The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-16

ports Arriving and TO Depart-tsen-
ate-High Praise OF OHaccrs aud Men.
Casualties During the uaiolos Cam.
| paign-A FrenchmaA Killed Under
Flag OF Truce.
Washington. May u.-General Otis
has cabled the var department. con-
corning the situation in the Philippines.
He says hat il is very encouraging.
The ton of the dispatch leads the OFF,
Gals here 10 believe that the end OF the
Philippine instruction is near at hand.
Following is the text OF the dispatch
from General Otis:
Manila. May IL.
"Adjutant General. Washington:
Situation as follows: Succeeded in
passing army gunboats to Calumpit
for use in Rio Grande: railway con-
nection with that point secured this
week; passage Of gunboats through
Macabebe country hailed with joyful
demonstrations by inhabitants. X X X
In the country passed over by the
troops temporary civil administration
inaugurated and protection to inhabi-
tants against insurgent abuses given
as far as possible. Signs of %insurgent
disintegrating daily manifested. OBJ
stacles which the natural features OF
the country present can be overcome.
OTIS
In reply to a able from Adjutant
General Corbin last night regarding re-
turn of volunteers. General Otis cabled
this morning:
Manila, May. IL.
"Adjutant General. Washington:
Volunteer organizations first TO re-
turn now at Negros and forty-five
miles from Manila at front. Expected
that transports now arriving will take
returning volunteers. Volunteers un-
derstand they will begin to leave for
the United States the latter part of the
month. They know Importance Of their
presence here at this time and accept
sacrifice which United States interests
make imperative. Hancock now enter
ing harbor. Transports returning this
week carry sick and wounded men.
Pennsylvania and st. Paul not needed
longer in southern waters where they
have been retained. hence dispatch.
Transports Nelson and Cleveland
brought freight: return without cargo.
OTIS"
The Hancock. which General Otis
reports as entering the harbor sailed
from a Francisco. April 18th, carry
ing the Twenty-first infantry and light
Battery E. First MISUNDERSTANDING
officers and 7.451 enlisted men. Colonel
Jacob Kline. Twenty-first infantry.
commanding"
A later dispatch from General Otis
says:
Manila, May IL.
"Adjutant General. Washington:
Health condition of troops arrived
on TRANSPORT excellent two deaths an
route-Privates D. E. Jones and Elmer
II. Chevalier. Companies L and E.
Goth. "OTIS"
GENERAL H. G.. OTIS REPORT.
Adjutant General Corbin made pub
lie today the report Of General Harri-
son Gray Otis. commanding the First
brigade. Second division, Eighth army
corps, giving the details of operations
in the Philippines from the 1st to the
31st of March. The brigade participant
ed IN the movement against Malolos,
which occupied several days of fight
ing. In concluding the report General
Otis says:
Thus after an arduous and brilliant
campaign by the Second division, sup
ported by other troops, lasting seven
days and involving frequent combats,
numerous casualties among our troops
and heavy losses by the enemy. Malo-
los. the recent capital of the so-called
Philippine revolutionary government
fell before the American arms.
1T is my grateful privilege to again
highly commend the conduct of the
officers and men Of my command
throughout the campaign. They have
SHOWN in an eminent degree the quail
ties of good Observation-Disclosures. dis
cipline, endurance, courage, steadiness,
patriotism and the most magnificent
lr60r in hoftin TNhn
manders, Colonel Harry c. Kessler,
First Montana infantry; Colonel Fred
erick Funston. Twentieth Kansas in
fantry, and Major w. A. Kobbe, com
manding the two battalions Of the
Third United States artillery (serving
as infantry nave again proved in ac-
tual field service their capacity and fit
ness for their responsible posts and
their skill and ~gallantry under fire. /
again recommend them, and each of
them, for such special mark of distinc-
ton as the commanding general and
the war department may be pleased to
confer upon them. on their merits.
1t is my grievous task to have to
report that the casualties of the bril-
gade during the sever days operations.
particularly described in this report,
aggregate 1876 killed and wounded, thus
swelling the brigade's total casualties
IN battle since the outbreak of the re-
DclIloA 10 700. or considerably more
tnan 10 per cent. OF the average ef-
fective strength Of the command actu-
ally engaged in the campaign from
first to last"
ASSAULTED UNDER FLAG OF
New York, May IA dispatch to
The Journal from Manila says: The in
surgents have assassinated M. Dumar-
ais, a Frenchman who had crossed
their lines under a flag of truce.
A dispatch to the Herald from Ma
Mia says the insurgents have succeed
ed IN landing ten machine guns at
Capiz. on b island Of Panay.
PHILIPPINES DEMORALIzED.
Manila, May 11.-Mr. Higgins, man
g of the Manila-Dugupan aiIway.
and two Of his assistants who had re-
manned inside the insurgent lines to
protect the property of the railway
company, arrived at San Fernando on
yesterday. They had been informed bv
the insurgents that they would be no
ionger responsible for their safety IL
16PV rGmQina1 -- ~xl