Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-10-05


moment and Just in time to save them,
q native woman ran out and placed
herself, with extended arms, i'm
mediatels behind the fupitives in the |
line of the foe. There was but ons |
thing for Wilhelm to do as an American |
gentleman. and he did it promptly, He |
ordered his men to reserve their fire,
and moved on, while the hurrying |
Filipinos got as quickly as possible |
outlof range, sheltered from harm by |
American gallantry and their guardian
angel.
This same Capt Wilhelm showed
himself in another role during the same
scrap. The command was moving along
an open road when it was assai ed by
a very lively shower of bullets. All
OF his men did just what they should
do under such circumstances. They
hunted what cover they could find in
the muddy rice fields, where they
iloundered about as one must under
such conditions. Wilhelm remained
alone, standing the only prominent OBJ
lecr in the whole field, while Mauser
and Remington bullets battered around
him, kicking up, as they do, each its
little pull of dust. People who want
to chat Wilhelm say he stayed there
because he preferred getting shot to
getting his clothes muddied. That Is
as II may be, but, clothes or not, it
took plenty of cold nerve TO stand there
the sole target for the Filipino fire.
Whatever else they do, these little
"scraps,t rs the men call them. show
very clearly that the stock of Ameri-
can courage was not exhausted at Bun
ker's Hill. at Mission Ridge. or ut San
Juan. There is evidently good sup
ply still on hand.
But there is another side to this long
procession OF petty conflicts. How
clearly it may be seen at home, wo, cut
off rs we are by distance and by cen
sership which cuts both inward and
| outward messages, cannot know. Here,
| il is matter of general comment and
general condemnation in both army
and social circles. What end is served
by them all? What is accomplished by
| them? Gen. Otis may report that the
army moves forward by series of VIC
tories in which the enemy is democrat
lied and the end FASTENED. He has
| few supporters 10 his view. Nor is the
movement at ali what it may appear to
be when seen from distance.
| This is written five weeks after my
arrival. What has been that forward
movement since that time? The So
called 'south line'' is at linus, 10 miles
south of Manila. 1t was there when
got here. The east line is at Pasig,
some six miles from the city. There has
been no advance there. Beyond that
point. we occupy an outpost at Calamba,
on the south shore of the lake. To
| occupy that, we abandoned Morong on
the north shore. The north line is
represented as being in the vicinity of
San Fernando. So it is. So is a church
$50 high if that be the height of it's
steeple We hold ribbon of country,
northward from Manila, following the
line of the railroad. Until last week,
the end of the ribbon was at San Fer
nando, where it had remained since the
capture of that place more than two
months before. Beyond that point are
the main body of the Filipino army and
the headquarters of the independent
government claimed by the Filipinos.
| With or without orders from Wash,
ineton, Gen. Otis ordered forward
movement from that point. Between
San Fernando and the Filipino head
quarters at Tarlac, some 30 miles away,
there is no point lit for occupation
during the rains. At any intermediate
point, discomfort, suffering, apc
disease are inevitable for our troops.
The move was finally made, and thu
.battles'' OF Calulut, Bacolor, half
dozen Of petty hamlets, and the towr
Of Angeles. have been duly reported.
An officer stationed here voiced thu
sentiment of many when he said
This advance from San Fernando il
only piece of brutality inflicted OF
American soldiers, purely for 1T
political influence at home. "
The continued effort here to suppress
all news and information which are no
calculated to give the color of sue
, cessfu progress for the war. well sup
PORTS belief that the war in the Philip
pines is but a piece OF politica
. jugglery, in which American soldier
, are the juagier's implements Gen
! Otis says that "the Filipino army is
disorganized mob, and is now de
moralized. y The testimony OF me
who have been where Gen. Otis neve
, has been-on the firing line--is tina
, the Filipinos are not disorganized, no
, demoralized, not mob. Nor can an
, probability of dispersion be seen b
! those who are in the best position
! know. Tho enemy falls back, it ]
: true, but they fall back from intrench
!. ment to intrenchment, from breast
! work to breastwork. At each of those
!, American lives are lost. A. q. X.
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