ast batch of supposed brigands was brought
in, the church bells were rung as a signal for a mob of natives,
armed with bowie-knives, to creep silently through the defiles on two
sides. The troopers were just then suddenly alarmed by the noise of a
conflict in the parish-house. The 90 so-called brigands having been
passed through from the church into this house, fired at the three
officers and then killed them with their bowie-knives. Simultaneously
the soldiers' quarters were attacked. Whilst the troops made a rush
forward to secure their weapons they were intercepted by an armed
crowd, through which a small party of Americans finally cut their
way and beat off the howling mob, which had already slaughtered many
soldiers, set fire to the quarters, and possessed themselves of over
50 rifles and several thousand rounds of ammunition. A large number
of hostile natives, including the headman, were killed; 28 Americans
effected their escape, but the loss amounted to three officers and
about 70 men killed and several more men wounded. General Hughes, in
command of the Visayas District, was operating in Cebu Island at the
time of this disaster. Public excitement was intense when the news
of this serious reverse was published. The general who was sent to
Samar to pursue the insurgents, or bandits, is alleged to have issued,
in a moment of uncontrollable wrath, an order to "slay all over ten
years and make Samar a howling wilderness." Consequently a great
cry of public protest was raised, and the general and his executive
officer in the affair were cited before a court-martial in April,
1902; but the court having found that the general was justified in
the measures he took, both officers were acquitted. Since the capture
of Lucban (April 27, 1902), lawless agitation has been persistently
rife all over the Island of Samar; but this is the work of brigands
(_vide_ p. 551) and has no political signification.

CHAPTER XXVI

The Spanish Prisoners

Extreme interest was naturally taken by all Europeans in the miserable
fate of the thousands of Spanish soldiers and civilians who had fallen
into the rebels hands up to the capitulation of Manila. [227] Held
captive in groups at different places in the Island of Luzon, many of
them passed a wretched existence, with bad food, scant clothing, and
deprived of every pleasure in life beyond the hope of one day seeing
their native land. Many of them died, either from natural causes or