The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-28
A PITCHED BATTLE FOUGAT
With the Philippines at
MalabOn.
AGUINALDOS FORCES ROUTED

Our Loss One Hundred Killed and
wounded. the Enemy's Four Hun
dred-The Philippines Concentrating
ali Their FORCES at This Pofns-SigDs
Of Great Activity Among Them-Th<
Insurgents Place Their BoIosmen In
the Front Ranks to Charm Bullets
Manila, March "a, noon-The enemy
are extremely active in the vicinity of
Malabon in preparing defenses, evil
IDENTIFY anticipating an attack. They
keep well under cover. A small body
of rebels, however, emerged from the
pungle ON the extreme left yesterday
and fired upon the Kansas troops in
the trenches, fatally wounding private
Cohen, of Company B, and Private
Musr, of Company E.
The Oregon volunteers and the
Twenty-second regulars marched to
the front today. The Third and Sew
eDteenth regulars have disembarked
from the Sherman. General H. G.
Otis brigade struck tents this morning
and an early movement is probable.
Sixteen English refugees arrived
here yesterday from Dagupan, the rail
road terminus, on board the steamer
Saturn. They report that the natives
are generally friendly and the officers
invariably courteous. Mr.. Higgins,
manager of the railroad, and about a
dozen unmarried men in charge of a
riOuS business interests, declined to
take advantage of the opportunity to
leave. Nothing has been heard from
two American planters at Calumpit
since hostilities, began.
According to Philippine accounts,
1000 Americans have been killed, the
fatalities being especially heavy at
CalOOcan, where the United States
troops rushed like mad men against
a storm of bullets"
6:25 p. m.-Two< Spanish prisoners
who have escaped from Polo to the
lines of the Kansas regiment report
that the Philippines have concentrated
their forces at Malabon and Polo. They
add that only Aguinaldo's body guard
is at Malolos and that the rebel lead
ers apparently intend to stake their
fortunes on a fight at Malabon, where
it vas expected an engagement would
take place yesterday. If defeated, it
is further asserted, the rebels intend
to disperse to- the swamps and noun
tains. The rebels were putting their
bolos in front, believing that the bolo-
mems charms will avert the bullets.
The bolos of the Philippines greatly
outnumber the rifles in their hands.
The rebels are further said to have adj
mitted that they could not stand the
| American shells and bayonet charges.
| The escaped Spaniards c~orroborated
the stories told of food shortage among
| the rebels and they added that their
hospitals are short Of supplies.
A SWEEPING VICTORY.
New York, March 24.-The World
will tomorrow print the following Ma
| Mia cable under date of March oath:
GA sweeping victory owe Aguinal-
| dos forces has just been won by the
United States troops. The total Amer
| lean loss is estimated at about 100 in
Guiding both the killed and wounded.
The Philippine loss is between 800 and
400"
Washington, March 25.-At 2:15 a.
m. this morning the var department
was without information from Manila,
| General Corbin stating that no advices
had been received of the fighting.
GENERAL OTIS NEXT MOVE.
Washington, March 24.-It is under
stood here that General Otis has so far
matured his plans of campaign that
within a week or ten days he will be
able to begin the movement which is
expected to mark the destruction of
Aguinaldo's army. Although stray
glers and fugitives may infest the
army of Luzon for some time, it is be-
lieved that after Otis has delivered his
next blow the insurgent army. as an
organization, will have ceased to eX-
list. The new movement will be, it is
understood, by a combined land and
water attack, though it is not expected
that the navy's party in the programme
will be particularly prominent. Otis
has procured thirteen of the gunboats
formerly owned by the Spanish gov
: eminent and these are to play an i'm
pOrtant part in the development of the
campaign.
AWAITING REPORT OF THE COM.
MISSION.
Thomasville, Ga, March 24.-The ad.
ministration will not decide upon its
permanent pOllcy respecting the Pnll
ippines until the Schurmann commits
sion reports. 1t feels that its presen
knowledge of the islands is too indifi
mite as a basis for a fixed policy
Moreover, an immediate decision il
felt to be needless since for the presen,
the only problem is the restoration o
law and order and the establishment
of stable peaceful conditions. Thi
and the appointment of a diplomat
representative at Madrid are two OF tn
most important matters remainini
open. The Madrid mission probabl
will be raised to an embassy soon afte
payment of the $40, 600, 000 indemnity
and a man of the highest qualification
and attachments chosen for this del
cate and important post. Genera
Woodford may no be the new envo
owing to the fact that New York al
ready has such an undue proportion {
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