The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-19


them no opportunity to reconstruct
their scattered forces.
1t will soon be the mountains or the
sea for the insurgents. AS our troops
could be transported by sea to the
mouth of the Agno and new base Of
operations established there, it would
be folly for them to take that course.
Scattered, demoraliZed and dishearten-
ed. it is almost certain that the rebels,
in desperation, will retreat into the
Businesses of the mountains where
they would be safe from pursuit, and
where they could keep up a guerrilla
warfare indefinitely or until their lead
ers came to their senses.
Although all the past efforts of our
troops to get into the rear of the in
surgents have failed up to this time,
by sheer force of the battering ram,
the enemy has been driven back step
by step into the pocket where nothing
will be left for them but surrender
or the mountains. Over fifty-five miles,
as the crow flies, the rebels have been
forced back.
PUSHING THE INSURGENTS TO
THE MOUNTAINS.
The situation of the insurgents is
desperate. MacArthur'S division drove
them back along the line of the rail-
road to Dagupan, on the bay OF Lin
gayen, as far as Calumpit. ALI efforts
to impede his progress by the destruc-
tion of bridges were frustrated. The in
surgents were forced out of their
strongest positions. simultaneously,
General LawtOn moved to the right in
a wide detour toward Norzagaray, the
eastern limit of open country, with the
intention of turning the enemy's posi-
ton and crushing him between the
two columns. Although unsuccessful in
this, the enemy, to make good his es-
cape, was compelled to abandon his
line Of retreat along the railroad, and
retire up the Rio Grande. The insur-
gents by this move displayed consider
able adrOitneSS in the art Of war, as it
made it incumbent upon the Ameri-
cans to get their supplies to the front
along the new line. This had been COM
paratively easy along the line of the
railroad which had been repaired as
the troops advanced. The change in
the line of retreat of the rebels stopped
Lawton'S advance for several days, it
IS presumed, as no movement until to-
day had been reported since Friday.
Meanwhile, it is presumed, supplies
were sent forward up the Rio Grande
in cascOes (native barges) under the
escort of the gunbOats commanded by
Major Kobb. The latter was reported
to have 1,5OO men with him, for the re-
Enforcement of Lawton. These supplies
probably, having arrived. at a point
opposite LaWtOn, whose column had
advanced along a line five miles east
and parallel with the river, were de-
livered to him, and today he pushed
on into San Isidro. This cleared the
| province of Buacan, although the
words in General Otis dispatch must
not be taken literally as meaning that
LaWtOn has covered" all of Buacan
province, but only the open country Of
that province, or all west of NOrZaga-
ray. East of NorZagaray is a wall Of
mountains extending to the sea. These
mountains run directly north on the
left flank Of the rebel retreat along the
valley of the Rio Grande, to about ten
miles north Of San Isidro, where they
trend westward and form the source
OF that river. 1t is into the foot hills
of these mountains that Lawton is now
driving the scattered and demoralized
forces Of the insurgents.
! Lawton has with him the Third and
TWenty-second infantry, one battalion
OF the Seventeenth, the Second Oregon,
First North Dakota, Thirteenth Mime
sofa and a squadron of the Fourth cav
airy.
! No information has yet been receiv-
ed as to the Twelfth infantry and light
battery E, of the First artillery, which
= have arrived at Manila. The Ninth in
| fantry, which arrived with those two
| commands, has been sent to join Law
| ton.
| OUR ARMY'S ADVANCE TODAY.
Manila, May 1S.-11:25 a. m.-Major
kobbe's column reached San Luis.
eight miles up the Rio Grande, yes
/ terday, meeting with but Slight oppo-
sItlon. One man was wounded during
! a brush with the rebels.
| At daybreak today the Americans
began further advance toward Can
| daba, about six miles up the river be-
| yond San Luis.
The insurgents along General MacAr-
} thurs front evacuated their positions
during the night time, presumably
j moving further up the railroad
The Twenty-third infantry has sail
/ ed on the transport Leon XIII for Jolo
island, to relieve the Spanish garrison
! there.