Bacoor, Novaleta, and other places. Imus, which in
Manila was popularly supposed to be a fortress of relative magnitude,
whence the rebels would dispute every inch of ground, was attacked
by a large force of loyal troops. On their approach the rebels set
fire to the village and fled. Very few remained to meet the Spaniards,
and as these few tried to escape across the paddy-fields and down the
river they were picked off by sharp-shooters. It was a victory for the
Spaniards, inasmuch as their demonstration of force scared the rebels
into evacuation. But it was necessary to take Silan, which the rebels
hastened to strengthen, closely followed up by the Spaniards. The
place was well defended by earthworks and natural parapets, and
for several hours the issue of the contest was doubtful. The rebels
fought bravely, leaping from boulder to boulder to meet the foe. In
every close-quarter combat the bowie-knife had a terrible effect, and
the loyal troops had suffered heavily when a column of Spaniards was
marched round to the rear of the rebels' principal parapet. They were
lowered down with ropes on to a rising ground facing this parapet, and
poured in a continuous rifle fire until the rebels had to evacuate it,
and the general rout commenced with great slaughter to the insurgents,
who dispersed in all directions. Their last stronghold south of Manila
having been taken, they broke up into small detachments, which were
chased and beaten wherever they made a stand. The Spaniards suffered
great losses, but they gained their point, for the rebels, unable
to hold any one place against this onslaught, were driven up to the
Laguna Province and endeavoured unsuccessfully to hold the town of
Santa Cruz. It is interesting to remark, in order to show what the
rebel aim at that time really was, that they entered here with the
cry of "Long live Spain; Death to the Friars!" After three months'
hard fighting, General Lachambre was proclaimed the Liberator of Cavite
and the adjoining districts, for, by the middle of March, 1897, every
rebel contingent of any importance in that locality had been dispersed.

Like every other Spanish general in supreme command abroad, Polavieja
had his enemies in Spain. The organs of the Liberal party attacked him
unsparingly. Polavieja, as everybody knew, was the chosen executive
of the friars, whose only care was to secure their own position. He
was dubbed the "General Cristiano." He was their ideal, and worked