The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-04-04
They TAKE MAL0L0S
Americans Following the In
surgents to the Inner
most Recesses.
THE MONTANA BOYS
Raise the Stars and Stripes Over the
Seat of the Insurgent Gov
ernment

American flag was raised over Malolos
at l o'clock this morning. The Kansas
regiment and Montana regiment, Oh
entering the city found it deserted, the
presidencia burning and the rebels re-
treating towards the mountains in a
state Of terror. It is believed they can
not in the future make even faint re-
sistance. The American loss is small
It is evident the rebels for some time
past have abandoned all hope of hold
ing their capital. for. the Americans
found there evidences of elaborate prep
aration for evacuation.
Most Of the rebel forces were re-
moved yesterday morning to positions
east OF the railroad, leaving only small
bands in strong trenches in front of
Malolos.
| General Macarthur started for. the
rebel capital at O'Clock this morning
with two rapid fire guns. fanking the
track, two guns Of the Utah battery on
the right and two guns of the Sixth ar
tillery firing continuously.
The Kansas aud Montana regiments
moved upon Malolos and the Nebraska
and Pennsylvania regiments and Third
artillery kept along the right Of the
railroad.
The Cnly effective stand made by the
rebels was at an earthworks half mile
from Malolos and on the right where
the Nebraska regiment. as was the case
Yesterday, had the hardest work and
suffered the greatest loss. Colonel
Funston, always at the front, was the
first man in Malolos, followed by a
group Of dashing Kansans. The Fill
pino flag, which was flying from the
center of the town. was hauled down
by some men of the Montana regiment,
| who subsequently, raised their own
| above it.
From the columns of smoke arising
from the city it seemed as if the whole
place was ablaze It turned out, how
ever, only the presidencia, or govern
ment building, and few of the smaller
buildings had been set fire by rebels
before they evacuated the place.
From reports gathered by the Ameri-
can officers from prisoners and others
| it is believed the rebel army is con
| StoAo1y AooIAf, ouACuEUh Ou dSOOuuC VI
desertions and although the enemy may
make one or two more stands, the forces
Of Aguinaldo will degenerate in per-
haps month, to few hundred, who
may continue waging guerilla warfare
in the mountains.
The American troops behaved splen-
didly. They advanced steadily, clear
ing the successive line of trenches
throug gh woods and jungles and suffer-
ing from the frightful heat. In addi-
tion the American volunteers were
handicapped in fighting by the fact
that their Springfield rifles are of
shorter range than the Mauser rifles in
the hands of the rebels. Under those
circumstances the steady advance Of
our troops is really remarkable
achievement
But the most noteworthy feature of
this onward sweep of the Americans
| was the patience and endurance of the
private soldiers. They have never hes
itated to plunge across any kind of
difficult 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 we'll earned
rest, while the hospital train is carry
ing the wounded back to Manila.