Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-04-01

TIONS- ENJOYING
A WE'LL EARNED REST.
Manila, March 31.-3:55 p. m.-The
American flag was raised over Malolos
at 10 o'clock this morning. The Kan
sas regiment and the Montana regi-
ment, ON entering the city, found it de-
serted, the presidential burning and the
rebels retreating toward the noun
tains in a state of terror. 1t is believ-
ed they cannot in the future make even
a faint resistance.
The American loss was small.
1t is evident that the rebels for some
time have abandoned all hope of hold
ing their capital, for the Americans
found there evidences of elaborate
preparations for evacuation. On the
railroad the rails and ties for about a
mile had been torn up and probably
thrown into the river. The only pris-
oners captured were few Chinese.
They said Aguinaldo left Malolos on
Wednesday.
The principal citizens of Malolos,
their families and goods have been
taken into the country over the rail-
road, while others departed on foot,
carrying their possessions and driving
their cattle and other animals before
them
Most of the rebel forces were remov-
ed yesterday evening to positions east
of the railroad, leaving only some small
bands in the strong trenches in front
OF Malolos.
Cen. Macarthur started for the rebel
capital at II o'clock this morning with
two rapid-fire guns, flanking the track,
two guns of the Utah battery on the
right and two guns of the Sixth artil-
lery on the left of the rapids, firing con-
tinually.
The Kansas and Montana regiments
moved upon Malolos and the Nebraska
and Pennsylvania regiments and the
Third artillery kept along the right of
the railroad.
The only effective stand made by the
rebels was at a bamboo and earth work
half a mile from Malolos and on the
right where the Nebraska regiment, as
was the case yesterday, had the hard
est work and suffered the greatest loss.
Col. Funston, always at the front,
was the first man in Malolos, followed
by a group of dashing Kansans.
The Filipino flag which was flying
from the centre of the town, was haul
ed down by some men of the Montana
regiment, who triumphantly raised
their own above it.
From the columns of smoke arising
from the city it seemed as if the whole
place was ablaze. 1t turned out, how
ever, that only the Presidential, or gov
eminent building, and a few of the
smaller buildings, had been set afire by
the rebels before they evacuated the
place
From the reports gathered by the
American officers from prisoners and
others, it is believed that the rebel
army is constantly losing strength on
account of assertions, and that al
though the enemy may make one or
two more stands, the forces of Aguin-
aldo will degenerate in perhaps a
month to a few hundreds, who may
continue waging a guerilla warfare in
the mountains.
The American troops behaved splen-
didly. They advanced steadily against
successive lines of trenches, through
woods and jungles, and suffering from
frightful heat. In addition, the Amer
lean volunteers were handicapped in
fighting by the fact that their Spring
field rifles are of shorter range than
the Mauser rifles in the hands of the
rebels. Under these circumstances, the
steady advance of our troops is a re-
markable achievement.
But the most noteworthy feature of
this onward sweep of the Americans is
the patience and endurance of the pri-
vate soldiers. They have never hest
tated to plunge across any kind of diff
cult country against any number of the
enemy and in the face of positions of
entirely unknown strength.
This afternoon the victorious Ameri-
can army is feasting on cocoanuts and
bananas and enjoying a well earned
rest, while the hospital train is carry
ing the wounded back to Manila.
CHASING BOTH ARMIES.