The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-25
THE DASH TOWARD TARLAC
GEN. MICARTHURS 0UICK MOVE TO
SAFE THE RAILROAD.

Conception and Cnpas Taken AFTER Some
Fighting movement Carried On Over
Muddy Ronds-Fnllure of the Rebels to
Make u stand Mt Bonsted Bombnn.
MANILA. Nov. 13.--when the troops reached
NIabalacat in the Malolo- Valley. Con. Mac
Arthur decided to make dash for the insur-
gent capital. the town OF Tarlac. II was well
known that the FipInos were In bad shape
and rather demorallzed. Lieut.. Slavens with
his scouts had witnessed the destruction
OF n lot OF valuable rolling stock at the Bam-
ban bridge. and all reports seemed to AZ
Arm the idea that the insurgents were about To
abandon the railroad destroy as much OF II as
possible. burn Capas. Murcia and Tarlac and
strike out for the mountains. The only way to
prevent the loss OF the railroad was TO push
forward so rapidly that tho enemy would BIO
entirely occupied in making their escape and
have no time for burning.
on tho morning o; Nov. II Macarthur sent
Col Smith with tho Seventeenth and Lieut.
Hamilton with two 3 . guns to attack and cap
ture Conception. This town lies to the east OF
the railroad between Capas and Tarlnc and
after taking II. Smith was to proceed In awest-
erly direction to the railroad and occupy
Capas. thus cutting OH tho retreat OF
force OF insurgents heavily en-
trenchcd at the Bamban river. Smith
left Mabalacat an hour before daylight, and his
guns could plainly be heard booming away 10
the east and north, hut growing somewhat
fainter as he advanced Col Bell. with tho
Thirty-sixth. marched out about the same timo
and occupied the hills to tho west OF the rail-
road He posted Major Bishops battalion on
hill 600 feet high. which pitched rather abruptly
and ended In n ragged descent near the aide OF
the railroad Bishop had Hotchkiss noun
tain gun and Colts automatic. aud from his
lofty position commanded view OF the entire
Ia, ,tg hal ila
Col. Bell. with tho second battalion. con-
tinued advancing along the northw tern
slope OF Bishops hill. rounded the short
valley running at right angles to the main
position. and crossed tho river some two miles
below tho insurgent works. lie was now on
the same side with tho enemy and their
watches In the bamboo lookout towers must
have seen him, but they took no apparent
notice. Probably relying on the heavy UNDER
brush and absence Of trails they felt secure.
believing that ne would have TO abandon the
attempt to reach them from that side
In the meantime. ut $3.50 o'clock, Gems. Nc
Arthur and VII eeer began tho main advance
from Mabalacat. marching straight up the
railroad and along n muddy wagon trail about
half mile to tho east and parallel with the
road. A battalion Of the Ninth Infantry and
Capt Evans's battalion 'of the Twelfth de-
ployed In a line OF skirmshers through
the cane fields to the east. while ono
battalion OF each regiment came I'm with
the wagons reserve. Capt. Andrews
OF the First Artillery. with the 3.2-inch guns.
made his way over the torn-up bed Of the
railroad. When this centre column had come
on a limo with Bishops hill halt was made
while Bishops battalion. outlined like a
picket fence on the back bone OF the hill. poured
a heavy long range Are into the insur-
.Hent trenches on the north side OF the
river. The Colts gun managed by Lieut..
Biddle kept up constant rattle. frequently
runctuatcd by the Hotcbkiss. but provoking
very little return from the enemy. who re-
manned well concealed behind their works.
In addition to the natural advantage.
the insurgents position was 40 strongly
intrenched that Macarthur hesitated to
make a rush attack until the fight was
little more under way. though Gen. Wheeler
asked permission to throw the Ninth and
Twelfth across the river without delay For
over half an hour the only engagement was
from Bishop's hill and occasionally a limo
OF white puNs from across the river seemed
to indicate that the insurgents were
ready to hold their ground. Bells bat
talon had been lost in the brush for
a couple OF hours. when Andrewss Battery
threw in half a dozen shrapnel After the
FIRST shots about q hundred insurgents were
seen to leave the west end OF their line OF
works and disappear In the brush along the
very hillside where every one was strain
ing his eyes TO see Bell emerge.
They had not been gone moro
than fifteen minutes when there was rapid
exchange OF shots and back they came on a
dead run across their trenches. In a moment
the whole line OF works was alive
with white hats and shining gun barrels
as tho brown men struck out for
BOmhan hpp
yards behind them came Bells men. cheering
and shooting as fast as they could get over the
muddy hillside. Macarthur quickly moved
forward with the Ninth and Twelfth. but these
were soon lost In n nine-foot canefleld and saw
nothing OF the retreat, or did they fire shot
A train was waiting at the Bomban station.
but the insurgents dashed by up the track.
leaving the cars and smoking engine behind
When the foremost OF the Thirty-sIxth men
were about one thousand yards from the train
the engine pulled out giving a series OF long
hooking toots. Afterward It was learned from
the Spanish prisoners that the train contained
large number OF women and children, sick
and wounded soldiers and the garrisons sup
ply OF provisions. And this was the end OF
Bomban. boosted Bomban. that has for
months been spoken OF as tho place where a
great fight must occur. aEnglishmsn who knew
the country have said Look out for Bomban
Tor 1t IL a stronger position than any that you
have ever tackled" Insurgents have quietly
laughed and limited: Just wait until you 20
up against Bomban"
In an hour after the troops we're In the
town. hospital had been established tho
four wounded were being attended. the body
OF Lieut. Davis. who was killed on
Bishops Hill. was brought in. provost
guard was established under direction OF
Col. Liscomb Of the Ninth. and MacArthurs