The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-07
Game of War in Philippines Has
Come to That.
AguinaldO's Forces Are" Scat
tered Far and Wide.
so ARE GEN. OTIS.
Early Ending of InsurrectiOn
Has Ceased to Be Expected.
But One Third of Luzon Under
American Control.

New York, Dec IA dispatch to the
Herald from Manila says;
Hope of ending the insurrection and
halting military operations in the Phil
ippines. which seemed so bright a few
days ago, has again faded into the un-
certain future.
Much has been accomplished During
the last few weeks the campaigning has
been almost phenomenal
In dreadful weather. through a de-
vastated country, across swollen rivers,
along roads that We're impossible for
wagons, artillery and in some cases for
cavalry. the advances of the troops
have been so rapid and in so many di-
rections that they have often been be
yond the military telegraph lines and
operation have necessarily been indie
pendently conducted by the field COM
manders. The army is rightfully proud.
The insurgents have had a series of
routs and disasters. The slaughter has
been great. They have lost a large
quantity of supplies and munitions of
war. and more than 1 900 of their armed
men have surrendered or been captured
during their retreat in the last few
weeks
Their government has been scattered.
w hat of il is at liberty is in flight. A
portion of AguinaldO's family are in our
lines. Aguinaldo himself is q fugitive.
Notwithstanding all these things
there is no reason for an extreme Opti-
mistlc view of the situation. Nothing
more is heard of having the rebellion
stamped out in the course of few
days. That sort of talk only lasted
while the insurgent leader was slipping
away last week. Field commanders
now think that the end is still afar-
It is admitted that little is definitely
known of the present strength or
whereabouts of the insurgents
AguinaldO's entire army is estimated
at from 10000 to 10000 armed men, scat
tered throughout the Islands. There are
$4,000 American soldiers now in the
Philippines, 50, 600 being in LuzOn. These
are already so greatly scattered by the
recent operations, with the exceptions
OF those in Manila. where 10000 are con-
centrated that they seem like a mere
handful
stin we hold less than one-third of
the area of Luzon, but what we have
is the most desirable territory.
Indications are that AguinaldO es-
capped to the north with a much larger
body of troops than was at first sup
posed This force, reported at from
1000 to 5000 men, was originally re-
Cruited in the northern provinces and
the men are reputed TO be good fighters.
Not one of our columns is in direct
contact with the enemy 1t is a game
of hide-and-seek, and a weary game it
is Here is a statement of the move
ments of the various field commanders:
General Young with mis- small force
OF IlEGQ men ana aDlTlalS. IS SLOWLY IOl-
lowing the insurgents into the noun
tatns toward Bangued, and has not
been heard from for a week.
Captain James B. Erwin, with the
Fourth cavalry, is supposed to be hold
ing BayOnbong in NueVaz Vizcaraya.
There is no information as to what in
surgents are in the northern valley
General LawtOn is now coming south
toward san Isidro. where he will push
his column directly south on san Mi
guel and NorzagOny to meet the Amer
cad It is his intention to drive the
rebel general Pillar into the region
north Of the lake.
Gen. Wheaton is in Tayug Most of
his troops in the vicinity are garrison
ing nearby towns.
Gen Macarthur is on the railroad at
Bayambang.
Col Bell is following westward into
the mountains the remnants of Gen.
AlejandrinO's troops. estimated at p
500 men Burt is moving with a small
command from O'DOnnell westward
over the mountains to Iba on the coast.
Gen. Grant is moving from Florida
Blanca southwark to Balanga, Bataan-
province
Cavite province viii be the seat of an
active campaign when enough troops
arrive to shut off all avenues of escape
unless an expected surrender Oc-
ours
All the sixty-ffve thousand American
troops viii be easily absorbed in active
campaigning and garrisOning.
The army cannot continue its pres
ent eXertions another month with the
poor food found in the country without
much illness
It is the general opinion that the five
known insurgent organizations, of more
than 1000 men each. will a the present
rate he dlSintegrated into guerilla
bands within 80 days
1t is the impression of the military
authorities that 1000 men viii be suf-
ficient to garrison LuzOn a few months
hence.
Field officers and others insist. how
ever, that unless the natives surrender
their arms LuzOn must be garrisOned
town by town, While protection must
be guaranteed to the natives now ''On
the fence until a reaction in favor of
the Americans begins
YOUNG IS HEARD FROM.
Washington, Dec. To the relief of
the war department. General Young has
been heard from after a weeks alb
sence in the interior of Luzon Cen
eral Otis cabled this morning as fol-
lows:
Manila. Dec. General Young re-
ports his arrival at Nigan on the ev-
enlng OF the fifth having encountered
1orce OF the enemy at NarbaCan. y
miles south of the city whom he drove
70 the eastward of the same into san
quentin canyon. His troops are now
pressing them back. Country is ex-
tremely rough and strongly entrenched
ABOUT bu0 prisoners who eScaped re-
ported that the insurgents allowed all
but the American and prominent Span
ISM prisoners to escape from Bangued.
Later the insurgents were driven back
INTO Ine mountains viii send trans
pOrtaUlOn with subsistence and medical
SupplieS TO N1San tomorrow to bring
the prisoners to Manila. and to supply
Aoungs troops with necessary quar-
termaster's stores. Our casualties were