Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-13
AMERICANS OCCUPY ARAFAT
Insurgents Driven Out by Young After
Half Hours Skirmish,
ENEMY RETREATS TOWARD MAGAlAN
swampy Nature of Country Prevents
Use of Cavnlry-Schwnn's Column
between Perez Dns Minns
and linus,

MANILA, OCl, l@.-No y. ll'J p''AN'S'
Young, with two battalions of the Twenty
fourth infantry, nine troops of the Fourth
cavalry and the scouts of the Thirty-seVenth
infantry, left Santa Ana at a. m. and oc-
cupied Arayat at o'clock after a skirmish
lasting half an hour.
The enemy, estimated at 800 men, re-
treated toward Magellan. The swampy ma
ture of the country prevented the use of
cavalry.
The men OF the Twenty fourth charged
the trenches asld set the town on fire and
succeeded in burning a small section. Five
dead and three wounded Filipinos were left
on the field. The Americans had one man
wounded.
General Schwans column is now between
Perez Das Minas and linus The roads are
very heavy and there has been no fighting
yet.
General Schwans expedition having ac-
compllshed its object, the troops are all re-
turning to their former positions, abandon
ing the towns taken
General Schwan is en- route from Perez Das
Minas to linus with the infantry, while
the artillery and cavalry and all mule teams
are retracing their route from Malabon to
Bacoor with the signal corps removing the
wires.
Fine Display OF GcnernIship.
General Trias, with the organized bodies
of insurgents, retreated to Siland and In
dang at the base of the mountain. The
movement Of United States troops was fine
display of American generalship and energy,
while the Filipinos adopted what General
Alejandrino terms "our peculiar method of
warfare"
The whole country is an immense swamp
and the Filipinos never expected the Amer
leans could or would attempt to invade it
during the wet season.
Moreover, che line of march furnished
| succession OF surprises, the advancing troops
being generally attacked from unexpected
points.
In Cavte province, the scene of the hot
test fights and their greatest successes over
the Spaniards, the Filipncs might have
been expected to make a resolute stand if
anywhere, but after their whipping at Ca
| vite Viejo and Noveleta their tactics con-
sisted chiefly in a continuous exhibition OF
! their agility and their transfer from warriors
| to amigos.
The marines, while accommodating about
the scene OF Sundays encounter find that
| the trenches have already been reoccupied
! although the enemy manifested more than
| their usual willingness to retreat Armed
bands have appeared along the shore road
! between Bacoor and Rosario and the troops
| returning by that route expect another fight
| at Rosario.
At Malabon the Americans corralled 200 or
| 300 natives supposed to be fighting men. A
| few Of the men were caught with arms in
| their hands, but large number were found
| hiding, dressed in khaki, like the American
uniform. The majority OF them were in the
garb of amigos, but they are suspected of
shooting at the troops from the houses a
| UrnNx In hnh h tel,,
the advance whenever small parties of
Americans strayed from the main body
Prisoners n White Elephant.
The prisoners are white elephant on the
| hands of the Americans. The Malabon con-
tingent spent an unhappy night incarcerated
| in a church. native priest and an uncle
Of General Trias were discovered in the Fill
pino arsenal outside the town. They are
credited with being two of the pillars of the
insurrection, but they vigorously proclaim
| their innocence.
The work Of the commissary and quarter
masters departments, directed by Captains
Biddle and Horton, was remarkable through
| out. The transportation of supplies from
| Rosario to Malabon seemed to be impossible
| The wagons had to be repeatedly unloaded
and reloaded while being dragged through
the mire.
General Schwan is marching back without
the teams, all the loads of baggage being
shipped from Bacoor by canoes and the
wagons going empty.
A telegraph squad under Lieutenant Clark
kept the wire abreast of the line to Malabon
but in order to do this the teams had to be
abandoned and the wire carried by coolies
The leading citizens OF Rosario are tenn
| DOrariIy nf
laden with the American armies impedl-
menta to Bacoor.
The prisoners, with the exception of those
caught redhanded, will be released as, owing
to the fact that the insurgents have so many
more men than guns, the keeping of prison
ers Is useless expense unless the policy OF
RECOMMENDATION which General Weyler pur-
sued is to be adopted.
In conversation with an Associated Press
reported a leading merchant of Rosario re-
marked: They will be engaged in their old
| business as soon as released"
When asked where the army had gone the
merchant replied:
"A majority of them are here. They sim.
ply hid their guns when they saw a superior
force approaching"
The fighting falls the hardest on the
women and children, Hundreds OF then
spent the night before the American:
reached Rosario in boats. the bay for miles
being crowded with small craft containing
non -combatants, few OF whom remained II
the town.
Forces in LuzOn Advancing.
| WASHINGTON, Oct. 12.-The War depart
ment today received the following dispatch
dated Manila, October 70:
"Schwans column is marching on Sapanl
and Das Marinas today, where opposition /:
expected His artillery and wagon trans
, portaton is returning to Bacoor by way o.
, Rosario. column of 500 men is marching
from linus to support schwan, II necessary
Young, in the north, has occupied Arayat
and supplies are being moved up the Rio
Grande by cascoes to that point. Lawtor
will command column when full concentra
tion is effected, Young's loss today, one
enlisted man, who was wounded yesterday