Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-08-05
THE NEXT CAMPAIGN.
American Troops in the Philippines
Awaiting the End

THEIR OUTPOSIS AXE IN
SIGHT OF THE AMERICAN
POSITIONS AT SAN FERNANDO
AND BAI4ING AND SHOTS ARE
CONTINUALLY BEING EX-
CHANGED.
CHICAGO, August 1.-THE Tribune's
special correspondence from Manila.
under date of June IS. says: The next
campaign can hardly begin sooner
than November, although the country
may dry up enough toward the middle
of October to permit the American
troops to take the field then. The
American army during the rainy sea-
son can hardly be expected to do any,
thing more than hold what it has gain
ed, and prepare for the next campaign.
The ground TO defend is not very
great On the south of Manila we have
linus, about 10 miles away. where the
Fourth and Fourteenth Infantry, with
several guns from the Sixth Artillery
are SlAtAOAOd ALAS tNAAAN0Af VS.
gained only within the last two weeks
by the hard fighting at Paranaqua, at
which even the rattle of the rifles
could be heard in Manila. We hold
the road that runs TO linus through
Paranaqua and Bacoor, every inch OF
which was only gained by hard fighting
and which was to be closely guarded
all the way to linus by troops in
trenches and massed in two or three
companies at the villages and bridges.
Northward, the farthest point in the
control OF our soldiers is San Fernan-
do, Al miles from Manila on the rail-
road. The railroad is 140 miles in
length in all, but the insurgents con-
troll all the track between San Fernan-
do and Dagupan, the northern termin-
al of the road
The insurrectionists are In possess
sion of three-fourths of the rolling
stock. They have q of the roads lo-
comotives, while the Americans have
only four. The rest of the rolling
stock is also distributed between tho
two parties in like ratio.
The Americans hold Candaba, east OF
San Fernando ten miles. They hold
all the towns along the railroad, OF
course, to San Fernando and Baliuag.
seven mile seast OF Pnlliam. Reports
come from Baliuag that the town is
surrounded by the enemy, and is about
to be carried by assault. But Col.
Page and the Third Infantry have So
far driven the rebels back with dis
astrous results every time they have
assaulted the town. and he declared he
can hold 1t for an indefinite time. al
though his position there Is by no
means an easy one. Supplies and mail
can only be carried over to Bailuag
from the railroad under an escort OF
not less than $50 men, who are invar-
iably attacked somewhere along tho
road both going and coming. The in
surgents have their intrenchmenra
| drawn well around both San Fernando
and Bailuag, and their outposts are In
sight OF the American outposts.
An officer down from San Fernando
told me to-day that the insurgents
seemed never to relax their vigilance.
Their sharpshooters and skirmishers
are always alert and frequently the
showing of a head by careless AmrTi-
can picket will draw four or five shots
from the enemy in a twinkling, and
start general fusiIade At San Fer
nando two determined attacks along
the whole rebel line were made last
week. The second engagement lasted
three hours. when the insurgents were
driven back with heavy losses. DULLES
| fly continually over both places aud
stray bullets frequently find victims.
The insurgents intrenchments are In
| the shape Of a horseshoe. with the two
ends resting on the railroad track.
The country north Of Baliuag that
Gen. Lawtons troops marched over TO
San Isidor. had all TO be evacuated ow-
| ing 10 the lack Of troops to garrison
the captured towns and viii have to be
retaken afresh when the next campaign
opens. The insurgents are continually
receiving fresh supplies and arms. AT
Paranaque. a week ago. they astoniahed
| the Americans by bringing out SONS
modern field pieces that they had OBJ
tanned somewhere. Heavy shipments
OF arms are said TO be constantly arriv-
ing from Japan and Australia. and It 10
said, even from our own country. Cart
ridges picked UP in the insurgens
trenches bear the trademark Of bic
manufacturing firm in the United
/ States.
The insurgents have three factories
| where they manufacture cartridges and
other munitions Of war. II they were
kept on the run they would have No
time 50 to equip themselves that thsy
! could return after every defeat better