The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-07

NEW YORK, Nov. "a special to tn,
Herald from Washington says;
with forces aggrgating more thar
$4,000 fighting men, Generals Lawton
Macarthur and Wheaton are now clos
ing in on Aguinaldo's army. General
odc set November ) and 6 as the dates
for commencing the campaign "all
along the line" and the war depart
ment has information today that the
program is being carried out.
General Otis dispatches are optimis-
tic in the highest degree and the OFF,
cials are predicting that the rebellion
win be crushed before the end Of the
prsent month and that important VIC
tories will be announced within few
days.
The military situation was thus ana
ly.ed today by an official familiar with
General Otis planes Of operation, as
reported to the war department:
"Aguinaldo, with his army greatly
raduced owing to recent disintegra-
tions, is at Bayambang. twenty miles
north of Tarlac, which was his head
quarters and the objecdves of Lawton's
and MacArthur's armies up to a fort
night ago.
General Macarthur moves north
ward along the railroad to Bayambaug,
taking the towns of Tarlac, Panaque,
Moncoda and others as he goes along.
General I4awton moves northward
from Colantua as his base, and with
columns swerving to the right and left
TO sweep the country to the Rio Agno
river, and to head off Aguinaldo's es-
cape to the mountains through Rio
Agno valley. At last accounts detach-
ments from his command had taken
Ahaga. west of his base. Talavera being
to the north and Bayambang 10 the
northwest.
General Wheaton moves southwark
from Dagupan to Bayambang His
movements up TO this time have been
kept from the public. but now that ths
campaign is in progress. l am at liber-
ty to meution that he headed an exps-
dition sent out on transports for the
Gulf Of Lingayen last week. The navy's
task was to shell the towns on the
southern part Of the gulf, 80 as TO ef-
feet the safe landing Of his expedition.
Unless AgCinaldo has escaped % the
eastward through the Rio Agno valley, |
he ought to be caught between Cen
eral wheaton's forces from the north !
and General MacArthurs from the
south within the next As hours, as Bay
ambang, where he is supposed TO b.
located, is less than % miles from Da-
gupan and about 40 miles from Angeles. |
Although General MarArthur's malnl
forces were at Angeles at last accounts,
it is believed that one Of MS columns
has reached and taken Tarlac before
this time and that the railroad to ,ha.
point is now in control Of the American
forces and that it is only a question
Of a few days wh7a his command wlnl
reach Bayambang.
From the plan Of campaign mapped
out Aguinaldo's only possible means Of
escape would seem TO be 70 the east
ward through the Rio Agno valley into
the mountains, as the forces under
Generals Lawton and Macarthur
moving northward are keeping scouts
we'll out to the front so as to prevent
the enemy from escaping southward."
1t seems to have been figured out by
the authorities that Agulnaldo wouldn't
attempt to cross the mountains to the
northeastward because when he got
on the other side he would be quite as
hostile to the Tagalos as the American
troops. The northern part Of the isl
and Of Luzon is cut off from the central
by high ranges Of mountains. The
other side is peopled by mixed races. |
1t is said they are friendly to the Uni |
ted States and particularly bitter
against the Tagalos
The war department has not been ad-
vised as to the exact number of troops