SOMETHING ABOUT THE SITUATION AT MALOLOS
"Do you know if the Manila authorities have any idea where this
Benedicto Lupez has gone to?" asked Ben, after partaking of some
delicacies which Larry had managed to obtain for him.
"They think he got on a small boat and went up the Pasig River. He is
supposed to have a brother living in Santa Cruz on the Laguna de Bay.
This brother is said to be in thorough sympathy with the insurgents."
"In that case he is out of our reach for the present, as the rebels,
so I understand, have a pretty good force in and around Santa Cruz.
But if this Lupez has the money, I can't understand how he would join
the rebels. They'll try to get the cash from him, if they need it."
"Perhaps he is foolish enough to think that they will win out in this
fight, Ben. You know how hot-headed some of these people are. They
haven't any idea of the real power of Uncle Sam. I believe if they
did know, they would submit without another encounter."
"It would be best if they did, Larry, for now that we are in this
fight we are bound to make them yield. Once they throw down their
arms, I feel certain our country will do what is fair and honest by
them."
"It's the leaders who are urging the ignorant common people on--I've
heard more than one of the officers say so. The leaders are well
educated and crafty, and they can make the masses believe almost
anything. Why, just before I came away from Manila I saw a dozen or
more Igorottes brought in--tall, strapping fellows, but as ignorant as
so many children. They seemed to be dazed when their wounds were cared
for and they were offered food. The interpreter said they thought they
would be massacred on the spot by the bloodthirsty _Americanos_, and
they had a lurking suspicion that they were being cared for just so
they could be sold into slavery."
At this juncture a tall, thoroughly browned soldier came in, wearing
the uniform of a first lieutenant.
"Well, Ben, how is it to-day," he said cheerily, as he extended his
hand. "And how are you, Larry?" And he likewise shook hands with the
young tar.
"I'm hoping to get out soon, Gilbert," answered Ben. "But what's
this--a lieutenant's uniform?"
"Yes, I've been promoted to first lieutenant of Company B," returned
Gilbert Pennington. "I tell you, we are all climbing up the ladder,
and Larry must look to his laurels. I understand you are to be made
permanent captain of Company D."
"But where is First Lieutenant Crunger of your company?"
"Disappeared," and the young Southerner's face took on a sober look.
"That's the only thing that mars my happiness over my promotion. After
the taking of Malolos, Jack Crunger disappeared utterly, and we
haven't been able to find hide nor hair of him, although half a dozen
scouting parties have been sent out and the stream has been dragged in
several places."
"Perhaps he was taken prisoner," suggested Larry. "I heard some of the
Kansas and Utah men were missing, too."
"We are afraid he is a prisoner, and if that is so, Aguinaldo's men
have probably taken him up to San Fernando, where the insurgents are
setting up their new capital."
"And what is going on at the firing line?" asked Ben, eagerly. "Are
they following up the rebels' retreat?"
"I'm sorry to say no. General MacArthur made a reconnaissance in the
direction of Calumpit, but it amounted to little."
"I understand that the _Charleston_ has sailed up the coast and is
going to shell Dagupan," put in Larry. "Dagupan, you know, is the
terminus of the railroad line."
"That's good," came from the sick brother. "If we can get a footing in
Dagupan, we can work the railroad territory from both ends." But this
was not to be, as coming events speedily proved, for the shelling of
the city by the warship amounted to but little.
Gilbert Pennington knew all about the Braxton Bogg affair and listened
with interest to what Larry had to relate.
"It's too bad," he declared. "I'd like to give you some hope, boys,
but I'm afraid you'll have to whistle for your fortune. That Spaniard
will keep out of the reach of the Americans, and if the worst comes
to the worst, he'll slip off to Spain or South America; you mark my
words."
Larry's leave of absence was for forty-eight hours only, and soon he
was forced to bid his brother and his friend good-by. "Now take good
care of yourself, Ben," he said, on parting. "And do stay here until
you are stronger. Remember that a wounded man can't stand this
broiling sun half as well as one who isn't wounded, and even the
strongest of them are suffering awfully from the heat."
"I'll make him stay," put in Gilbert, with mock severity. "Surgeon
Fallox won't give him clearance papers until I tell him, for he's a
great friend of mine."
"I'm going to have a word with Stummer before I go," added Larry, and
hurried to the ward in which the sturdy German volunteer had been
placed. He found the member of Ben's company propped up on some grass
pillows, smoking his favorite brier-root pipe.
