LUKBAN
Chapter 3
The Chase Continues
As soon as the fighting erupted in Catbalogan, the American detachment at Calbayog prepared to block the forces of Lukban in case they retreated towards Calbayog. As in most towns that they occupied, the Americans selected the municipal tribunal building as their battalion headquarters, with the lower portion used as the adjutant’ s office and commissary storehouse, while the upper storey became the sleeping quarters of the battalion commander Gilmore and his staff. Another large public building served as the guardhouse.
A tip from a local informant about the existence of an arsenal sent a group of soldiers scouring the countryside for it, even if it was located several miles into the interior – only to find out that everything had been removed, save for a can of sulphur. The next day, on January 27, another information sent the detachment hurrying to the town of Sta. Margarita, about five miles southeast on the coast. They came back with a useless homemade cannon. Then on the 28 th, another detachment was dispatched to the town of San Jose because, according to reports, that was where the rebel forces had retreated after the fight in Catbalogan. The detachment returned at nightfall, unable to reach the town because there were no guides. It was impossible to make inquiries since no one in the group spoke the language of the locality. Another detachment sent along the Hibatang River likewise returned frustrated.
But the Americans succeeded in using natives as puppet municipal presidents. They could spot out locals who would toe their garrison policies and faithfully implement them. In Calbayog, they appointed Rufino Pido as the president, while in San Policarpio, they had Luis Villas. These were ordered to police their respective municipalities and provide lighting in the streets. They also informed on the rebels.
Again Gilmore tried to reach San Jose on the 30 th. The detachment reached it on nightfall but reported no rebel activity. So their best bet was on Gandara as Lukban’ s fallback position from the Catbalogan firefight. Gilmore was determined to cut off his retreat. Securing a sailboat owned by Mr. Scott, the American representative of Warner,
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