The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-28
STRATEGY NOT SUCCESSFUL.
AMERICAN FORCES FAILED TO EN-
TRAP INsURGENT ARMY.

1t Is Seven Miles From the Bay.
Advance VIII BE Slow.
Washington, March 27.-The third day of
the fighting north of Manila brought lit
| tie of a decisive character from which war
department officials could judge what the
final outcome of this movement would be-
In all official quarters the most intense
interest prevailed, but there was no ex-
citement and none of that anxiety and
tension shown during the memorable days
of last summer when the decisive blows
were being struck at Santiago
Early in the day Gen. Otis cabled the
war department a brief, but comprehen-
sive dispatch summing up the situation.
1t disclosed that severe fighting was going
on to-day, with our forces advanced as
far north as M6riloa, while the insurgents,
under the command of Aguinaldo. were
being driven back with considerable
slaughter.
| This and the press dispatches satisfied
the officials that the strategic movement
of entrapping the insurgents between our
| lines, had not proved as successful as de-
TO a retreat by Aguinaldo's forces and a
| pursuit by our troops.
Slow Retreat to MaIOIOs.
The insurgent retreat toward Malolos
was slow and dogged, and advantage was
taken of one after another of the lines
of entrenchment, the burning of bridges
and the interruption of communication.
Gen. Otis dispatch although received
early to-day, was sent Monday evening,
Manila time. and summed up the work of
! three days. That the fighting would pro-
ceed into the fourth day was shown by
his closing sentence:
''The column will press on in the morn
ing"
This refers to Tuesday The engagement
has now shaped itself so that it is looked
upon as more of chase than the execu-
ton of a strategic movement With the
American base advanced to Mariloa, and
the insurgent base forced back to Malo-
los the main bodies Of the opposing forces
! are about ten or twelve miles apart. This
| could be quickly covered in a forced march
under fair conditions, but there are twelve
| miles of innumerable difficulties and OBJ
! stacleS which our troops must cover be-
fore they reach the insurgent stronghold.
II is expected that the engineers with
Macarthur are hastily repairing the
burned bridges. This will permit the artil-
lery to be taken forward as we'll as the
infantry, in columns.
Movement VIII BE Difficult.
1t is expected that every mile of the
distance to Malolos will be contested by
/ the Insurgents, for Gen. Otis reports that
nf 1trrr. ~,
| intrenchments thrown up during the last
three months Our men, therefore, must
advance slowly, repairing the roads as
| they go, and at the same time they must
fight their way through well-made rebel
! intrenchments.
Serious as the work is there is
no lack of confidence among Off
cials here as to the satisfactory outcome
| of the campaign.
| Malolos is the insurgent capital, where
| the assembly has been sitting, and the
| insurgent government has been in opera
ton. 1t represents more to the insurgents
than any other place in the Philippines,
and little doubt is entertained that they
viii make desperate stand there.
The tactics of Aguinado are taking him
| gradually beyond the range of Admiral
! Dewey's guns. While the insurgents were
at Malabon on Saturday they were with
|
| within range of the feet. But as they
have moved northward, they have grad
ually moved away from the bay
| Malolos is about seven miles back from
the bay. although there are shallow estu-
aries which would permit light draft boats
to get within mile or two.
Location of Otis Forces.
The adiutant generals Office to-day pre-
pared the following regarding the dispo-
| sition of the troops under the command
of Gen. Otis:
North of the Pasig river MacArthurs
| division: Wheaton's brigade, Twenty-sec-
ond Infantry; two battalions Twenty-third
Infantry; Second Oregon.
| II G. Otis Brgade-Twentieth Kansas;
First Montana; four batteries Third Ar
ullery, dismounted as infantry; Tenth
| Pennsylvania.
Hale's Brigade-First Nebraska; First
| Colorado; First South Dakota; First wy
! oming.
! Halls Brigade-Third and Fourth In
fantry; two battalions Seventeenth Infan-
| try: mounted squadron Fourth Cavalry;
! two light batteries Utah Artillery.
South of Paslg river, Lawtons division:
Kings Brigade-First Battalion First
California; First South Dakota; First
! Washington.
Overshine's Brigade-Fourteenth Infan-
try; First Idaho; squadron Fourth Caval-
nv: one battery artillery Omitted States).
| At Iloilo Eighteenth Infantry; First
| Tennessee; one battery Sixth Artillery.
Al Negros: Two battalions First Call
| fornia.
AT Cebu: One battalion Twenty-third
! Infantry.
| Position unknown: Two batteries Cali
fornia Heavy Artillery. First Wyoming,
battalion Twentieth Infantry, Fifty-hrst
Iowa. These troops are either within the
| city of Manila or at Cavite.
Gen. Corbin says that the position OF
the Thirteenth Minnesota is not known.
but 1t has possibly been attached to Gen.
Halls brigade. The fact that it has suf-
| fered casualties indicates that 1t has been
upon the fighting line.
Gen. Corbin explains that it is the First
North Dakota which probably is with
| Kings brigade. and that ii is one bat
TALON of the First Wyoming whose posi-
ton is unknown, the other being with
| Hale.