"Sure, an' I vos glad to see you, Larry," cried Carl, his round face
broadening into a smile on beholding his visitor. "Yah, I vos doin'
putty goot, und I peen out on der firin' line next veek maype. But
say, I vos sorry I peen shot town pefore we got to Malolos. I vos dink
sure I help clean dose repels out."
"Never mind, you did your duty, Carl. I've heard they are going to
make you a corporal for your bravery."
"Sure, an' that's right," came in an Irish voice behind the pair, and
Dan Casey, another volunteer of Ben's company, appeared. "It's mesilf
as has the honor av saying it first, too, Carl. You are to be first
corporal, Carl, wid meself doin' juty as second corporal."
The German volunteer's face lit up for a second, then fell suspiciously.
"Say, Dan, vos dis a choke maype?" he said slowly.
"A joke, is it?" burst out Casey. "Sure, an' do ye think I'd be
afther playin' a joke on a wounded man, Carl? No, it's no joke.
We're raised to the dignity av officers be the forchunes av war an'
the recommendations av our superior, Actin' Captain Russell, which
same will soon be our captain be commission, Providence an' the
President willin'."
"Good for Ben!" exclaimed Larry. "You both deserve it." And after a
few words more he hurried off, leaving the two old soldiers to
congratulate themselves on their advancement and speculate upon how
high they might rise in the service before the rebellion should close.
Casey had his eye set on a captaincy, but Stummer said he would be
quite content if any commissioned office came his way, even if it was
but a second-lieutenancy.
Malolos had been captured on Friday, March 31, 1899, at a little after
ten o'clock in the morning, although the fighting kept up until nearly
nightfall. As soon as the rebels were thoroughly cleaned out, many of
the soldiers were called upon to do duty as firemen, for a large
portion of the town was in flames. While the fire was being put out,
other soldiers went about stopping the Chinese from looting the
deserted mansions. The coolies were at first made prisoners and put
under guard in the public park, but later on they were released and
set to work to clean the streets.
As Gilbert had said, the days immediately following the fall of
Malolos were not of special activity. The hard, running fight along
the railroad through Caloocan, Polo, and other places, had all but
exhausted the army under General MacArthur, and when the insurgents'
capital was taken, it was felt that the soldiers had earned a
well-needed rest. Moreover, many had been wounded and many more were
down, suffering from the heat and tropical fever, and these had to be
cared for in the temporary hospitals established at various points in
the neighborhood. In the meantime the railroad was repaired and
Malolos was made a new base for supplies. There were several
skirmishes in the neighborhood north and northeast of Malolos, and in
these the rebels were compelled to fall back still further, yet the
outbreaks amounted to but little.
In the meantime, the Philippine Commission of the United States issued
a proclamation, translated into the Spanish and Tagalog languages,
calling upon the insurgents to throw down their arms and promising
them good local government, the immediate opening of schools and
courts of law, the building of railroads, and a civil service
administration in which the native should participate. This
proclamation was widely distributed, yet it did little good; for the
common people of the islands were given to understand by their leaders
that the Americans did not mean what they said, but had come to their
country only to plunder them, and would in the end treat them even
worse than had the Spaniards.
It was no easy work to repair the railroad running from Manila to
Malolos Station, which was some distance from the town proper. All
tools and equipments had to be brought up from Manila and from Cavite,
and soon the engineering corps found themselves harassed by some
rebels in the vicinity of Marilao and Guiguinto. At once General
MacArthur sent out a force to clear the ground, and several sharp
attacks ensued, which resulted in the loss of twenty-three killed and
wounded on the American side, and double that number to the enemy. In
the end the rebels fled to the mountains to the eastward and to
Calumpit on the north.
"We are going out to-morrow," said Gilbert, as he came to see Ben on
the day following the engagements just mentioned. "General Wheaton
says he is going to drive the rebels straight into the mountains--and
I reckon he'll keep his word."
Ben was at once anxious to go along, but this was not yet to be, and
he was forced to sit at a window of the hospital and see his regiment
march by with colors flying gayly and all "the boys" eager for
another contest. The members of his own company gave him a cheer as
they passed. "You'll soon be with us again, captain," cried one. "We
won't forget you! Hurrah!" and on they marched, with a lieutenant from
Company A leading them, and with Gilbert and Major Morris and many old
friends with the regiment. Ben watched them out of sight, and heaved a
long sigh over the fact that he was not of their number. But there was
still plenty of fighting in store for the young captain, and many
thrilling and bitter experiences in the bargain.