured Our party
ate small shellfsh, but were almost
starved. Wading swift rivers, climb
ing precipitous mountains and pene-
trating dense jungles, we marched
seven days and nights, and on March
22nd had reached point eight miles
from Palanan. We were then so
weak that it was necessary to send to
Aguinaldo's camp for food. Aguin-
aldo dispatched supplies and directed
that the American prisoners be kindly
treated, but not be allowed to enter
the town.
''On the morning OF March 23rtl the
advance was resumed. The column
was met by the staff officers of Aguin-
aldo's bodyguard. which was ordered
to take charge OF the Americans.
while one of the ex-insurgent Off
GERS conversed with Aguinaldo's aide.
another, Spaniard, sent courier to
warn the American officers who, with
ii Macabebss, were about an hour
behind. Having received this warn
ing, | avoided Aguinaldo's detach-
ment and joined my own column,
avoiding observation. The Tagalos
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. NV
men crossed the river in small boats.
formed on the bank, marched to the
right and then in front OF the insur-
gents. The Tagalos entered the
house where Aguinaldo was
"Suddenly the Spanish officer,
noticing that Aguinaldo's aide was
watching the Americans suspiciously.
exclaimed:
Now. Macabebes. 60 for themr
The Macabsbes opened fire, but
their aim was rather ineffective, and
only two insurgents were killed. The
rebels returned the fire. On bearing
the firing Aguinaldo, who evidently
thought his men were merely cels-
bratlng the arrival of reinforcements,
ran to the window and shouted:
Stop that foolishness! Quit
WASTING