Evening star., 1899-03-28
Progress of MacArthur's Division
Toward Malolos.
BULACAN RIVER an OBSTACLE
Small Gunboats Will Cooperate
With the Army.
TROOPS IN GOOD SPIRITS

Early this morning the following cable
message was received from General Otis:
MANILA, March %, 1899.
'Adjutant General Washington:
Macarthur had severe fighting yesterday
afternoon beyond Marilao. Brilliant charge
by South Dakota, led by Frost, against
famed troops of AguinaIdo, brought from
Malolos, repulsed enemy with slaughter.
Adjutant Lien and Lieutenants Adams and
Morrison and four enlisted men of that
regiment killed; Lieutenant McClelland and
twenty-five enlisted men wounded. Loss
yesterday mostly confined to this regiment
Partial destruction of railroad which is be-
ing rapidly repaired, impedes MacArthur's 3
progress. Supply railways trains have now
reached Marilao, and Macarthur is push
ing on. Our small gunboats are in Bulacan
river where great execution was done yes
terday. They will relieve pressure on Mac
Arthurs front materially. Troops in excel
lent cond ton and spirits. Proclamation,
signed Luna, general in chief insurgent
forces, directs that all towns abandoned be
burned in consequence thereof; much coun-
try north in flames. OTIS"
The above dispatch was received in
Washington at 2:4O am, March 2S. 1t is
observed that it refers only to the fighting
of yesterday. nothing being said about the
operations of today. March 2S.
The Frost named in Gen. Otis dispatch is
Capt. A. S. Frost of the 22d Infantry, now
colonel of the 1st South Dakota Volunteers
The three officers killed in that regiment
are Jonas H. Lien first lieutenant and adju-
tant; First LIEUT.. Frank H. Adams and
Second Lieut.. Sydney E. Morrison. The
officer wounded is First Lieut.. Paul D.
McClelland.
The War Department also received the
following from Gen. Otis this morning:
MANILA, March %, 1898.
Adjutant General, Washington:
Prince Loewanstein. with Wheaton's COM
mand, morning 26th, took refreshments to
officers Second Oregon on firing line; was
cautioned as to danger, but advanced with
line when it charged insurgent intrench-
ments. He was killed by enemy, and a
friend with him wounded; his remains de-
hVered to friends in city. OTIS.
Steady Advance on MaIolos.
The insurgent capital of Malolos is now
the objective point of the American ad-
vance north of Manila, and attention in all
official quarters is directed to the slow. but
steady, movement of our troops toward
the1r goal, despite the many obstacles en-
countered- Maj. Simpson, assistant adju-
tant general, chief of the military informa-
ton bureau, this morning advanced the
American front five miles on the map
based on the latest advices from Gen. Otis
These were rather meager since yesterday
and the dispatch received this morning re-
lated to yesterdays fighting, without stat
irg whether the action had been resumed
this morning. 1t was sufficient however.
to show that MacArthur's division was now
beyond Marilao and we'll on its way 20 Ma
lolos.
The disposition of the forces, as shown bv
the latest dispatches, places the brigade of
Gen. Harrison G. Otis advancing On the
left of the railroad, and the brigade of Gen.
Hale on the right. Wheaton's brigade IS,
further back, maintaining communication
with the advance forces
The BuIacnn River,
Ahead of the American forces the most
serious natural obstacle Is the BuIacan
river, which is in reality an arm Of Manila
bay, about mile wide and very deep and
reaching straight across the path of the
advancing American forces. But. to offset
this, Gen. OTIS dispatch of this morning
conveyed the cheering information that our
small gunboats are in the BuIacan river
where great execution was done yesterday
and where they will relieve the pressure on
MacArthurs front. This, In the Judgment
of military authorities, is a strategic move
OF great advantage, as the Buacan river
and the big city of Bulacan may be the KEY
TO opening easy access to the insurgent
capital lying just beyond.
The following cablegram from Gen. Otis
was received by the War Department
March 10, and was not made public until
yesterday afternoon:
Have purchased all gunbcats in Philip
pines OF SpaiE-thtrteen in number now at
Zamboanga. Half are in serviceable con-
dition Payment in cash from public fund
upon delivery at Manila. They will be
sent for this week.
Buiacan is the capital of province hay
ing population equal to that of
Washington, a dignity emitting it to
an alcalde (mayor). It is much larger
and stronger than the insurgent capital
Malolos, lying further on, and with its
broad and deep river is sort of gateway
to the capital.
GunbOats in BuIacan River.
Gen. Otis dispatch today. stating that
our forces We're beyond Marilao with our
gunboats in the Bulacan river relieving
MacArthur's front. shows that the Amer
lean advance is well along toward Bulacan.
OiAy TWO smalI towns, or Duebios, BocaVe
and Taal, lie between our troops and the
river. No doubt the bridge over the Bula-
can is destroyed, and this is probably the
bridge to which Gen. Otis refers. It is felt
that some delay may be occasioned In over
coming so important an obstacle as this
deep. wide river. Once across it the city Of
Bulacan lies to the left
The railroad skirts around it, so that our
forces may leave X and press forward to
the insurgent capital, or may see fit to le-
duce this Important city. Beyond Bulacan
the road to Malolos is practically clear 1t
permits either a straight march due west
or else a circuitous move along good roads
northward to st. Isabel. then striking Malo-
los In the rear. But the belief here is that
Gen. Macarthur viii press straight ahead
along the railway, preferring a direct issue
with the insurgent forces rather than an
other strategic move to entrap them.