Evening star., 1903-10-03

young rluplno, not quite tWenty-four, dark.
even for native, thick tipped, but with
intelligent features. Carefully he pores
over the dry administrative documents be-
fore him. quiet. modest young native
he seems but few of his fellow countrymen
have had a more strenuous life, so brilliant
a career: certainly none of his years For
this is the ex-insurgent chief the famous
guerrilla leader, Gen. Tino, who was colo
mel at eighteen a general a nineteen, and,
who, at twenty conquered northern Luzon
from the Spaniards and brought it under
native rule. This lad it was, also who for
over year defied the new commander of
the United States army, Gen. S. b. NJ.
Young, when the latter was military COVER
nor of northern Luzon. No other in
surgent leader gave Gen. Young half the
trouble that this boy did.
T1noS s character is a strange one His
enemies among his own people are numer-
Gus; some called him cruel and bloodthirsty,
some weak and foolish, and others de-
nounce him as an unscrupulous brigand.
HIS friends naturally maintain that he has
within him all the possibilities of Ma
poleon. Iino, they say, when in his twenty
hrst year, defeated several times a Span
lsh army, greatly outnumbering his own
forces. while Napoleon was four years older
when he simply captured fort. Napoleo on
they further contend, had behind him Eu-
ropes best soldiers; Tino fought with
iu66cu UitldlIOu Ol raw recruits VINO never
before had fired gun. Napoleon was a
trained tactican; Tino rose from civil life,
from the schoolroom.
A Friend Of Aguinaldo.
The most warlike of the Fflipinos have
been the Tagalogs. This Is not because
their natures are more aggressive but be-
cause Manila, which was the center of
Spanish tyranny, is the heart of the Tag
alog district. Oppression has made them
what they are. Tino is a Tagalog born in
the province of Cavite as was Aguinaido
When the first insurrection against the
Spanlards broke out in 1897 Tino, then a
mere schoolboy, Joined the insurgents and
SO distinguished himself for bravery and
military skill that Aguinaldo in rapid sue
cession raised him to a colOnelcy and then
conferred on him the rank of brigadier
general, and made him one of his personal
advisers. Later on, when the Tagalog chief
was banished to Hong Kong Tino went
with him. Thus they became warm per-
sonal friends.
When the Americans in 1898 invited
Aguinaldo to return to his native land
Tino accompanied his chief and joined
him in conquering the Tagalog territory
from the SpaniardS whose garrisons we:e
driven northward. where they gathered into
quite army. Then when Aguinaldo had
established himself in Malolos, near Manila
he said to Tino:
Take 500 men and march north"
The boy general obeyed. Without taking
time to drill the 500 peasants given him he
struck out on his march, fighting every day,
beating back the Spaniards and conquering
each town he advanced on. AS his soldiers
fell he replaced them with other peasants
recruited from the country through which
he marched. The prisoners he took he sent
back south under escort of bolo men-mili-
tia armed only with long knives. At no
time did his army number over 500.
His Rout of the Spaniards.
His march was unimpeded by any serious
resistance on the part of the Spaniards until
he reached the banks Of a large river that
divides the province of Union from Ilocas
Sur over 200 miles north from Manila Here
the Spaniards had determined to make one
last stand. They numbered about 1860,
We're armed with modern Mauser rifles, and
were under command of old experienced
officers. Several companies of the oth GAIA
dores, Spains finest colonial troops, made
up the force.
On the banks of this river stands the town
of Tagudin. There the river is several hun
dred yards wide and much too deep to be
forded On the far bank the Spaniards
half mile on either side of the ferry.
On came the boy general with his mob of
Filipino patriots, armed with old-fashioned
Remington rifles and less than hundred
captured Mausers. Arrived at the river he
was met by the volleys Of the Spanish
troops. He knew that it was useless to
make frontal attack. In one night he
marched up his side of the river ten miles. |
where he forded and by dawn next morning
he fell on the left flank of the intrenched
Spaniards and utterly routed them The |
Spanish commanding officer deserted his |
men and escaped off the coast in a boat, |
leaving most of his force prisoners
That was the last organized resistance |
made by the Spaniards against Ilno. What |
was left of their decimated ranks retreated |
northward with Tino close on their heels |
picking up stragglers. On August 13 1883. !
the day the American flag was hoisted in |
Manila Tino entered the important north !
ern town of Vigan, next in size to Manila
on the Island of Luzon. The Spaniards had |
passed through the day before, taking with |
them the local garrison and the bishop of |
Nigan and his monks the bishop having |
under his care several carreton LOADS or |
treaSur in silver dollars.
Tino raised the insurgent tricolor over |
the bishops palace, left small force TO
garrison the town, and after only rev
hours sleep continued his pursuit of the |
fleeing Castilians. 1t was simply contest |
of endurance, and the boy of twenty Won |
1t was the rainy season. and the soldiers
marched in slush to their hips AT town
called Loag the Spaniards were too eX
to continue the killing pace, and |
they fortified themselves in a local convent.
Tino's Claim of Personality.
When Tino came up they hung out a |
white flag and asked for a parley. Tino |
walked boldly into the convent and told the |
officer what terms he would !
grant hin-unconditional surrender. The |
Spaniards agreed, and all delivered over /
their arms to the insurgent leader. Then |
they were paroled and allowed to scatter
about among the villages and to live among
the native householders. The officers and
monks returned to Vigan. where Tino es-
tablished his headquarters. There he was
in constant telegraphic communication with |
A guinaldo in Malolos. and there he remained |
until the northern march of the Americans
began.
It was in vigan that he held as prisoners |
of war Lieut. Gilmore and thirteen other |
Americans. He kept them in rigorous con-
finement. but still did not treat them with |
the severity of personal animosity Lieut. |
in speaking to the writer, told of |
a visit that he received from Tino, and de-
scribed him having most unattractive |
features. but powerful personal mag
netism that compelled one to like him. His |
smile. Gilmore said was as winsome as
any girls.
Tino has often been accused of tyranny
but the fact remains that he established
court before which Spanish prisoners could |
claim redress against natives who had pill
LACED or otherwise ill-treated them. One
ease that occurred in Vigan illustrates |
rino's idea of justice and discipline.
Punished Tyrannical Judge.
II