Evening star., 1899-03-31
FALL OF MALOLOS
Aguina|do Abandons His
Former Headquarters
NOW OCCUPIED BY OUR TROOPS
Rebel Chieftain Started Fires
as He Reiterated.
His FORCES TAKE TO THE HILLS
American Officers Expect Little
Resistance in Future.
His FORCES TAKE TO THE HILLS
GENERAL HALE'S ADVANCE

The following cable message was
received from Gen. Otis at 6 o'clock
this morning:
"MANILA, March 81, 1899.
"AdJutant General, Washington:
Troops resting at Malolos; CON
siderable portion OF city DESTROYED
by fire; our casualties one killed, fif-
teen wounded Hall has returned
with his troops to former position
north of Manila OTIS"
MANILA, March 81, 300 D. p.m.-The Amer
lean flag was raised over Malolos at 10
o'clock this morning The Kansas regi-
ment and the Montana regiment, on enter
ing the city. found it deserted, the presi-
dencia burning and the rebels retreating to-
ward the mountains in a state of terror 1t
is believed they cannot in future make even
a faint resistance.
The American loss was small
AgufnaIdo Left Wednesday.
il is evident that the rebels for some time
past have abandoned all hope of holding
their capital, for the Americans found there
evidences of elaborate preparations for
evacuation. On the railroad the rails and
lies Tor about mile have been torn up and
probably thrown into the river The only
prisoners captured were a few Cinnamon.
They said Aguinaldo left Malolos on We'd
nesday.
The principal citizens of Malolos, their
families and servants have been taken into
the country. while others departed on foos.
carrying their possessions and driving their
cattle and other animals before them Most
Of the rebel forces were removed yesterday
evening to positions east of the railroad
leaving only some small bands in the strong
trenches in front of the city
Gen Macarthur started for the rebel cap-
itai at O'Clock this morning with two rap
id-fire guns fanking the track. two guns
of the Utah Battery on the right and two
guns of the 9Th Artillery on the left of the
rapids" firing continuously
The Kansas and Montana regiments moy-
ed upon Malolos and the Nebraska and
Pennsylvania regiments and the Sd Artillery
kept along the right of the railroad
Rebels Make Stand.
The only effective stand made by the reb-
els was at a bamboo and earthen work half
a mile from Malolos and on the right, where
the Nebraska regiment, as was the case
yesterday, had the hardest work and suffer
ed the greatest loss. Col. Funston, always
at the front, was the first man in Malolos.
followed by a group of dashing Kansans
The Filipino flag. which was flying from the
center of the town. was hauled down by
some men of the Montana regiment, who
triumphantly raised their own above it.
from the columns of smoke arising from
the city 1t seemed as if the whole place
was abiaze. 1t turned out, however, that
only the presidencia, or government build
irg. and a few of the smaller buildings had
been set afirs by the rebels before they
evacuated the place.
From the reports gathered by the Amer
lean officers from prisoners and others 1t is
believed that the rebel army is constantly
losing strength on account of desertions,
ana tnaI IDe enemy may make
one or two more stands. the forces of
Agknaldo will degenerate in perhaps a
month to a few hundred who may continue
0aging a guerrilla warfare in the noun
Rins.
Troops Behave SplendidIy.
The American troops have behaved splen-
didly- They advanced steadily against sue
cessive lines of trenches, through woods
and jungles and suffering from frightful
heat. In addition. the American volunteers
were handicapped IN fighting by the fact
that their Springfield rifles are of shorter
raBge than the Mauser rifles in the hands
OF the rebels. Under those conditions. the
steady advance of our troops is a really
remarkable achievement.
But the most noteworthy feature of this
onward sweep Of the Americans Is the ma
thence and endurance of the private SOL
diers. They have never hesitated to plunge
across any kind Of tifficult country against
any number of the enemy and In the face
Of positions Of entirely unknown strength.
This afternoon the victorious American
army 10 feasting on cocoanuts and bananas,