Evening star., 1899-03-06
General Otis Will Make a Grand
Onslaught on the Filipinos.
AWAITING THE REINFORCENEN7S
Over Forty Thousand Soldiers and
Sailors.
TO ASSUME OFFENSIV E

night. 1t has developed that Gen. Otis has
practically completed his plans for grand
onslaught on the insurgents, which is ex-
pected to deprive them of offensive power
at least. 1t is probable that he will form
large part of his force into columns,
soon as his reinforcements are all at hand,
and will push these in parallel lines through
the jungles, clearing out the insurgents in
every direction the troops go forward.
The American troops are getting restless
and nervous under the petty but most an
n0yins sharpshooting of the Filipinos, and
they are so anxious to put a stop to this
that Gen Otis has yielded to their desire.
The American Forces.
Forty-one thousand officers and men of
the combined army and navy forces COM
prise the approximate total American
strength now at Manila, on the way and
under orders for service at the Philippine
Islands. This constitutes the full represen-
tation of the United States government as
far as is now under contemplation. The
forces of the two services already stationed
in and about the archipelago consist of
twenty regiments of infantry, one engineer
battalion, seven troops of cavalry and
eleven battalions of artillery making up
ABOUT H,JO men on the part of the mill
tary' and nineteen vessels, with an aggre-
gate OF s'I officers, 2,HyJ sailors and 253
marines, on the part of the navy. This is
exclusive OF the transport Solace, with 162
ofncers and men, all told, which is con-
stantly passing back and forth from
Manila.
To reinforce Admiral Dewey's command
several vessels now at various stages of
the journey across to Manila. are nurrying
day and night to reach their destina ton
including the big battle ship Oregon, which
will add 81 officers, 4O2 sailors and 90
marines, and the Iris, with five officers and
93 men,
About $500 on the Way.
OF the army forces there are about 4SOO
men, all told, on the way to Manila, making
as rapid progress as possible and there are,
roughly, I,5Oo men in the total force under
orders to proceed to the Philippines
The following vessels are now at Manila
or Hong Kong under the command of Ad-
n2iral Dewey:
Baltimore, Bennington, Boston, Buffalo
Callao, Charleston, Concord Culgoa Don
Juan de Austria Helena. Isla de Iuzon
lsla de Cuba, Manila. Monadnock Monoc-
acy- Monterey, Olympia, Petrol and York
town These vessels carry 291 officers, 800
sailors and 233 marines. The transport
Solace Is not included in the above list as
she IS constantly passing back and forth
and does not remain at Manila. That yes
Sci carries 10 officers, 125 sailors and u
marines. The Castine and Princeton are
now on their way through the Red sea to
join Admiral Dewey, and the Oregon and
her attendant vessel, the Iris are speeding
across the Pacific to the me destination.
These vessels will add to the naval force at
Manila 80 officers, T39 men and 81 marines
The captured ships, Don Juan de Austria
lsla de Luzon and Isla de Cuba are not
available for Immediate service as they are
in need of repairs The Solace has taken
out a number of recruits, and with these
the Isla de LUZon will be manned. The
Wheeling will also join the Manila fleet
but is not to be counted upon as being
available in the immediate future.
Regulars In the Philippines.
The regular troops now in and encamped
in the Philippine Islands, under command
of Maj. Gen Otis consist of the following:
The 14th United States Infantry, the 18th
United States Infantry, the Goth United
States Infantry, which has but recently ar
rived there. consisting of II officers and
l,2lS men; the I'D United States Infantry
and the 23d United States Infantry; Bat
terry A, United States Engineer Battalion;
Batteries c. E, G, l, X, l. OF the 4th United
States Artillery; Batteries G., H, X and L.
of the Sd United States Artillery. and Com
panies ID and c. 9th United States Artil-
lery. OF these the 22d Infantry is the lat
est to reach Manila to reinforce the army
under Gen. Otis They were borne on the
transports Senator and Ohio. the former
reaching Manila Saturday, and the latter
yesterday.
The volunteer forces already in the field
and most of whom have borne the brunt of
the engagements with both the Spanish
army on the islands and more recently the
EIliplnOS, have mostly been there since the
beginning of the American occupany of the
islands. They comprise fifteen regiments
of infantry. one troop of cavalry and i've
batteries Of artillery, as follows:
The Volunteers.
The list California Infantry. the 1st Colo
rado Infantry. the 1st Idaho Infantry, the
5lst Iowa Infantry, the 10Th Kansas In
fantry. the 18th Minnesota Infantry, the 1st
Montana Infantry, the 1st North Dakota
Tn~ Isl NGf 10 Info
"a oregon Infantry, the 1Oth Pennsylvania
Infantry, the 1st South Dakota Infantry
the 1st Tennessee Infantry. the LIST Wash
ington Infantry, the list Wyoming Infan-
try the LIST Troop of the Nevada Cavalry
Battery A and Battery B, Utah Light Ar
tillery; Battery A and Battery ID of the
California Artillery, the 1st Wyoming Light
Battery and the LIST and 18th Companies OF
the United States Signal Corps.
In addition TO these another company for
the Signal Corps has just been formed at
Manila, being recruited by transfer from
the regular branch of the army. This
method of making up the new company was
made necessary by the lack of time for
dispatch of men from the United States
Corps men now in the field with a strength
OF fifty-hve men and six officers each.
Reinforcement on the Way
Military reinforcements for the Philip
pines now on the way aggregate about 4 500
men They consist of forces carried on the
tioASPoitS - IIdHt, sherman and Sheridan
with several small detachments in other
vessels The reinforcements now en- route
from the United States to Manila comprise
the following:
The transport Grant with General law
ton and stan, with total of forty-two offi-
GERS and 1l8 men The Grant carries one
battalion OF the 1Ith Infantry Re1iment
and four companies of the 4fh TngantrI
This expedition sailed from New York on
January 10 and was reported ar Sinpanora
Saturday. General Lawto1 has cabiad
ahead TO General Otis that his exnedition
will reach Manila on the 10th install 'h
The transport Sherman Col i "a p,a
commanding, carrying a total OF r. ofrcars
and 1,I02 men. 1.I36 all told is made mn Of
the entire Sd Infantry Regiment and b.t.
talion OF the 18th Infantry. a regiment
which was found necessary to spIit m
among the three expeditions The SbAnopp
sailed from New York on February 3,
The last OF the large transports to craar
was the Sheridan. under command of Iient
Col. J. H. Smith of the 18th Infantry. The
sheridan carries all of the 18th and bat
talon OF the 1Ith. making a total of 81