The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-18

Sunday and reported the total failure of
their mission. The troops have been thirty
six hours without food The commanders
of the gunboats report that every lagoon
and town is hostile and that their garrisons
have probably been massacred. The Span
ish f1otilla was unable to effect a landing in
spite of prolonged firing upon the part of
all the gunboats. Nobody. however, was
killed. This removes the last hope of pro-
visioning Manila During the week all the
garrisons were simultaneously overpowered
or surrendered as prisoners. The latter are
well treated. A majority of those resisting
were slaughtered.
HOPELESSLY INCOMPETENT.
In the northern sections the insurgents
have united near Passig, on the Passig
river, driving the Spanish gunboats to Doa.
There were few casualties. The zone of
hostilities is a magnificent defensive coun-
try thickly wooded, having an unlimited
number of natural ambuscades and innum-
erable blockades and trenches. Amy aver
age army could easily defy ten times their
number. On all sides can be seen the Span
iards retiring, removing the soldiers effects
and dismantling the barracks prematurely,
evidently anticipating defeat as matter of
course. The soldiers are brave and des-
perate and hate to retreat. but they are
hopelessly incompetent and shamefully un-
derfed Many of them have assured the AS
sociated Press correspondent that they have
never been at target practice in their lives.
Still, they are eager for an opportunity to
display their valor and are confident that
the enemy is equally Impractical.
Whole companies of Spaniards have had
nothing to eat for two days and some Of
them are literally crying 1t is a pitiable
sight. The native peasantry charitably as
sst the starving soldiers without compul-
sion and some Englishmen yesterday gave
treat to the soldiers guarding an outpost
They bought a wandering hawker's stock of
eatables for a few shillings and gave the
food to the soldiers, who said it was the
first food they had tasted for thirty-six
hours.
There is no doubt as one person re-
marked, that somebody deserved lynching
for the state of affairs existing Scores of
bloated officers of the Spanish forces are to
be seen daily loafing about the beershops
and cafes along the boulevards reviling the
English, while the men under their charge
are starving.
The insurgents yesterday rushed the pas
sage of the Zapolara river and also de-
scended from the lagoon, took the Spaniards
in flank and captured several guns The
Spanish soldiers made a good stand until
they were ordered to retreat. Probably their
ammunition was inadequate. 1t is almost
impossible to understand how such magnifi-
cent positions can be abandoned without
struggle.
NINETY SPANIARDS KILLED.
The insurgents to-day captured Las Pinas,
Parangue, Tugalo, Mali bay and Pinday
all on the coast line The Spaniards lost
ninety men killed and wounded and seven
thousand returned here unhurt.
The insurgents are now firing into NaIate,
the southernmost quarter of Manila, and a
mile and half from the center of the place
containing the fort, magazine, telegraph
office and clubhouse. The hores-cars are run
ming and ladies are visiting within rifle shot
of the enemy. apparently unconcerned The
insurgents are also in every outlying quar-
ter of Manila, awaiting the signal to ad-
vance.
At Caloocan, a suburban railroad station,
there are still few Spanish troops in ri
diculous little entertainments. The village is
full of insurgents and the railroad line is
broken outside the station. The ties have
been carefully removed by the insurgents,
who promised to replace them after the
war. Many of the native troops make little
secret of their intention to desert tonight
There is frantic scramble for refuge in
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