at last night his detachment was attacked
by Tulisanes (robbers). The fire lasted four hours without any
casualties among our men. This afternoon received another from
the captain commanding said detachment, informing me of the same,
and that nothing new has occurred. The people of the town await with
anxiety the result of the charges they have made, especially against
the local president and the justice of the peace, the original of
which I sent to your high authority." [254]

Obviously the police machinery was not working quite smoothly when
a detachment of Insurgent troops could be kept under fire for four
hours by a robber band, and perhaps the attacking party were not all
"robbers." Soldiers do not ordinarily carry much to steal.

We obtain some further information from the following telegram of
December 27, 1898, sent by the secretary of the interior to the
President of the Revolutionary Government:--

"Most urgent. According to reports no excitement except in Bangbang,
Tarlac, which at 12 A.M., 25th, was attacked by Tulisanes [bandits
or robbers,--D.C.W.]. The local presidente with his patrols arrested
six of them. On continuing the pursuit he met in Talacon a party too
large to attack. At 7 A.M. of the 26th the town was again attacked by
criminals, who killed the tax collector, and others who burnt some
houses, among them that of the local presidente, and his stables,
in which he lost two horses. I report this for your information." [255]

Evidently tax collectors were not popular in Tarlac.

Still further light is shed on the situation by a telegram from the
secretary of the interior to Aguinaldo, dated December 28, 1898:--

"According to my information the excitement in Tarlac increases. I
do not think that the people of the province would have committed
such barbarities by themselves. For this reason the silence of
General Macabulos is suspicious; to speak frankly, it encourages
the rebels. Some seven hundred of them, with one hundred and fifty
rifles, entered Panique, seized the arms of the police, the town
funds, and attacked the houses of the people. I report this for your
information. All necessary measures will be taken." [256]

Note also the following from the secretary of the interior, under
date of December 27, 1898, to Aguinaldo:--

"I have just learned that not only in Bangbang, but also in Gerona,
Onell, and other places in Tarlac, men have been assaulted by
numerous Tulisanes, armed with