The Portland daily press., 1899-03-28

NaSuiuRtODy bulid hay
of the lighting north of Manila brought
little OF decisive character from which
the war department officials could judge
what the final outcome of this movement
would be. IL all official quarters, the
most intense interest prevailed today, but
there was no excitement and none of that
anxiety and tension shown during the
memorable days of last summer when the
decisive,blows were being struck at Santi-
ago. Early in the day Gen. Otis cabled
the war department brief bnt compre'
hensive dispatch cumming up the situa-
ton. 1t disclosed that severe fighting was
going OH today. with our forces advanced
as far north as Mariloa while the insur-
gents under the commend Of Aguinnldo,
were being driven back with consi 1erable
slaughter. This and the press dispatches
satisfied the officials that the strategic
movement of entrapping the insurgents
cessful as designed, and that the move
had now shifted to a retreat by Againal-
dos forces and pursuit by our troops.
The insurgents retreats toward Maloios
WAS slow anc dogged and advantage was
taken of one after another lines Of en-.
trenchmsnts; the burning OF bridges and
the interrupting Of communications.
GEN. Otis despatch, although received
early today, was sent Monday evening
Manila time, and summed up the work OF
the three days That the fighting would
proceed into the fourth day WAS shown by
his closing sentence: 1.-THE column will
press on In the morning.
This refers to Tuesday. The engage
nent has now shaped itself SO that it is
Loo ,al of phnsp than the
execution of strategic movement. With
the American base advanced to ldariloa,
and the insurgent base forces back to Ma
lolos, the main bodies OF ths two opposing
forces are about ten or twelve miles
apart. This could be quickly covered In
forosd march under fair conditions but 1t
Is twelve miles OF innumerable difficulties
and obstacles which our troops must
cover before they reach the insuryent
stronghold. 1t is expected that the engi-
neers with Macarthur are hastily repairing
the burned bridges. This Will permit the
artillery to be taken forward as well as
the infantry columns. 1t Is expected tnat
every mile of the distance to Malolos VIII
be contested by the insurgents, for den
Otis reports that IL Is stretch OF country
80 cred with the intrenchments thrown
no urlng the last three months.
Our men, therefore, must advance, re-
pairing the roads as they go, ana at the
same time they must hight their way
through well made intrenchments. Serl-
Gus as tie work Is, there Is no lack oi
confidence among officials here in the
satisfaI TORY outcome OF the campaign.
Malolos Is the insurgent capital, where
tho assembly has been sitting and the In
surgsnt government has beeu in opera
tinn. Ii represent more to the insurgents
than any other place In the Philippines
and rttle doubt is entertained that they
will make desperate stand here.
The tactics of Aguinaldo are taxing
him gradually beyond the range OF Ad-
miral Dewey's guns. While the insurgents
we're at Malabon on Saturday they wsre
within mile of the water front, and
easily within rapre of the fleet. But as
they have moved Strthward they have
gradually moved away from the bay.
Malolos is about seven miles back from
t bay, although there are shallow
estuaries which would permit light draft
boats to get within IA mile or two.
The duration OF the battle is beginning
to attract the attention of army strate
gists as il is q very important element in
DISCRIMINATING the strength of the men.
the supplies OF ammunition and stores
and the spirit of the army. The first
blow was struck before daybrcak last Sat
urday and the lighting continued all that
day, again ON sunday and now on Mon
day, The reports show little night fight
Ing. except in repulsing an insurgent at
tack Saturday night. With today che
fighting has lasted seventy-two hours.
Judged by the standards of great battles.
such as Waterloo. Plsvna and others. this
Is long and intensely arduous engage
ment. But the fighting about Manila is
ute different from the standards OF
civilized armies, as 1t is a running brush
conflict, with only occasional issues be-
tween organized bodies of troops.
Some OF the battles of the civil war
lasted many days, notably the battle of
the Wilderness and the fighting about
Ri chmond. In speaking of the element
of endurance General Sternberg said to-
I day that he had gone for seven days In
the continuous fighting around Rich
mond without renewing the supplies
originally issued before the lighting be-
gan. The main question in these long
continued fights is to haye all supplies.
stores. etc., Kept abreast Of the fighting
force, SO that there may be no, exhaus-
tion. In this respect all the reports OF the
fighting above Manila are most gratifying
to the authorities here in showing that
the Quartermaster, commissary, medical