New-York tribune., 1899-06-09
FIGHTING IN LUZON.
THE CONDITIONS OF GROUND AND CLI.
NATE UNDER WHICH THE TROOPS
ARE WORKING.

v.NY GOOD ROADS BUT FIELDS DIFFICULT TO
MARCH IN-METHops OF THE INSURGENTS
-RATIoNs AND COSTUMES OF THE
AMERICANS.
nm the North Line, near La Iona Church,
p,n,ppine Islands. May 3 (SpeciaD Army SER
ytce in the Philippines. though performed under
ambitions akin TO those met by our forces last
-ssr in Cuba differs therefrom In certain par
,,culars that may be called local To begin with.
comparison OF the terrain. always In important
actor in any military undertaking is so far
q. we may yet determine in favor Of these
Islands The operations OF our troops have
heen confined to a section little cut UP by
rsvines and with only gentle elevations In
deed the country is but little more diversified
than rolling country would be- with small
,,reams intersecting sufficient in number to af-
ford water for the troops. but seldom large
enough 10 be serious obstacles.
Along the sea coast. or bay shore. notably
near Malabon. some swampy ground exists, and
The immediate vicinity of Laguna de Bay is also
lou and marshy. But once back In the interior
the soil is Of a sandy appearance. with an oc-
casional outcropping of a close. gray, shale-
like rock though believe the rock Is Of vol
eanic origin. II is this underlying rock bed
that makes rice cultivation on the uplands
practicable as 1t forms hard pan TO hold the
eurface water and as 1t lies near the surface
~ the ground IT'S effect is TO turn the fields into
lakes when the rainy is on. The soil,
though appearing sandy. is. however, OF clay,
an6 when wet very like the "gumbo" OF the
Western States Any who has marched or
hunted over "gumbo country Will recall that
.,iT waxy mud that the shoe gathered and that
would not be shaken off. rendering the march
or tramp almost doubly wearisome. There
many thickets OF bamboo that tears with its
keen curved thorns but thev are of limited ex-
tent. and may with care be worked through,
especially when men are excited.
PLENTY OF OPEN GROUND.
In marked contrast to the jungle around Dali
ou,n that seemed everywhere and unending,
is the amount Of open ground here prevailing.
The open places are devoted to rice, with oc-
casional banana or pineapple gardens near the
villages. and. since the ground is seldom other
than slopng the surface s checkered with in
Vulnerable ridges from one to three feet in
height everywhere winding and crossing, as the
builders have. with wonderful skill and i'm
mense labor converted acres and acres OF HILL
side and valley into sweeping terraces These
terraces are seldom Of greater width than fifty
yards, with cross ridges al frequent intervals
the whole making movement over a ricefeld
one of the most leg-wearying things imaginable.
The height Of the ridges is such that an extra
effort has always to be made TO carry the foot
clear of the obstruction. A night march over
such ground is positively dangerous.
In the advance on the insurgents trenches
near La Iona Church. on March %. ricefeld
some 200 yards across was passed over by
the troops. The advance was made under fire.
and beginning in the gray Of early morning
occupied about twenty minutes Over those
ridges man after man stumbled and fell sprawl
ing only TO rise and go down again a few yards
further on. Men under fire invariably grurnble
and their propensity to swear under such con-
ditions is well known. That mornings ADJ dnce
was no exception to the traditions OF f1ghtng.
And when, as a slope bit sleeper than or
dinary was reached the ridges were so near to-
sether that II seemed at times as if half the
company -'as down.
HELPING OUT THE DRILL REGULATIONS.
The drill regulations prescribe that certain
portion of an advance should be made "by
rushes from cover to cover" and these ridges
work out that idea to perfection when going
over asleve or down hill. but are exasperating
to man who wishes TO fire when the slope is
upward. because the upper-lying ridges mask
the crest somewhat from the lower levels
In Cuba we rarely found a good road, and it
was seldom that even poor ones existed; but
here. radiating from Manila, are many broad,
well-metalled communications. Some, indeed
that pass through low ground are built on the
extravagant but enduring Roman plan; large
blocks Of stone, well fitted together and laid
on a good foundation. AS the traffic has never
been heavy, two-wheeled bull carts being the
only heavy vehicles on the island the surface
Of the roads is but little worn and troops and
teams. even in heavy weather. make good prog
rsss The country roads soon wear down 10
the bed rock and always give fair marching
The Spanish seem to be race OF builders OF
sunken roads. At FL Caney the 4th marched
up a road sunk some feet below the surround
ing country and from Manila northeast to San
Francisco del Monte is road that was buiIt
by the Spaniards in 1928 In places II is twenty
feet deep and for nearly the whole distance its
depth is such that complete cover is given by
its banks TO a marching column But, its sides
being vertical and Of rock worn smooth by the
heavy tropical rains. 1t is little used by our
troops.
We have seen and known something of
Apache canyons. and this war is in many par
ticuars. not unlike a campaign in Arizona.
Apaches seldom, II ever made a stand-up fight;
and these Filipinos evidently prefer intrenched
positions TO the open field. In nearly every en-
gagement our men have found them occupying
trenches. and have had 10 advance over open
ground. Only in two instances have they
fought in the open. Near Apolito a portion OF
General MacArthurs division did, indeed find
the insurgents in fair field and depoyed in
modern formation Of three lines. but their at
tempt at attack was faint-hearted and they
soon fell back to the cover of their trenches
INSURGENTS FIGHTING WAYS
A striking thing is their almost universally
correct perception Of the natural advantages Of
positions. They invariably occupy the military
crest Of a slope and their works have no