The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-26
ENEMY'S FORCES SPLIT BY Nc AR
THURS WEDGE OF STEEL.
Burning Of San Francisco del Monte and Cap
ture Of Maraquina- Moving Against
Strongly Entrenched Towns.


and General Macarthur with the re-
mainder Of General Otis and General
| Hale's brigade was moving along south
of the river in a position to attack either
| Novaliches or Polo, being within two
miles of Noyaliches, and five miles from
Polo
| General Halls brigade moved to Ban
lac. protecting General Hale's right,
meeting with strong opposition.
| The Oregon regiment, and part of the
| Utah battery under Lieutenant Gibbs,
| held the extreme left.
| The entertainments nearest to Malabon
suffered the most severe attacks includ-
/ ing cross fire from the insurgents
massed at Malabon.
| The Montana regiment, near Balm
tanac, came upon a blockhouse disguised
as leper hospital, across the river.
after marching through the jungle.
-Four men were killed and seventeen
wounded.
General McArthur's artillery was ham
pered by the thickness of the jungle.
! General McArthur's and General Hale 5
staffs We're frequently under a CALLING
| fire, and upon one occasion all of the
officers excepting the generals dismount-
ed, being overcome by the heat, There
were many prostrations during the day.
FIGHTING A HIDDEN FOE.
| Manila, March 25.-S:15 A. M-Twen.
| ty-six dead and one hundred and fifty
| wounded i'll hospital is the latest state
| ment Of the American losses in the
| engagement with thsi tilipinOs.
| Io-day's fighting furnished a specimen
of the difficulties with which the Amer
| leans have to contend. The Filipinos
never. except opposite Malabon, permit
| I'D their opponents to get within several
| hundred yards of them. They would
| fire a few yoleys from their cover and
! then scuttle back to another cover. re-
peating these tactics for miles. Many
of the trenches had gullies and con
Meeting paths through the cane and
| brush. enabling them to retreat unseen.
The problem the Americans have. 10
! face is to drive or lure the insurgents
| to fight in forc5. The trenches seem
thinly manned, except in the vicinity
of Malabon.
/ The Americans, fighting hidden foe.
suffered greater loss in proportion than
did the enemy. The loss of the Filipinos
| had formerly been estimated from the
number of bodies found scattered in the
! swamp and@through the brush A lar
ger percentage of the enemy's wounded
died than of the Americans. many of
/ them peIishing from neglect, the Amer-
cans naturally attending their own men
/ first.
fk1,fN I..I off
| field hospitals were brought to the Ma
| Mia hospital by train Several trips
/ were made from Caloocan to the city.
The first load to start for the city was
composed largely of bandaged soldiers,
who shouted Give 'em hell boys
The gunboat Helena and two army
gunboats command Malabon. but the au-
| thoIities desire to avoid smashing the
town where thera is such valuable prop
erty belonging to foreigners, ana where,
are located warehouses of most of the
| Manila firms.
BATTLE STILL IN PROGRESS.
! Los Angeles, Cal. March 25.-The fol-
lowing cablegram sent to-day from
Manila by Brigadier General II. G.. Otis
/ to the Los Angeles Times, touching upon
to-day's engagement is self explanatory:
Manila, March 25.-6:05 a. m.
10 the Times, Los Angeles
My brigade had pierced the enemy <
country after brilliant advance and
/ severe engagement. The rebels We're
steadily pressed back all along the line.
The battle is still in progress. -Four
brigades are engaged. The enemy is
vainly attempting to make a stand at
Talighan River, four thousand strong.
/ (Signed.) "OTIS.
'Brigadier General