he right up the Apalit road Captain Wedgewood and Lieutenant
Critchlow were encountering difficulties. The insurgents had constructed
pitfalls in the road. They were thinly covered with a layer of leaves
and earth and the wayward feet of mule and soldier were menaced beneath
with sharp pointed wedges of bamboo. These were discovered early in the
march and no accidents resulted from them. There was some brisk fighting
on this end of the line and the big guns shelled the insurgents on the
opposite side of the river. The whole of the next day was consumed in
transporting the artillery and equipage across the river on a raft
constructed by the engineers, and on May 6th they entered San Fernando.

This fair city was half destroyed by flames, and when the troops entered
no lingering black warriors could be found. They had all retreated
farther north, following in the general direction of the railway.
Major-General MacArthur's headquarters were established near the center
of that part of the city which was untouched by the flames, and close by
the Utah guns were parked. Later one of the big guns was utilized for
outpost duty, a rather remarkable use for artillery. Every night after
the Filipinos had begun to gather again near the city one of the pieces
with a gun crew would go down a sunken road and watch all night with the
farthest outposts of the infantry.

During this period Major-General Otis had issued an order offering
thirty pesos to every Filipino warrior who would return his rifle to the
American authorities. On May 23rd Major Bell went on an expedition up
the railway track for the purpose of posting up the order, and took with
him two troops of the Fourth Cavalry and a revolving Hotchkiss gun,
manned by Sergeant Emil Johnson and Corporal Hesburg of Battery A and
Private Martin of Battery B. All the men were mounted and the cannon
equipped with a small Filipino horse, so that if necessary a hasty
retreat could be made. They proceeded up the railway track, and notices
were duly and conspicuously left at Bacalor and Quiuag. Just as the
forces reached the outskirts of Santa Rita they were fired on by a large
body of insurgents, who were heavily intrenched around the city. The
revolving cannon was used effectively and Major Bell and his men went
into action five times, but the insurgent attack was too fierce for the
small force and it was obliged to retreat. With a whoop of joy the
Filipinos rose from their trenches in pu