ut lights, and then waited off Palanan Bay. The expedition
was nominally commanded by an insurgent deserter, Hilario Placido,
[216] whilst three other deserters posed as officers, the Americans
playing the _role_ of prisoners captured by the party. Before setting
out for Casiguran, some 20 miles away, a messenger was sent on to
the native headman of that town to tell him that reinforcements for
Aguinaldo were on their way, and would require food and lodging, which
were forthwith furnished by the headman to these 87 individuals. Some
months previously some papers had been captured bearing the signature
and seal of the insurgent general Lacuna, and this enabled the party
to send on a letter in advance to Emilio Aguinaldo, ostensibly in the
name of Lacuna, announcing the arrival of the reinforcements furnished
in response to his request of January 14. This letter was accompanied
by another one from the pseudo-chief of the expedition, stating that
on the way they had captured five American soldiers and ten Krag
rifles. A request was also made for food, which he explained had run
short. Emilio Aguinaldo, therefore, sent Negritos to meet them on the
way with a supply of rice. In the morning of March 23 they were near
Palanan. The Macabebe scouts were sent in advance of the _soi-disant_
five American prisoners, and when they entered the town Aguinaldo's
bodyguard of 50 men was drawn up in parade to receive them. The
native pseudo-officers marched into the camp, and were welcomed by
Aguinaldo; but they shortly afterwards took temporary leave of him,
and coming outside ordered their Macabebe troops to form up. Just at
the moment the five supposed prisoners were conducted towards the camp
the Macabebes poured three murderous volleys into Aguinaldo's troops,
two of whom were killed and 18 wounded. On the other side only one
Macabebe was slightly wounded. The Americans witnessed the effect of
the first volley, and, together with the natives posing as officers,
rushed into Aguinaldo's headquarters. Aguinaldo, Colonel Villa, and
one civilian were taken prisoners, whilst other insurgent officers
jumped from the window into the river and escaped. The expedition,
after resting a day and a half at the camp, escorted their prisoners
to Palanan Bay, where they were all taken on board the gunboat
_Vicksburg_, which reached Manila on March 27.

The closing scene in Emilio Aguinaldo's military career was a
remarkable performance of consummate