The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-01
AS Described by General Harri-
son Gray Otis.
TAGALOS ARE SPRINTERS
American Troops in the Philippines Have
Shown Splendid Ardor in the
Hour of Conflict-Praise for
Montana Troops.

who arrived from Manila last night on
the transport Sherman, is very happy
man at being again at home. This vet
eran of three wars is civilian in time
of peace and as soon as he foresaw the
termination of hostilties with the fall
of Malolos he asked to be allowed to
resign. He expects to leave for Los An
geles tomorrow and will Immediately
resume his position of editor in chief
of the Los Angeles Times. He was in
terviewed to-day by a reporter of the
associated press.
General, will you tell the associated
press something about the fighting in
the Philippines
1T is a rather late day I apprehend
to go into that subject very much; and,
besides, it is not possible for me to do
so, satisfactorily, within the limits of
newspaper interview. / cannot under
take to describe here, in detail. the
operations of our army in Luzon. What
! may say, in response to your inquiry,
viii be only to give you the mereSt
general outline of the last movement
the campaign for the capture of Malo-
los"
What was the position held by your
brigade in the general line of opera
tons from the start?"
AT the assault and capture of Calico
can, on Feb. 10, principally by the First
brigade, it was on the extreme left of
the division line, it's left flank touching
Manila bay, its right extending to and
eastwardly of blockhouse No. and
the church De la Iona, and connecting
near the salient point with the Second
hryn do II
near which our successful turning
movement was made.
In the advance upon Malolos begun
at daylight. March %. my brigade con-
stituted the center of the general line.
and it's orders were to pierce the enc
my's CENTER which was done the same
day.
After this movement was under way
the First brigade advanced on the west
-of the railway running north and at
right angles to it, while the Second
brigade advanced abreast on the east
side of the same track. The usual reg
mental formation adopted in all the
movements in line of battle was to post
two battalions on the firing line with
one battalion in support
In the advance upon Malolos, how
was our main line conStituted?"
Il have already partially described
that formation If you will examine a
map of the region it will perhaps make
the respective positions Of the two di-
visions of the Eighth army corps clearer
to you. The first division, with the eX-
ception of Wheaton's brigade, was on
the south of the Pasig: the Second
division and Wheaton's brigade were
north of that river.
The Malo1os Movement.
THE Malolos movement. as whole.
was made by the Second DIVISION Ma
jor General Macarthur commanding,
supported by Wheatons brigade the
Third) of Lawton's First dvision-the
famous Lawton, whom, as you are
aware, we claim as a Californian now.
The entire column was strengthened
by the divisional artillery. made up of
regulation 3.2-inch field pieces. Hotch-
kiss cannon and a vicious little rapid
fire gun. All the guns were manned by
men from Dyers' 9Th United States
artillery and Young's battalion of Utah
light artillery. under their respective
officers. A squadron of the 4th United
+ States cavalry was the only mounted
force in the column. Part of the regu-
lar cavalrymen We're mounted on big
American horses. the remainder on the
absurd little Filipino ponies, who have
no weight and no sense.
THE first and second brigades, march
lHS ABREAST anu almost toucnlHS hanks
constituted the first line. The right
flank and rear We're taken care of by
Brigadier General Hall with the third
brigade of our (secondD division, whose
formation, with his right much re-
freshed. was made with view to Gov
ering the ground as far over to the
eastward as Maraquina. the disputed
water works and the San Juan river
and also with a view to foiling any at
tempt at flanking by the enemy in that
direction.
1.-THE left flank and rear We're eff
i GENTLY protected by Brigadier General
Lloyd Wheaton with his small brigade
of about 1,5Oo men. He had sharp
fighting at and about Malaban almost
from the beginning of the general ad-
vance, and his percentage of losses was
Il not small He captured the village OF
Malint near the bay, and later took en-.
tire charge of the supply train, thus re-
iieving the troops of the front line OF
an arduous and important duty anG
leaving them foot-loose to fly at tbs
foe.
"Our general infantry advance was E
long, superb sweep northward by a thin
line of troops in extended order of bat
tie, deployed SO as to cover nearly thu
entire stretch of country between tbs
bay OF Manila on the west and the SaI
Juan river on the east.
ITO go back a little, the movemen
began at $50 a. m. of March %. will
Hales advance on the near right. Hi;
movement was taken up at a. m b,
my brigade on the center. Wheaton
with the left. advanced later.
"On account of the boldness and &C
tivity of the enemy on his left, Genera
Hall was kept busy there and did no
advance with the general line. He ha'
been directed by the corps commando
to secure the safety of our eXtrem
right and also the rear beyond the per
adventure of a doubt.
THE fighting itself? Well I canno
go into that in detail now: It would re
aure too much space. There is n
trouble, my boy, about the fighting Of
our side. Make a fairly good plan o
battle, send the soldiers in under thei
officers, hold them we'll in hand, Civ
them good rifles and keep them sup
piled with plenty of ammunition, main
tain strict fire discipline show then
the enemy's position, and the men vii
do the rest.