The San Francisco call., 1899-03-26

camped tonight six miles east of
Polo and six miles north of the line
from which the advance was taken
up. Wheaton's brigade, at Caloocan,
drove the enemy one and half miles
north across the river. Hall, on the
extreme right, encountered consider
able force and routed it. The fighting
was heavy near Caloocan. The move
ment continues in the morning. Our
casualties are about 16O-26 killed.
The enemy lost in killed alone 200.
OTIS.
MANILA, March 25.-Elaborate pre-
parations. were; made for the movement.
Under the cover of darkness General
Otis and General Hale's brigades left
their trenches and advanced close up
on the enemy's line without being de-
tected General Wheaton's and General
Halls brigades occupying the positions
vacated by the advancing troops.
At / o'clock the American troops
breakfasted and the FflipinOs noticing
the camp1res, their buglers called TO
arms
At daylight General Otis and General
Halls brigades advanced from La
Iona Church straight through the
rebel lines, cutting the enemy's force in
two. Upon this occasion the rebels
adopted the American method OF hold
ing their fire until the attacking troops
were about 1000 yards distant The
rebels also fired lower than usual. The
Americans fired volleys with terrific ef-
feet and then rushed forward cheering
and carrying everything before them
Once through, General MacArthur's
;division was swung around the line,
driving the rebels away on all sides.
General WheaLOn's brigade, in accord
ance with instructions, remained IN the
trenches. Before Joining in the move
ment at noon General Wheaton troops
developed a strong opposition between
sMalabOn and the river Ta1ghan.
The brigades commanded by General
Harrison Gray Otis and General Haze
advanced on Novaliches and Polo,
strongly entrenched towns, and in the
meantime General Halls brigade swept
the country clear 10 the water works
and the foothills at Singalon, capturing
San Francisco del Monte and Mara
quina.
Late in the afternoon the Montana
regiment and the Third Artillery had
crossed Ta1ghan- River, going in a
norIhwesterly direction toward POLO
and General Macarthur, with the re-
mainder Of General Otis and General
Haie's brigades, are moving along 'South
OF the river, in position 10 attack
either Novaliches or Polo, being within
two miles of Novahches and five miles
from Polo. General Halls brigade
moved to Balac, protecting General
.Hafe's right and meeting with strong
opposition. The Oregon. regiment and
part of the Utah Battery, under Lieu
tenant Bibbs, held the extreme left.
The, entertainments nearest TO Mala-
bon suffered the most severe attacks,
Including a cross fire from the lnsur-
gents massed at Malabon.
The Montana regiment near Ballnta-
mao came upon 'blockhouse disguised
as a leper hospital, across the river,
after marching through the jungle, ana
four men were killed and SEVENTEEN
wounded
General MacArthurs artillery was
hampered by the thickness Of the jun
gle General McArthur'S and General
HaIe's staffs were frequently under
calling fire and upon one occasion all
of the officers excepting the generals,
dismounted, being overcome by heat.
There were many prostrations during
the day.
Twenty-six dead and $50 wounded IN a
hospital is the latest statement of the
American losses in the engagement
with the Filipinos.
To-day's fighting furnished a specf-
men of the difficulties with which the
Americans have TO contend me flif-
pinos never except at Mala bon, per
rnitted their opponents to get within
several hundred yards Of them They
would fire few vOlleyS from their
cover and then seuttle back 10 another
cover! repeating these tactics for. miles
Many Of the trenches had gullies and
connecting paths through the cane
and brush, enabling them to retreat un-
seen.
The problem the Americans have to
face is to drive or lure the insurgents
to fight in force. The trenches seem
thiniy manned, except in the vicinity of
-MaIabon.
The Americans, fighting hidden foe,
suffered greater loss in proportion than
did the enemy The loss Of the Fill
tpinos had formerly been estimated
from the number of bodies found scat
tered in the swamp and through the
brush A larger percentage Of the en-
emy's wounded died than of the Amer
iicans many of them perishing from
neglect, the Americans naturally at
tending their own men first.
The wounded, after treatment in the
field hospitals. were brought to the hos
>pital by train. Several trips were made
from Caloocan TO the city. The first
load to start for the city was composed
largely of bandaged soldiers. who
shouted "Give them hell, boysl"
The gunboat Helena and two army
boats command Malabon, but the ac>
thorities desire to avoid smashing the
town. where there is much valuable
property belonging to foreigners ana
where are located warehouses of most
of the Manila firms.