The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-08-29
As Regular Operation as
Charging Battery Was.
CAPTURE OF AGUlNALD Do
FunSton's Own Account of the
Capture Summarized.

/ General Funston's account Of his cap
ture Of Aguinaldo shows that it was a
regular an operation as establishing /;
picket or charging a battery. It wa
not the artful plan of tricky man
but an ingenious and thoroughly sol
dierly adaptation of unexpected but for
tunate circumstances to the accom-
pIisbment OF very important point IL
f. the campaign in hand.
General Funston's account OF the
/ transaction appears in Everybody
/ Magazine" for September, Only half OF
the account is given in this number. II
/ is a plain and practical narration OF
( what happened. Early in February OF
this year the alcade or mayor of the lit
tie village of Pantabansan came in the
/ evening TO Lieutenant James D. Taylor,
+ who was stationed in that village with a
company of United States infantry. and
announced that q small band of insur-
gent soldiers had just arrived in the
neighborhood from the northern part of
the island of Luzon, and, IN his judge
ment. could be persuaded to surrender.
Lieutenant Taylor acted at once upon this
information, and by acroit questioning
and good treatment finally obtained exact
knowledge of the situation. These insur-
gents were under leadership of one Cecilio
confidential agent of Agulnaldo. and had
been sent as a bearer of important dis
patches to the nsurgent generals in
southern and central Luzon. The little
footsore and hungry band had been 26
days on, the way from Palanan, where
Aguiualdo had his quarters-Palanan be-
ing on the east coast Of the province Of
Isabella. in the north. Physical discom-
fort and need appear to have been the
reasons for the surrender.
Lieutenant Taylor at once reported
all this to General Funston, the district
commander. with headquarters at San
IsidrO, province OF Nueva Ecija; and IN
der orders Segismunda and the papers ar
rived at San Isidro two days later Lieu
tenant Taylors report was the first that
General Funston knew Of the opportunity
that had come his way.
General Funston at once set his wits
at work to devise a plan to utilize the
information that had fallen oy mere
chance into his hands. After much per-
in a scheme TO capture Aguinaldo Gen.
Funston suggested three possible methods
ono by landing a force from a ship and
quick march, another by march over the
mountains lying to the westward Of Pala-
nan, and third the method adopted Seq
ismundo shook his head at the first two
schemes but "clapped his hands together
and jumped from his chair in great gIee."
and said that the third plan would prob
ably succeeded. On the first of February
General Funston reported the whole mat
ter to his immediate superior officer,
General Wheaton, outlining what he
Thought could be done. and with the ex-
ccption of a few i,nmaterial details.
chiefly in regard to taking along a native
officer by the name of Natividad, describ-
ing what was actually done General
Funston was at once ordered to Mania, /
where his plan was instantly approved
by General Wheaton and General Mac
Arthur. General Macarthur assuring him |
that he could have anything necessary |
TO make the project 81 success, and him |
self arranging with Admiral Remey for |
the use of the United States gunboat |
Nicksburs
conception. very complex in execution. |
Segismundo had brought with him a |
whole bundle of letters, not only Official /
letters form Aguinaldo. but also personal
letters from the insurgent officers serving
near Aguinaldo. The most important let
ter of al was one form Aguinaldo to his
cousin, BaIdomero Aguinaldo. This let
ter vas written in a difficult cypher: but
the cypher was finally mastered by a
'Qufck-witted Spaniard." one Lazaro Sc
sovia, who later went with the expedition
as one OF the officers. This letter ordered
Baldomero AEuinaldo to make some mill
-ary changes and Ito send him emilio !
Aeuin3ldo) about 400 soldiers. selected |
from the commands of the various subor-
lnates." This order suggested the work
lg plan. as 1T was finally successfully
,arried out. The basis was g detachment
# United States troops, al natives. dress
"a and armed as fnsurgent soldiers. COM
handed BY native and Spanish officers.
III Of whom had been IN the iusurgent
service. and accompanied by Aguinaldos
'wn agent, SeCismundo. and also by five
American officers who passed as having
seen taken prisoners by the detachment.
This detachment was TO approach Aguin-
.ldo's quarters and enter them, rs part
Il the 400 men ordered from Baldomero
sguinaldo.
I'm carrying ont military ruse Of this
l3borate and prolonged kind il was noe
ssary that that the men should under
tand the whole project as well as the
ltcers- Accordingly. during the six days ]
oyase from Manila. the so 8Iacsbebes
we're trained to act, speak, and so far IS
.ossiale think. like insurgent soldiers.
'wo letters were also written while on
1ipooard purporting 70 be from the in
urgent GeneEal Iacuna To Aguinaldo. !
General Funston. before this while lust .
aiinE 20 capture Laouna. had seized his .
lothcs. stationery. corresQ ondance. etc.
. Fhinino had reproduced Lacuna's sig
allure on two sheets ~ this paper. al
oady stamped with Lacuna's official seal.
le pretended letters were nnod in on
be Nicssburs by the Srauiard Seeov;a
ritins AZ General Funston's dictation.
-fter che expedition had landed p-elirl-
lary report was sent 10 Agufrsldo bv
Zee IaCoia who was in a nominal Gem
'ard. Hilario Placido announcing thar
e was acting under the CHIEFS 10 whom
sliiraldo cE2e- for ta men would have
tel. 4 tae order had reached lis IN
srfel destination.
When Tie complicated ard precarious
't-re ot this ruilltarv Iase is considered
Is amazing that 50 was successful The q
Pie ~ 81 u,T faiES be sai5 - have rest
2 i1 die han6-or r1ther in the speech
~ aeasvior-of eac of the p sIaca he2ser
mo fra PSI made tas landing. These men
lG been f~S-r-----f m -,ra ~ra r---r