The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-18

each position in turn, keeping them in full
retreat and giving them no opportunity 10
reconstruct their scattered forces. 1t will
soon be the mountains or the sea for the
insurgents. AS our troops would be trans
ported by sea 10 the mouth of the Agno
and a new base Of operations established
there ii would be folly for them to take
that course. Scattered, deTnoralized and dis
heartened 1t is almost certain the rebels.
in desperation. will retreat into the fast
nesses OF the mountains, where they would
be safe from pursuit. and where they could
keep up a guerrilla warfare indefinitely or
until their leaders came to their senses. AL
though the past efforts OF our troops to
get into the rear of the insurgents have
failed up to this time, by sheer force of
the battering ram the enemy has been
driven back step by step into the pocket
where nothing will be left for them but sur
render or the mountains. Over ffty-five
miles, as the crow flies, the rebels have
been forced back.
The situation of the insurgents Is des-
perate MacArthur's division drove them
back along the line Of the railroad on the
Bay of Ldngayen as far as Calumpit. All
efforts to impede his progress by the de-
struction Of bridges were frustrated. The in
surgents were forced out of their strongest
positions. simultaneously General Lawton
moved to the right in a wide detour to-
ward Norzagaray, the eastern limit of open
country, with the intention of turning the
enemy's position and crushing him between
the two columns. Although unsuccessful in
this the enemy, TO make good his escape,
was compelled to abandon his line OF re-
treat along the railroad and retire up the
Rio Grande. The insurgents by this move
displayed considerable adroitness in the art
OF war, as it made 1t more difficult for the
Americans to get their supplies 10 the
| front. This had been comparatively easy
along the line of the railroad. which had
been repaired as the troops advanced. The
change in the line of retreat of the rebels
stopped Lawton's advance for several days,
| 1t Is presumed. as no movement until to-
| day had been reported since Friday. Mean
time, it is presumed. supplies were sent for
| ward up the Rio Grande in cascoes NATIVE
barges) under the escort OF the gunboats
| commanded by Major Kebbes. The latter
was reported to have 1 500 men with him
| designed for the reinforcement OF Lawton.
| The supplies probably having arrived at a
point opposite Lawton, whose column had
advanced along a line five miles east and
parallel with the river, were delivered to
him and to-day he pushed on into San
| Isidro. This cleared the province of Bula-
can, although the words in General Otis's
dispatch must not be taken literally as
meaning Lawton has covered" all of Bula-
can province, but only the open country of
that province or all west Of Norzagaray.
East of Norzagaray Is a wall Of mountains
extending to the sea. These mountains run
directly north on the left flank of the rebel
retreat along the valley of the Rio Grande
to about ten miles of San Isidro. where
they trend westward and form the source
Of that river. 1t is into the foothills OF
these mountains Lawton is now driving the
demoralized forces of the insurgents. Law
ton has with him the Third and Twenty
second Infantry. one battalion of the Sew
enteenth. the Second Oregon. First North
Dakota, Thirteenth Minnesota and squad.
ron of the Fourth Cavalry.
No information has yet been received as
to the Twelfth Infantry and light Battery
e, Of the First Artillery. which have ar
rived at Manila. The Ninth Infantry. which
arrived with those latter commands, has
been sent to join Lawton.
The President's Concentrations.
HOT SPRINGS. Va. May 1.-THE dis
patch of General Otis regarding the capture
OF San Isidro by General Lawton and hi.
forcing of the scattered insurgent rank.
into the mountains was forwarded here BY
the War Department. The news it Dor,
was so pleasing to Mr.. Mckinley that h,
Immediately sent his congratulations Il
General Lawton in the following telegram:
ITO Otis. Manila: Convey to Genera
Lawton and the gallant men OF his com
mand my congratulations on the successfu
| operations during the past month resulting