LUKBAN
at Catarman . In the meantime , Sweeney was besieged by rebel forces in Matuginao where one soldier was killed and four wounded in his 13-man detachment . Sweeney himself was slightly wounded . The encounter happened when Sweeney was making a sketch of the trail to Matuginao . They did not expect a large force of rebels in the area . He was said to have used a native guide who looked suspicious .
The encounter happened when Sweeney ’ s detachment was walking on a river bed with steep banks on both sides . He took his troops up one of the banks but instead got one of them killed and two others wounded . After reaching the top of the hill , Sweeney tried to regroup his forces but found one of his men missing . So they went looking for him . When they located him , he was already dead . They had to retreat when the rebels ’ fire intensified . Three of his men were wounded before they reached the top again . For three days and two nights , they were pinned at their positions , unable to move because of the wounded men . Sweeney did not want to reduce his detachment by sending for help . They did not have guides and the place was mountainous , sparsely settled and cut up by numerous trails . They were lost . So they stayed put at their positions .
Meanwhile . Lieutenant Jones , another of Gilmore ’ s subordinates who was to meet Sweeney in Matuginao , had to find the town himself without maps or guides and did not arrive until Saturday afternoon . The trail was accordingly very difficult , and it was impossible to get guides . The next two days he spent in exploring the countryside and was preparing to return on Tuesday . As a last resort , he sent a detachment looking for Sweeney . On the merest of accidents , they found Sweeney living on almost nothing in the last four days . So his group helped the remainder of Sweeney ’ s troops on a baroto back to safety .
Sweeney said there were about 30 rifles and two cannons , and that he was sure of killing three or four insurgents . He thought there were more wounded . They were able to capture one cannon that the rebels left behind .
One of the presidente ’ s secret police , who lived at some distance from Matuginao , told Gilmore that he was forced by a party of eight men , two of them with guns , to guide them to Matuguinao . Two of these men said they were commissioners from Aguinaldo to Lukban . They had arrived in the area in the latter part of February , and had passes from the authorities m Manila .
The secret police said the party in Matuguinao , which attacked Lieutenant Sweeney ’ s detachment , consisted of about 50 men under Rosario , with about 20 to 25 rifles and three cannons .
That very day , Gilmore dispatched Captain Spellman , with 40 men and fifteen days ’ rations , to Matuguinao to thoroughly scour the
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