The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-29
.FUNSTON'S EXPLOIT
OAPToR OF AGUINALDo TELLS HOW
1T WAS DONE.
a MASTERPIECE OF STRATEGY.
THE EXPEDITION A MOST DARING
AND REMARKABLE ONE.

Gave Him the Key to the Situation.
Himself and Four other 0mcers
Intrusted Themselves to Ex-Fili-
pfno Officers and Macabebe
Scouts and Were Taken to Agui-
naldO's Camp as Prisoners-The
Insurgent Leader Deceived by
False Letters-Party Suffered Great
Hardship and Were Half Starved.
Thinking He Was About to Re-
ceive Prisoners AguinaIdO Was
Taken Completely by Surprise and
Captured After "A Sharp Skirmish.
After Being Caught the Insurgent
Chieftain Behaved Very Nicely.
Manila, March 2S.-Gen. Fred Funston,
who, March %, captured Emilio Aguinal-
do, when interview to-day by the repre-
sentative of the Associated Press, made
the following statement concerning the
capture of the Filipino leader:
The confidential agent of Aguinaldo
arrived Feb. 2S at Pantabangan. in the
province of Nueva Ecija, Northern Luzon,
with letters, dated Jan. IL, Il and "A.
These letters were from Emilio Aguinaldo
and directed to Baldermero Aguinaldo to
take command of the provinces of Cen
tral Luzon, supplanting Gen. Alejandrino.
Emilio Aguinaldo also ordered that four
hundred men be sent him as soon as pos
sible, saying that the bearer of the let
ters would guide these men to where
Aguinaldo was.
Gen. Funston secured the correspond
ence of Aguinaldos agent and laid his
plans accordingly. Some months previous
ly he had captured the camp of the in
surgent Gen. Lacuna, incidentally OBJ
tanning Lacuna's SEAL official papers and
a quantity of signed correspondence.
From this material two letters were con-
structed, ostensibiy from Lacuna to Agui-
naldo.
One of these contained information as
to the progres of the war. The other
asserted that pursuant to orders received
from Baldermero Aguinaldo, Lacuna was
sending his best company to Presidente
Emilio Aguinaldo. His plans completed
and approved, Gen. Funston came to Ma
Mia and organized his expedition, select
ing seventy-eight Macabebes. all Of
whom spoke Tagalog f1uently. Twenty
wore insurgent uniforms and the others
the clothing of Filipino laborers. This
Macabebe company, armed with fifty
Mausers, eighteen Remingtons and ten
rag-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, Thirty-fourth Infan-
try, was taken because of his familiarity
with Casiguran bay, and Lieut.. Burton
]. Mitchell. Fortieth Infantry, went as
Gen. Funston's aide. These were the
only Americans accompanying the expe-
dition.
With the Macabebes were four ex-in-
surgent officers, one being a Spaniard and
the other three Tagalos, whom Gen. Fun
ston trusted implicitly.
Gen. Funston and the American officers
wore plain blue shirts and khaki trousers.
They carried each a half blanket but
wore no insignia of rank. The Maca-
bebes were carefully instructed to obey
the orders of the four ex-insurgent Off
GERS.
On the night of March the party en-
barked on the United States gunboat
Vicksburg. 1t was originally intended 10
take oascoes from the island of Polillo
and to drift to the mainland, but storm
arose and three of the cascoes were lost.
This plan was abandoned.
At 2 a. m. March IA, the Vicksburg put
her lights out and ran inshore % miles
south of Casiguran, province of Principe.
JThe party landed and marched to Casigu-
ran The Americans had never garrison
ed this place and the inhabitants are
strong insurgent sympathizers Having
arrived there the insurgent officers, os-
tensibly commanding the party, an
nounced that they were on the way 10
join Aguinaldo between Pautobagan and
Baler, that they had surprised an Amer
ican surveying party, and that they had
Killed a number, capturing five. They
exhibited Gen. Funston and the other
Americans as their prisoners.
Lived on Crack Corn.
The insurgent presidents of Casiguran
believed the story. Two of the Lacuna
letters, previously concocted, were for
warded to Aguinaldo at Palanan, province
of Isabella. Gen. Funston and the others
were kept imprisoned for three days, CIV
ing orders at night. On the morning Of
March IL, taking a small quantity of
cracked corn, the party started on nine
is rough and uninhabited, and provisions
could not be secured. The party ate
small shell fish, but were almost starved.
Wading 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
Aguinaldos camp for food Aguinaldo
dispatched 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 a de-
tachment Of Agunaldo's bodyguard.
which was ordered to take charge OF the
Americans.
While one OF the ex-insurgent officers
conversed with Aguinaldo's aide, another
q spaniard sent a courier to warn Gen.
Funston and the rest. who, with eleven
Macabebes, were about an hour behind.
Having received this warning. Gen. Fun
ston avoided Aguinaldo's detachment and
Joined the column, avoiding observation.
The Tagaios went ahead 20 greet Agui-
naldo and the column slowly following,
hnally arriving az Paianan.
Aguinaldo's household troops, nifty men.
N neat uniforms OF blue and white ana
wearing straw hats, lined up 10 receive
the newcomers Gen. FunHton's men
crossed the river IN small boats. f0rme1