The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-03-08
70 SLAUGHTER the Filipinos.

AL lux IL. ~ q S'NASHN
Gen. Oils has practically completed
his plans for a grand onslaught OF
the insurgents, which is expected to
deprive them of offensive power 1t
least. 1t is probable that he will
form a large part Of his force into
| columns as soon as his reinforce
ments are all at hand, and will push
these in parallel lines through the
jangles, clearing out the insurgents
in every direction as the troops 60
forward. The American troops are
getting restless and nervous under
the petty, but annoying sharp
shooting Of the Fllipinos, and are so
anxious to put a stop to this that
Gen. Oils has yielded 10 their desire.
Forty-one thousand officers and
men Of the combined army and navy
forces comprise the approximate total
American strength now ct, en- route
and under orders for service at the
Philippine islands. No further rein
forcements are now in contemplation.
The forces of the two services already
stationed in and about the archipel-
ago consists of 20 regiments Of infan-
try, one engineer battalion, seven
troops of cavalry and II batteries Of
artillery, an aggregate Of about a.
500 men.
Nineteen vessels With an aggregate
of 297 officers, 1890 men and 253
marines make up the naval contin-
gent. This is exclusive Of the hos
pital ship Solace, with 1852 officers
and men all told, which is constantly
passing back and forth from Manila.
There are about 1890 army rein
forcements on the way to Manila,
making as rapid progress as posi-
bic and there are, roughly, 1900
men in the force under orders to
proceed to the Philippines.
These vessels are now at Manila
or Hong Kong under the command
Of Admiral Dewey: Baltimore, Ben
nigton, Boston, Buffalo, Callao, Char
lesion, Monacy, Concord, Culgoe,
Don Juan de Austria, Helena, Isla
de Luzon, lila de Cuba, Manila,
Monadnock, Monterey, Olympia, Pc
trel and Yorktown.
These vessels carry POI oficers,
1890 sailors and 253 marines.
The Solace does not remain at
Manila. The Castine and Princeton
are DOW on their way through the
Red sea to join Admiral Dewey and
the Oregon and her attendant vessels,
the Iris, are travelling through the
Pacific to the same destination.
These vessels will add 10 the naval
force at Manila So officers, 739 men
and 81 marines. The captured ships
Don Juan de Austria, Isla de Luzon
and Isla de Cuba are not available
for immediate service as they r in
need of repairs. The Solace has
taken out a number of recruits, and
by these the Isla de Cuba will be
manned. The Wheeling will join
the Manila fleet, but is not to be
counted as being available in the
immediate future.
The regular troops now in the
Philippine islands under command
of Mai Gen. Otis consist of the fol
lowing:
The Fourteenth United States in
fantry, Eighteenth United States in
fantry, Twentieth United States in
fantry, which has but recently
arrived there, consisting Of IL eff
GERS and 1,2lS men; Twenty-second
United States infantry and Twenty
third United States infantry; q
battalion of United States engineers;
companies G, E, G, I, K, and L, of
the Fourth United States cavalry;
batteries G. H, X, and L, of the
Third United States artillery, and
batteries D an G, of the Sixth United
States artillery.
Most of 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 Fill
pinoa, have been there since the be-
ginning Of the American occupancy
Of the islands. They comprise Is
regiments of infantry, one troop Of
cavalry, and five batteries of artil-
lery, as follows:
The First California, FIRST Colora-
dc, First Idaho, Flfty-6rst Iowa,
Twentieth Kansas, Thirteenth Min
nesota, FIRST Montana, First North
Dakota, First n ,braska, Second