ACEVILL TO COLONEL, JULY 20, 1901

Exhibit 1355.

[Spanish. A.L.S. P.I.R., 940.7.]

JULY 20, 1901.

COLONEL:

I received from your bearer your communication No. 117, and have noted its contents.

Your other communications of June 30 and July 5, and those brought by Sr. Resari, have also reached my hands, and I answered them immediately through the said Resari, informing you of the condition of my forces and of the movements of the enemy.

On account of the enemy being in Tubig and the lack of proper guides, for all the people have concealed themselves in the woods, the towns of San Julian and Sulat have not been able to send rice to that town. The town of San Julian had sent 13 sacks of rice by Resari, in addition to that carried by the bolomen, but when they arrived at Tubig, Sr. Resari, fearing probably that they would fall to the hands of the enemy, left his carriers in the mountains of the 1st named township, and the latter, being without a leader, returned to San Julian.

I have sent orders to all the towns from Oras to Lanang to send large amounts of rice to your headquarters, but up to the present time I have received answers only from the towns of San Julian and Sulat, probably by reason of the difficulty of communicating with those towns on account of the numerous detachments of the enemy at various points. But, nevertheless, I have heard that the town of Parik sent some days ago a considerable quantity of rice, and will continue to do so as circumstances permit, although I have received no communication from the local chief. As yet I have heard nothing from the town of Aras, and I have for the second time sent an officer to assure myself of its true condition and also to hasten the transmittal to that place of rice for the troops. The Filipinos of Borongan are at the present time suffering from hunger, because having kept loyal to our cause, they have been unable to plant anything since the enemy occupied the town for he has been constantly moving in the barrios and fields. Lanang is another town which is suffering; and now that the enemy has placed a detachment in thnt town, I do not know what the people are going to do for food.

I am now taking steps to hasten the shipping of considerable quantities of rice from the towns of Sulat, San Julian and Tubig, which should soon arrive there.

The detachments of the enemy in Aras, Tubig and Loquilocon made a reconnaissance in Balagon, passing through the mountains according to information from an officer, Sr. Cultura, who was operating in Tubig.

According to information received this date from Sr. Cultura, the enemy evacuated the town two days ago, returning to Borongan.

My guerrillas in Borongan, under the command of Captain Andres Lobrio, are working well, and they give neither the Yankees nor their partisans a moment's rest.

On the 10th instant, Captain Lobrio, with the guerrillas under his command, entered the town, and burned almost forty houses.

Amidst the noise of the rifle and cannon shots, and cries and lamentations of the Americanistas, our guerrillas withdrew after four hours' firing. The losses of the enemy are unknown, while there are none on our side.

On the 16th of the same month, the same Captain with the same guerrilla band, attacked the town a second time at 9:30 p.m. first sending in some bolomen to set fire to the houses, who, notwithstanding the redoubled vigilance on the part of the enemy, were successful, all of them withdrawing after the musketry firing which lasted a long time, but not without first burning more than twenty houses.

Our enemies are now alarmed on account of the unceasing incendiarism, which is the only weapon we have. In addition to the fires mentioned those guerrillas burned 5 houses in the town three days ago.

The attitude of these towns continues loyal to our cause, although it appears that they are weakening somewhat in view of the small force I have. Some of the wealthiest and best known residents of Borongan recently voluntarily surrendered to the enemy.

The Vice Presidente of Borongan, Mateo Cardona, also presented himself to the enemy. I do not know whether he took with him any of the contributions of war which he had been collecting during the absence of his superior.

If you have any powder I hope you will send me some, as I need it very much.

God preserve you many years.

CAMP OF OPERATIONS, July 20, 1901.

(Signed) T. ACEVILL, Commander.

To the COLONEL OF THE 1ST REGIMENT, Samar.