Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-03-29
AGuINALpO,s CAPTURE

efAe~ eNh~'~ =
corning the capture of Aguinaldo.
"Ths confidential agent of General
Aguinaldo arrived February IS at Psp-
tabangsp. Luzop, With letters dated
January IL. IL and IA. These letters
were from General Aguinaldo and d.
rected his brother, Baldomero Aguina!.
do, to take command 10 the province OF
central Luzon. supplanting General
Alsjsndrino. General Aguinaido also
ordered that 400 men be ssnt BIN as
soon ss possible, saying that the bearer
of the letters would guide these men to
where he was.
81 secured the correspondence oil
Aguinaldo's agent and laid my plar S
accordingly. Some months previously
/ had captured the camp ofthe insur-
gebt general Lacuna, Incidentally OBJ
tanning Lacuna's seal, official papers
and quantity of signed correspond
ence. From this material two letters
were constructed, os,ensibly from La.
cuna to Aguinaldo. One of these con-
tanned information as to the progress OF
the war. The other asserted that, pur'
suant to orders received from Baldc-
| nero Aguinaldo. Lscuno was sending
his beet company to Presidente emilio
| Aguinsldo.
"My plans completed and approved,
I came to Manila and organic I'd my ex-
petition, selecting rs Mscabebes. TWEEN.
! ty wore insurgent uniforms and the
others the dress OF Filipino laborers.
This Macabebe company, armed
with $50 Mausers. Is Remingtons and
10 Krag.Jorgensens, was commanded
by Capt. Hazard. With him was his
brother, Lieut.. Hszzard. Capt. New
ton was taken along because OF his IA
miliarity with the locality, and Lieu,
Mitchell went as my aide. These were
! the only Americans accompanying the
expedition.
"With the Macabebes we're 4 ex In.
| surgsnt officers, l bsing Spauiard and
the other 3 Tagolos, whom ] trusted
implicitly. The Mscabebes were care
fully instructed to obey the orders o.
| the four ex-insurgent officers.
"Oa the night of March 8 the party
/ kCu 0u tuO viChcOuiBs
Eat 3 a. m. March IA the Vicksbura
put ont her lights and ran ashore 70
] miles south Of Cssiguran. The party
1 landed and marched to Caslgurap. The
Americans had never garrisoned this
place, and the inhabitants are strong
ipsurgent sympathizers. Having ar
rived there, the ex-insurgent officers
+, os;ensibly commanding the party, an
nounced that they we're on the way to
Join General Aguinaldo between Pauto'
bagan aud Balsr, that they had surpris'
ed an American surveying party, aod
that they had killed a number, captur.
ing five. They exhibited the Ameri'
cans as their prisoners.
"The insurgent Presidente OF Cssigu.
ran believed the story. Two OF the
Licuans letters, previously concocted
were forwarded to Aguinaldo at Pala
nan, province OF Isabella. We Ameri
can officers were kept imprisoned fol
three days, surreptItlously giving or
ders ct night.
"On the moroing OF March II the
party started on q 90-mile march to
Palanan. 90 March 80 we reached o
point eight miles from PalanaD. We
were then so weak that it was niece S
sary to send to Aguiualdo's camp fol
food. Aguinaldo dispatched supplies
and directed that the American prison
ers be kindly treated, but not be allow
ed to enter the town.
800 the moroi,g OF March 20 the ad'
vance was resumed. The column was
met by the staff officers OF Aguinaldc
and detachment Of Aguinaldo s body.
guard, which was ordered to take
charge of the Americans.
"While one of the ex-insurgent OFF,
cers conversed with Aguiualdo's aide
another, q Spaniard. sent a courier to
warn the American officers, who, with
| ii Macabebes, were about an hour be
hind. Having received this warning,
avoided Aguinaldo's detachment and
Joined my own column, avoiding OBJ
servation. The Tagalos went ahead to
greet Aguinaldo and the ool1mn slowly
followed, finally arriving at Palanan.
"Aguinsldo's household troops, SO
men 10 neat uniforms OF blue aud white,
linsd up to receive the newcomers. My
men crossed the river In small boats,
formed on the bank, marched to the
right and then 10 front of the insur
gents. The Tagalos entered the house
where Aguinaldo was.
Suddenly the Spanish officer, no.
ticing that Aguinaldo's aide was watch
log the Americans susplciously, ex.
claimed:
Nov Macabebes, 60 for lheml"
THE Macabebss opened fire, but
their aim was rather ineffective, and
only two insurgents were killed. The
Filipinos returned the fire. On hear
ing the firing Aguinsldo, who evident
ly thou yht his men were celebrating
the arrival of reinforcements, ran to the
window and shouted:
"Stop that foolishness. OMIT wasting
ammunition
"Hilario Placido, one OF my Tagalog
officers. threw his arms around Aguin-
aldo, exclsiming: You are a pris.
oner OF the Americans
"Col. Villa, Aguinaldo's chief OF
stsff, Major Alambra and others at
tackled Placido. The latter shot Villa
in the shoulder. Alsmbra jumped out
Of the window and attempted TO cross
the river. II Ia supposed that he was
drowned. Five other insurgent officers
fought for few minutes and then fed,
making their escape.
"When the firing began assumed
comm and aud directed the attack on
the house, personally assisting 10 the
capture Of Aguinsldo. The insurgent