Otis ordered Lawton to withdraw, and Lawton, convinced of the inadvisability of the measure, objected.

Otis replied that, with the rainy season coming on, he could neither provision him nor furnish him ammunition.

Lawton answered that he had provisions enough to last three weeks and ammunition enough to finish the war, whereupon Otis peremptorily ordered him to withdraw.

The Philippine Commission had no more to do with this matter than they had to do with the similar order against advancing which Otis sent Lawton on the day the latter won the Zapote River fight, when the Insurgents were running all over the Province of Cavite.

Lawton wanted to push forward and clean the whole place up.