Evening star., 1899-03-27
Advancing IpoB NaIolos.

Tn. rauorts from Manila indicate that
rhsre has been no pause in the rapid for
,v,rI movement of the American troops
.z.sirss Aguinaldo'S army. even though at
present il appears that the grand stratagem
which formed part Of Gen Otis plan OF
campaign has not succeeded That scheme
was tn drive the enemy both from the
s.,urh and the east. throwing large force
.. him from his left flank and closing in
t-hiud q considerable portion of the insur-
l.-u, troops in such manner as 10 prevent
escape 10 the north and to force battle
IItd this plan worked it is apparent that
~ upw Aguinaldo would have been minus
1t, least half Of his army. while the Ameri-
can line would have been carried with ease
tr within a short distance of MalolOs. the
rebel capital. II now appears that the
thanking columns under Gen. Macarthur
were sufficiently delayed by the rough
r,,Iutry which they had to traverse in cut
ting around behind the enemy stationed at
Pol" tu enable the latter to escape north
ward in the direction Of Malolos when the
forces under Gen. Wheaton drove upon
th-m from the south.
While this is unfortunate in that it per-
uup- prevented a decisive stroke which
would have taken the vigor out of Aguinal-
troops. IL by no means reflects adversely
upon ;he skill or the courage of the Ameri-
can commanders and soldiers. The coun-
try is strange to them. and, according to
5hr dispatches. exceedingly wild. Had the
advance upon Polo from the south been
h-Id a little. in order to permit the troops
under Gen. Macarthur to make good their
harking position. perhaps the stratagem
would have prevailed and Aguinaldo would
ev--1 be in full flight up the Island of
iHz"n or on the sea fleeing for China, if he
ntd not been made prisoner. Yet it is easy
a. -rr that the two movements had to be
timed in advance. and it was the fortune
Of war not - get them in exact harmony.
Vet even as il is the insurgents have been
given a thorough drubbing and have been
sent back upon MalOlOs. which may at this
writing he in the possession of the Ameri-
can forces The greatest hope of the cam
f,IIgn is that in the defeat of the rebels il
may be maneuvered as to capture the
bulk pf them. to prevent them from con-
rlnuiEg the warfare as gueTriilas. If they
ar beaten back from point to point their
knowledge of the country may permit them
70 make an almost indefinite resistance. un-
les some great catastrophe occurs to de-
priV- them Of their leader or large por-
tinn Of their forces. Hence it is important
that there should be more than mere driv-
ing tactics. and it was evidently for this
purpose that Gen. Otis planned the swing
ing movement which failed of full fruitfon.
IL is greatly to be regretted that the
fighting has cost American lives, but that
was inevitable when the campaign was be-
gun. Especially 1t is to be deplored that so
gallant an officer Col. Egbert should
have fallen. But his example. leading his
troops into the charge in the face OF hid
den foe, doubtless served as a splendid in
spirarion for the entire army. and it is to be
safely calculated that his death will not be
without its beneficial results in the quick
euIng Of the spirit of the troops 10 decisive
action. The record which is being written
Justires the highest estimates Of the Ameri-
can soldiery which grew out of the fighting
il. Cuba last summer.