The San Francisco call., 1899-12-25
TROOPS ADVANCE
FROM |LO|LO
Active Campaign Is Now
Under Way.
VARIOUS TOWNS OCCUPIED
HERETOFORE BUT LITTLE WAS
ACCOMPLISHED.
Greater Portion of the Island Of Pa
nay Had Remained in the
Hands of the Insur-
gents.
HERETOFORE BUT LITTLE WA:
ACCOMPLISHED.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.

ILOILO, Nov 13.-The island Of Panay
sister island 10 Negros and others of the
Viscayan group, has for months past been
in the hands OF the insurgents. To-day the
American forces are taking the aggres-
sive for the first time, and are moving out
to cover and hold more territory. Up to the
present the American troops have pos
sessed the half-burned town or 1loilo
and nothing more. The Twenty sixth
Regiment. under Colonel Rice, arrived at
Iloilo two weeks ago from the United
States An officer OF the regiment said:
We at home knew that our troops we're on
Pauay. but we had the impression they occu-
pied the island. that the important coast towns
were at least our; that our possession was
more than nominal. Hence we are surprised
10 see the American forces actually oesieged
by the insurgents upon three miles Of land I'M
mediately surrounding llollo
People in the United states may have the
same ideas had the officers OF the twenty
sixth Regiment and to them II would be well
hrace the suburbs of Jaro and Molo both
within three miles OF this port. and nothing
more. Insurgent trenches face US on the north
and west. and outpost firing Is 10 be heard al
With the coming OF reinforcements. battal-
ion of the Nineteenth Regiment and the Twen-
ty-sixth Regiment entire, General Hughes. IN
the midst OF typhoon that swept the country
with driving rain, flooded ricehelds and made
quagmires OF the roads sent out an expedition
composed OF tile Eighteenth Regiment, under
Colonel Carpenter the second battalion of the
Twenty Regiment. two battalIons OF the
Nineteenth Light Battery OF the Sixth Ar
tllery. under Captain Bridgeman. and Captain
Gordons mounted scouts from the Eighteenth
Regiment They advanced into the enemy 5
country The battalion OF the Twenty sixth
and the two battalions Of the Nineteenth con-
stituted a provisional regiment, under Colonel
Rice. while the first and third battalions OF the
Twenty sixth garrisoned Iloilo and Jaro.
The objective point of the expedition was the
supposed insurgent stronghold at Santa Bar
bara. eight miles north of Jaro. but AZ the di-
rect road between these points had been
strongly ntrenched the American forces made
a detour the west In order 20 approach
Santa Barbara on its unprotected side. Yes
terday General Hughes had occupied success
lively the villages of Oton. TEbaun and Gurmal
on the coast and west OF Iloilo: likewise Cor
doba four miles north Of Tigbaun.
Company Of the Twenty y-sixth Regiment
had the only contact with the insurgents on the
first night out One Of the men OF the COM
pany. which was under command OF Lieutenant
Fales. seriously wounded; two OF the en-
emy were found dead when the trenches were
captured. and much ammunition fell into our
hands a result OF the brush. To-day General
Hughes column Is resting in the four towns
mentioned. waiting for ammunition and provi-
sions TO be conveyed 20 r. and also for the
rains stop and the country 20 dry. The town
OF San Miguel within sight OF Iloio. was par
TALLY fired by the rebels when they thought our
troops were about 10 enter It.
The town OF noilo to-day presents a woe
begone and dismantled appearance. third OF
the place is in ruins. and the partial recon-
struction OF business houses and the humber
dwellings Of the poor. with debris from the
connagration on February H. reminds one OF
the wreck after Western cyclone.