Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-22
HOW AGUINALDO WAS CAPTURED.
General Funston Tells the Story In
HIS Official Report Just Received.

HIS Omctal REPORT JUST hecelVeu.
A description by General Funston
and Captain Hazard Of the capture OF
Aguinaldo was received at the war
department last Thursday morning In
the mail from Manila. General Fun
ston says:
ION January IA, special messenger
Of Aguinaldo's headquarters at Pala-
nan, bearing letters to different gene
rails of his command and to insurgent
chiefs, asking for reenforcements to be
sent him, gave himself up to Lieuten-
ant Taylor Of the Twenty-fourth in
fantry who Immediately sent him to
me at San Isido. He also had valuable
correspondence which gave us infor-
nation as to the whereabouts and the
strength Of Aguinaldo's band at that
time. We found among them one In
which Baldomero Aguinaldo was or
dered to take command Of the prov
ince of central Luzon and requesting
him to send as soon as possible 4OO
armed men to Aguinaldos camp.
"Then and there conceived the Idea
Of arming and equipping a number OF
native troops to pass off as these ex-
pected reenforcements and to make an
endeavor to trap Aguinaldo In his lair.
The expedition was made up Of four
Tasalogs, who were formerly COM
manding officers in Aguinaldos army,
and who selected rs men Of the Mac
cabebe scouts all Of whom could talk
the Tagalo. I obtained a number OF
captured insurgents uniforms and ten
Maccabebes were equipped with Rem
ington and Mauser rifles.
1--WE embarked on the gunboat
Vicksburg and landed on March IA at
2 o'clock in the morning. The expedi-
tion was nominally placed in command
of Hilario Placido, ex-insurgent colo
mel. After marching 20 miles we
reached the town of Casiguran. We
had sent word to the presidente of the
town through native messengers that
reenforcements for Aguinaldo were on
the way through his town. The pres
idente was completely deceived. My
troops had captured some months ago
some official papers Of General Lacuna,
bearing his official stamp and seal. In
order to make the deception all the
more complete, we succeeded in forging
the signature of Lacuna to letters to
Aguinaldo. These letters were sent on
ahead and we followed.
1.-THE trip to Aguinaldo's camp was
a most severe one upon the men. Our
food supply was entirely exhausted,
and nv men were so weak that when
we reached within eight miles Of Agui-
naldos camp we could go no further.
We, therefore, sent a messenger ahead
to Aguinaldo's camp, informing him or
our plight and requesting that he send
us food before we could go further.
This was supplied, and the disguise
and ruse adopted by us had been COM
plete. AS we had told Aguinaldo that
we had American prisoners he sent
word that they be given their liberty.
LAS the Maccabebes approached the
town the troops of Aguinaldo's body
guard, consisting Of so men, were
drawn up in parade to receive the sup
posed reenforcements. The men who
posed as officers of our expedition,
marched into camp and paid their re-
spects to Aguinaldo, who received them
in a large house built on the banks OF
the Palanan river.
After the exchange Of courtesies the
officers excused themselves from Agui-
naldo and his staff for moment, step
ped outside, and ordered their Maca-
bebe troops drawn up into line and
commanded them to commence firing
into Aguinaldo's troops. The rout OF
the insurgents was complete. The ex-
insurgent officers, the five Americans
and several Maccabebe scouts immedi-
ately made a rush for the house which
was used as Aguinaldos headquarters
and took him prisoner.
"Aguinaldo, when first taken prison.
er, raved and swore at the deception
practised upon him, but later accept
ed the situation with dignity