Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-03-29

One of these contained information
as to the progress of the war The
other asserted that. pursuant to or
ders received from Belde9merO Aguin-
aldo, Lacuna was sending his best
company to President Emilio Aguin-
aldo.
His plans completed and approved.
General Funston came TO Manila and
organized his expedition. selecting
seventy-eight Macabebes. all of who
spoke Tagalog fiuently. Twenty wore
insurgent uniforms. and the others the
dress of Filipino laborers. This Mac
abebe company. armed with fifty
Mausers. eighteen RemingtonS and ten
g-.IorgenSens, was commanded by
Captain Russell It. Hazard of, the
Eleventh United States volunteer cav
airy With him was his brother
Lieutenant Oliver p. NJ. Hazard. of
the same regiment. CAPTAIN Harry
". Newton, Thirty-fourth Infantry,
was taken because of his familiarity
with Casiruran bay. and Lieutenant
Burton J. Mitchell, Fortieth infantry,
went as General FunStOn's : aide. These
were the Only Americans accompany
ing the leader expedition.
With the MacabebeS We're four eN-
iIsurgent officers, one being Span
lard and the other three TagaloS. whom
General Funston trusted implicitly.
On the night of March the party
embarked on the United States gun
boat NickSburS. 1t was originally
intended to take caScoeS from the ISL
and of PolillO and to drift to the main
land. but storm arose and three OF
the caScoes We're lost. This plan was
abandoned. At Il. m. March II. the
Nicksburg put her lights out and ran
iuShore twenty-five miles south of
CaSiguran. province of Principe. The
party landed and marched TO CaSigu-
ran. The Americans had never gar
riSoned this place, and the inhabitants
are strong inSurgent SympathizerS.
Having arrived there the eE-insurgent
officers, oStenSibly commanding the
party. announced that they were on
the way to join AguinaldO between
Pautobang and Baler. that they had
surprised an American surveying
party, and that they had killed num-
Der. capturing five. They exhibited
General Funston and the other Ameri-
cans as their prisoners.
The inSurgent presidentc of CaSigu-
ran believed the story. Two of the
Lacuna letters. previously cOncocted.
were forwarded to AguinaldO at Pala-
nan. province of Isabella General
Funston and the others were kept
imprisoned for three days. surrepti-
tiously giving orders at night. On the
morning of March Il. taking Il small
quantity of cracked corn. the party
started on a ninety-mile march to Pal
anan. The country is rough and un-
inhabited, and provisions could not he
secured. The party ate small shell
fish, but We're almost starved. Wad-
ing swift rivers. climbing precipitOus
mountains and penetrating dense jun
giles, they marched seven days and
nights and on March 22 had reached
point eight miles from Palanan. They
were now so weak that il was neces-
sary to send to Aguinaldo's camp for
food. Aguinaldo dispatched supplies
and directed that the American prison
ers be kindly treated. but not be al
lowed to enter the town.
On the morning of March 23 the
advance was resumed Tie column
was met by the staff officers of Aguin-
aldo and a detachment of AguinaldoS :
bOdyguard, which WAS ordered to take
charge of the Americans.
While one of the eX-inSurSent Off
GERS converSed with AguinaldOS aide
another. a Spaniard. sent courier to
warn General Funston and the resg
who, with eleven Macabebes were
about an hour behind. Having re-
cefved this warning General Funston
avoided AgunaldoS detachment and
joined the column, avoiding observa-
ton. 'rhe TagalOS went ahead to
greet AguinaldO and the column slow
ly followed, finally arriving at Pala-
nan.
AguinaldO'S household troops fifty
men in neat uniforms of blue and
and white and wearing straw hats.
lined up TO receive the new comeTS.
General FunSton's men crossed the
river in small boats. formed on the
bank. and marched to the right and
then in front of the insurgent grena-
diers. The TagaloS entered the house
| where Aguinaldo was.
suddenly the Spanish officer. notic-
ing that Aguinaldos aide was watch
ing the Americans suspiciousIy. ex-
claimed: Now. Macabebes, go for
them The Macabebes opened fire.
but their aim was rather ineffective.
and only three insurgents were killed.
The rebels returned the fire. On
hearing the firing. Aguinaldo, who
evidently thought his men were merely
| celebrating the arrival of reinforce
| ments. ran to the window and shouted.
stop that fOolishness; quit wasting
ammunition
HilariO Placido. one of the Taga-
log OIHcerS anu former lnSufSent
major. who was wounded in the lung
! by the fire of the Kansas regiment at
the battle of CaloOcan, threw his arms
around AguinaldO, eXclaiming, you
| are prisoner of the Americans"
Colonel Simeon Villa, Aguinaldo' >
| chief of staff. Major Alambra and
others attacked the men who were
| holding .Aguinaldo. PIacido shot
Villa i'll the shoulder. Alambra jdInp-
ed out of the window and attempted
| to cross the river. II is supposed that
| he was drowned. Five other insur-
! gent officers fought for few minutes
and then fed. making their escape.
When the firing began. General
| Funston assumed command and
| directed the attack on the house, per-
| sonally assisting in the capture OF
Aguinaldo. The insurgent bodyguard
| fed, leaving twenty rifles. Santiago
Barcelona, the insurgent treasurer,
surrendered without resistance.
When captured, Aguinaldo was tre-