The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-04-07
MAIL FROM MANILA
Gives SOrlo Interesting FaOte
Regarding ahe WaP.

lhe Arizona left Manila the 18th of
March and put into Hong Kong where
she went into dock She sailed from Honr
Kong on the 18th. Among the men who
returned ON her IS Lieutenant Hogan. Of
the California regiment who was wounded
at the attack ON Manila. Fifteen Califor-
mans who fought with the boys who at
lacked Paco church are on the list OF re-
turns.
The other officers with the Arizona are
Major Williams of the Nebraska regI-
meut; Lieutenant r. *. Irwin OF the
Washingtons and Surgeon G. Quinan. who
is I'm charge OF the sick The following
number of men from each regiment are
reported on board:
Third artillery. fou; North Dakota, Il;
Montana, fouri ldho, eight: sixth artil-
lery, four; Nebraska. four: PENNSYLVANIA.
6. Minnesota. g.. Oregon 10; Washington.
i2 Kansas. 2; Dakota S. hospital corps
3. lith infantry "A. 18th infantry 3; pa
infantry. 25; Colorado. A.
Quartermaster John Boadln Is In charge
OF the ship. The wounded are doing very
well. No deaths were reported on me
trip
Manila, March 4-CPer transport Arizona
TO San Francisco. April 0-Although the
rupture between the American and native
forces at Manila occurred exactly one
month ago today, the conquest OF the
latter by the former, which has long been
conceded necessity, can scarcely be
said to have commenced as yet
Had the Americans been I'm a position
Go follow up their advantage and keep
right after the flying rebels. disOrganized
AS they were by that first unexpected ad-
vance, there is no doubt that the question
Of supremacy would have been settled
by this time. once and for all time. Unfor
tunately. however, large armies, such as
that Of the Eighth corps. are not seif-
supporting. and as no provisions had been
made for such an emergency as arose on
the night OF February 4th. 1t became
necessary to call a halt at the very out
set OF what promised 10 be clean sweep
TO victory While this was unavoidable, It
was disastrous in many ways. Firstly.
because the moment the halt was made
the moral effect OF their first defeat was
eradicated from the minds OF the rebels
since IL gave them time both TO recover
from their fright and TO frame excuses
FOR their failure to avoid It; secondly, IL
afforded AN opportunity, which their
to play upon the feelings OF the majority
and enlist the sympathles OF thousands
who had carefully refrained from join
ing the rabbie in their ill-advised demands:
thirdly. e allowed the rebels to rally
their scattered forces, and after concen-
tratng them In various places, 20 infuse
new blood into their ranks. As soon as
is dawned upon them that the Americans
We're stll on the defensive and no furth-
er advance was to be feared, the rebels
again assumed th aggressive. adopting
the same shwhacking tatics which had
proved so successful against their old
enemy. the Spanlards. At first these were
almost harmless. since they almost invarl-
ably brought on a fresh advance on the
part of those whom they were intended
to intimidate After the battle OF Caloo-
can however, when the American line
was so long and thin that any further
general advance became inexpedient. the
rebels made n discovery which revolu-
tionized their plans and inspired them
with renowned courage. This that their RI
nes had a superior RAJ ge to those to the
majority of the American weapons There
after their sharpsh0oters carefully re-
manned out OF range Of the sprlngfields
carried by the volunteer regiment in front
OF them. maintained constant and more
or less effective fire from trees. clumps OF
bamboo, rocks or other atural points
pf vantage both by day and night.A more
CALLING situation than that In which the
American troops have been placed for
me past few weeks. 81 would be difficult
TO Imagine. Constantly potted by an m-
seen foe, yet unable TO silence his fire
except upon such rare occasions as where
the country was ordered cleared and then
be compelled TO reply to their original
lines. after having done Il. the wonder Is
that the men were kept in check at all.
Yet they were; not because they were so
disciplined as to accept unwe-
come orders uncomplalningly but because
they were buoyod with the hope that
route. arrived, a general advance would
be made. and then their turn would come.
That time ls near al hand but whether
or not the task before tho eager Ameri-
cans Will be accomplished so soon as they
is an open question.
IF THEY CoU' ID BE CAUGHT
II the entire rebel force could be cor
relied IN any one section az this island
the work Of subdulng Il would be very
simple, and soon accomplished without
doubt. But on the island Of Luzon. already
a well equipped army Of over l3,O00 men
has only sgcas,.d ded Ia clearing the country
within radius of fye miles from Manila
30 far, and no one knows with any de-
gree OF certainty what there Is ahead.
II IS certain. however. That the further
they penetrate into the wilds OF the in
terror, the greater will be tho disadvantage
to the white troops, since swamps ana
jungle hghtng are the strong pointa Qf
the natives. II ~ also certain that what
b TO he done must be accomplished before
the rainy season. because apart from the
consideration Of the health OF tho troops
most OF the country Is absolutely impasa-
able from May 10 October
Among the Uncertainties 10 be faced Il
that OF the force 70 be encountered. 30 far
as can be ascertained the rebel army.
which hemmed the Manilians within the
confines OF the city for so long. cOnaist-
ed Of 5000 men, one third % Whom were
armed. Most OF these we're OF course,
the Tagalos. who. are tho mainstay Of
the rebellion. H. as Is claimed, there are
10000 Of these yet 10 meet, under clima-
tic and territorial Disadvantages, the pro-
hlem which confronted Kitchener at KhaF
tum was "a simple one compared With
that which T.awton has 20 fass oR his
arriY9l
TRIBES NOT REBELLIOUs.
or course. there are tribes. such as the
Ilccanos, whose hatred foF the Fa6oioa
might ghnder them useful allies; but the
question arises as 10 whether II would
be safe 90 trust them with the arms
necssory Tor tne purpose, ine lesson
taught by Agulnaldo Il one that IS not