The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-31
MAKING RAPID ADVANCE
Our Troops Pushing on
to MalOlOS
FIGHTING AT EVERY STEP
Within Four Miles of the Insurgent
Capital-Many Obstacles IN TheirWay
Railway Torn Up and the Bridges
Rurned-Stoul Resistance of the En-
emy-The Country Devastated by the
Philippines as They Retreat-Gailant

emy-Ihe country DeSastAteu Oy INC
Philippines as They Retreat-Gallant
Bearing OF the American Soldiers
Manila, March 29.-7:35 a. NAT
daylight General McArthurs division
advanced from Marilao along the rail-
road to Bigaa, five miles distant, with
the Nebraska, the South Dakota and
the Pennsylvania regiments on the
right and the Kansas and the Montana
regiments and the Third artillery on
the left. General Wheaton's brigade
is in reserve.
The American forces met with strong
OPPOSITION IN the jungle. First, one Ne
braskan, then one Pennsylvania, and
! afterward two men of the Montana
regiment were killed. Thirty-five
/ were wounded, including one officer
of the Kansas regiment.
The rebels burned the villages as they
retreated in bad order toward Malolos.
The enemy also tore up sections of the
railroad in many places and attempted
to burn the bridge at Bigaa, but the
fire was eXtinguished, owing to the
timely arrival of the Americans. The
rebels had not finished their trenches
along the line of today's march, show
ing they were not prepared for our
advance. 1t is believed, however, that
there will be hard fight before Ma
lolos is taken.
The Minnesota regiment reinforced
the division today, marching from the
water works during the night to Ma
nila and going to the front by train.
RAPID ADVANCE OF OUR ARMY.
Noon.-The American army advanc-
ed at o'clock this morning, sweeping
| onward three miles before 10 o'clock
and driving the rebels beyond Bocave,
| to the east of Balacan, and on the rail-
| road leading to Malolos.
| Our troops met with but slight re-
sistance. The Philippines fired volleys
yesterday morning, for the purpose of
drawing the American fire and disclos-
ing the locality OF our positions:
| Two men Of the Pennsylvania regi-
ment and one man belonging to the
Dakota regiment were wounded. The
Americans remained silent .
THE HORRORS OF WAR
The country between Marilao and
Manila presents picture Of desolation.
| Smoke is curling from hundreds of
ashheaps and the remains of trees and
| fences torn by shrapnel are to be seen
|
of the country is as if it had been
| swept by a cyclone The roads are
strewn with furniture and clothing
dropped in fight by the Philippines.
The only persons remaining behind
! are a few aged porsons too infirm to
escape. They camp beside the ruins OF
| their former houses and beg passers-
| by for any kind Of assistance. The
majority of them are living on the gen.
, erosity of our soldiers, who give them
portions of their rations.
Bodies of dead Philippines are
, stranded in the shadows of the river
or are resting in the jungle, where they
crawled to die or were left in the wake
of the hurriedly retreating army. There
| is no time at present ITO bury them.
| The inhabitants who fled from Mari
lao and Meycanayan left in such a
panic that on tables our soldiers fonud
spread money and valuables and in the
/ rooms were trunks containing other
property of value. This was the case
! in most of the houses deserted. TIL ey
were not molested by our soldiers, but
| the Chinese, who slip in between the
armies, are looting when they can, and
/ have faken possession Of several
| houses, over which they raised Chinese
! flags, some Of which were torn down.
CABLEGRAMS FROM OTIS.
Washington, March 29.-The follow
!
department today from General Otis:
| Manila, March 29.
| "Adjutant General, Washington:
| 'McArthur'S advance yesterday only
to outskirts of Ma agilao; took until late
afternoon to repair road ard railroad
| bridges and send cars through with
| supplies Con menced march at
O'clock this morning; marched rapidly
| on Bocave and will continue to Bigaa
seven miles from Ma olos. En- amy have
destroyed railway and telegraph lines;
construction train following our forces
Enemys resistance not SO vigorous to-
day. Our loss thus far slight. Towns
| in front of our advance being destroy
| ed by fire. Troops in excellent spirits
CLOSE UPON MALOLOS.
The following advices from Manila
tonight:
Manila, March 80.
"Adjutant General, Washington:
| 'McA rthur advanced at s yesterday
morning from Ma1ilao, passed rapidly
to Eocave. At 11:45 o'clock took uI
p. m. for Guiguinto, three and one-hal1
| miles from Malolos, reaching that poin:
| at 5 o'clock. Casualties for the day
about seventy. Frce fighting in the
| aftern Don. Troops made-erossing oi
river at Guiguinto by working artil-
| Iery over railroad Drldge Dy nand ana
swimming the mules against fierce re-
sistance. Column will pass on. Rail
road to extreme front nearly repaired
OTIS"
DISCUSSING THE SITUATION.
The president today discussed with
his advisors and callers the situation
| In the Philippines. Assistant Secre-
tary of War Meiklejohn and Adjutani
| General CorbiE. who have KEEP close
track of the progress OF the American
| army and the condition of the troops
| were with him for some time. With
them he went over the situation and