LUKBAN
Rafael was there the day before but had left for Matuginao . However , he resisted the impulse to follow him there , but instead proceeded to Enrique . Along the way , he met some rebels which he tried shooting at . Two reportedly fell but Gilmore could not confirm it .
Gilmore ’ s exercise may have been futile but it probably taught him some lessons in geography . Between Taiveran and St . Helene , the greater part of the way was over rice fields , in which one sunk his knees in mud . The rest of the way was in the mountain streams , wading in water anywhere from the ankle to waist deep . Between St . Helene and Enrique the trail was much better , having been cut between these two places by the insurgents .
But between Enrique and Santa Margarita , the trail was either in a river or running over a mountain . Some of the mountains were 400 or 500 feet high , and in climbing them , his men had to sling their rifles and climb up hand over hand by aid of the roots of the trees . In some places the trail went up the almost perpendicular face of the rock , “ in which steps had been formed by the wearing away of the rock by the bare feet of the natives passing over it .”
Between Santa Margarita to Calbayog , Gilmore followed an excellent road along the coast and was able to follow the trail of some suspected rebels for a couple of miles . He followed them about five miles into the country over a very mountainous and densely wooded section , capturing 11 cannon and three rifles , reportedly killed about 15 , without any casualties on his side . But exhausted , he gave up the pursuit and returned to Calbayog . 1
Occupation of Laguan
On Gilmore ’ s return to Calbayog on February 19 th , Brig . Gen . Kobbe told him to occupy Laguan and Catarman with a company of infantry , with at least two other officers and 60 days of ration . He had gone to Oquendo to inspect the road conditions and see whether or not the town could serve as a base of supplies for troops to move to the north coast . In earlier times , when the road was in better condition and the bridges repaired , the distance to Oquendo could be covered in three hours . But at his time , the road was simply in bad shape , with most of the bridges down . While it was passable to foot soldiers , it was unfit for pack animals even without anything on their backs because of the mud in the river bottom . Natives told him , it was impossible to send supplies on pack animals , and the way to Catarman was still a wilderness . They said it was impossible for the troops to live in that situation .
The trip would take three days for them to reach Oquendo , which
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