Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-08-12
ALGER WANTED OTIS REMOVED
RECOMMENDED 1T BEFORE HE LEFT
WAR DEPARTMENT.
II Otis Wants to Quit, LawtOn Will
Succeed Him-General MacAr-
thurs Advance Has Seat
tered Filipinos North
of CaluIet.


eral Otis will remain in supreme
command of the Philippine islands.
Should he request to be relieved, Major
General Law:on will be assigned to duty
as his successor. This Is the decision
reached by the president and Secretary
Root during the conferences at Lake
Champlain. Secretary Root made no secret
to-day of the purpose of the presiden. to
retain General Otis in control at Manila
and so informed General Miles at long
conference
1t is evident that, notwithstanding the
fact that General Merritt expressed desire
to return to Manila, he will not have the
opportunity, and even Lawton's promotion
Is conditional upon the request of Otis to
be detached from command.
1t is learned that Former Secretary Alger,
just before his retirement, recommended
that General Otis be relieved, on the
ground that he had not proven himself
equal to the emergency.
General Miles fayors sending additional
cavalry, but it is said tina. Secretary Root
has no intention at present of doing this.
| The operations which General Macarthur
| Is conducting to the northward of San
Fernando have double purpose-first, to
demoralize the insurgents and prevent
| them from strengthening the positions they
| mold. and second, to establish himself at a
| point on the railroad connecting the Gulf
of Lingayen with Manila. General Lawton's
recent demonstration to the southwark of
Manila and the operations generally are all
part of Otis plan to keep the insurgents
In constant fear of attack.
| MANILA, Aug. u.-Reconnoitering by
| small parties continued to-day. Unavailng
| attempts Were made to get in contact with
| the enemy. The American troops occupy
| Calulet, Santarima, Bacoler and Guagua.
No further engagements have taken place.
The rains have recommended. The wounded
are being brought into Manila.
! General MacArthurs troops remained
| last night at Calulet. The rebels had evil
IDENTIFY fled farPbeyond rifle range, for the
| American outposts were not disturbed and
not shot was fired during the night. At
daybreak this morning a accommodating
party, consisting of battalion of the Sew
| enteenth infantry with one field piece,
started up the railroad track toward An
| geles, four miles north. The party ap-
preached within 200 yards of the town and
opened fire with the field gun. The Amer
leans were received with badly directed
rifle fire, which the battalion of the Sew
enteenth returned with few volleys.
The strength of the insurgents at An
geleS not being known, the situation was
reported to General Macarthur, who did
not desire to send renforcements and di-
rected the reconnoitering party to return
until the rebels abe ldoned the town. Soon
after the receipt or these orders it became
evident that the rebels had set fire to the
town and fed, leaving the place to be oc-
cupied by the Americans.
Everything indicates that all the rebels
. have scattered for miles in every direction
around Calulet.
The insurgents lost heavily in the fighting
around Caluet. 1t is believed that 100 were
killed and 800 or 400 wounded. The Iowa
: regiment killed. thirty in one place and
one company of the Seventeenth suddenl!
. encountered party of rebels in trench
and killed twelve.
The American loss was five killed ant
, thirty-one wounded. including three Of
. | ficers.
The attack was a complete surprise t.
the insurgents, who had no idea that {
movement was intended until the arrnoret
car opened deadly fire with two Gatlings
a revolving cannon and six-pounder. Tht
heavy artillery opened on both fianks
moment later. A majority OF the Filipino
were asleep when the attack was made
Men with large bells were heard running
among the shacks arousing the soldiers.
The Americans maintained almost per
feet line four miles long through can
J brake and where they could see nothing
, ahead. The. mud in places was knee deel
In the rice fields and jungles, and through
the bitches flowed small rivers several fee
) deep.
The Filipinos tried to ambush the Ameri
cans several times t6, the country country in u tn
. tactics; but the troops stopped for moth
, ing, forcing their way through or over OBJ
, , stacles and firing whenever they could 10
cate the fleeing enemy.
, The officers highly commend the recruit
. of the various regiments.
: There Is reason to believe the reports re
Gently received that the insurgents ar
short of ammunition, as well Informed ma
2 tives at Calulet say the insurgents ha
l only forty rounds of ammunition each. an
that five rounds extra were issued just be
fore the fight.
Since the American occupation of Sal
Fernandino, the rebels have torn up thre
miles of railroad between there and Calu
1 let. and it is impossible to get the armore
car more than two miles beyond Sa
Fcrnandino.