The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-03-28
WAR NEWS
Particulars Of the Last Battle In
the Philippines.

Washington, March 27-The third Of the
lighting north OF Manila brought little
OF a decisive character from which war
department officials could Judge what the
final outcome Of this movement would be.
IN ali official circles the most intense in
terest prevails but there was no excite.
ment and none Of that anxiety and ten
sion shown during the mes )rable days Of
last summer, when the decisive blows
were being struck at Santiago. Early IA
the day. General Otis cabled the war
department a brief but comprehensive
dispatch summing up the situation II dis
closed that sever fighting was going on
today with eur forces advanced as far
north as Mariloa, while the insurgents,
under the command OF Aguinaldo, wsce
being driven back with considerable
slaughter This and the press dispatches
satisfied the officials that the strategic
movement Of trapping the Insurgents be-
tween our lines had not been as succss-
fnl as designed, and that the move hai
now shifted to a retreat by Agunoldds
., ces and a pursuit by our troops. TIE
insurcept retreat 'owlrl Malo,os as
slow and dogg - and sdvs ntage was ttts
en- OF one after another NJ lines of L.
trenchments, the burning OF bridgts and
the interruption Of communications.
General OTIS dispatch although receiv-
ed early today. was sent Monday evening
Manila time. and summed up the work
OF the three days That the fighting
would proceed into the fourth day was
shown by his closing sentence: 1.-THE col
umn will press on in the morning" This
refers TO Tuesday.
The engagement has now shaped itself
so that It IS looked upon as more of
chase than the execution OF a strategic
movement with the American base ad-
vanced to Mariloa and the insurgent base
forced back to Malolos the main bodies
of the two opposing forces are about 10
or T. miles apart. This could be quickly
covered I'm a forced march under fair con-
dftions. but It Is 70 miles of innumerable
difficulties and obstacles, which our
troops must cover before they reach the
insurgent stronghold. 1t Is expected that
the engineers with Macarthur are hastily
repairing the burned bridges. This will
hermit the artillery to be taken forward
as well as the infantry columns. It Is eX-
pcted that every mile OF the distance to
Malolos will be contested by the insur-
gents for General Otis reports that 1t *
a stretch Of country covered with the en-
trenchments thrown up during the last
three months. Our men, therefore. must
advance slowly. repairing the roads as
they 90, and at the same time they must
fight their way through well made rebel
entrenchments Serious as the work Is
there Is no lack OF confidence among the
officials here as to the satisfactory out
come OF the campaign. MalOlos Ia in the
insurgent capital where the assembly
has been sitting and the insurgent gov
Arnment has been IN operation. 1t repre-
sents more to the insurgents than any
other place I'm the Philippines, and little
doutyt is entertained that they will make
a. desperate stand there. The tactics OF
Aguinaldo are taking him gradually be-
yond the range of Admiral Dewey's guns
While the insurgents were at Manila on
Saturday they were within a mile IF the
water front and easily within range OF
the feet. But as they have moved north
ward they have gradually moved away
from the bay. Malolos is about sever
miles back from the bay, although there
are shallow estuaries which would per
NIT slight draught boats 10 get within Z
mile or so.
FIGHT LASTS LONG.