The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-18


Washington, May 17.-That the in
surgents are disinIegrated and demor-
allied is perfectly manifest from the
press dispatches and the cable received
from General Otis today. General Law
Ton, who was pushing the line of the
rebel retreat along the Rio Grande, has
flung his advance, which at last ad-
vices was resting at San Miguel. north
ward about twelve miles, has taken San
1sidro, the second insurgent capital,
and when General Otis dispatch was
sent was still pressing the enemy north
ward.
The fact that he is sustaining few
losses in his forward movement al
though in almost continual contact with
the enemy, is another proof of their
utter decentralization. According to
General Otis cable, they still continue
to throw up intrenchments, but General
Lawton's strategy outfianks each posi-
ton in turn, keeping them in full re-
treat, and giving them no opportunity
to reconstruct their scattered forces. 1t
will soon be the mountains or the sea
for the insurgents. As our troops could
be transported by sea to the mouth of
the Agno and a new base of operations
reached. it would be folly for them 10
take that course.
Rebels In Desperation.
Demoralized and disheartened, it is
almost certain the rebels. in despeIa-
tion, viii retreat into the Businesses of
the mountains, where they would be
safe from pursuit and where they could
keep up guerrilla war indefinitely,
until their leaders came to their senses.
Over fifty-five miles, as the crow flies,
the rebels have been forced back.
The situation Of the insurgents is des-
perate. MacArthur's division drove
q t1,..n.. l.. IL H. u
to Dagupin, on the bay OF Longayen. as
far as Calumpit. All efforts to impede
his progress by the destruction of
bridges were frustrated. The insurgents
were forced out of their strongest posi-
tions.
simultaneously. General Lawton
moved to the right in a wide detour to-
ward Norzaga bay, the eastern limit of |
open country. with the intention of
turning the enemys position and (
crushing him between the two columns. /
Although unsuccessful in this. the
enemy, TO make good his escape, was I
compelled to abandon his line of re- I
treat along the railroad and retire up /
the Rio Grande.
Insurgent Adroitness.
The insurgents by this move dis
played considerable adroitness in the
art OF war, as il made ii incurnbant
phes TO the front along a new line This
had been comparatively easy along the
line OF railroad, which had been re-
paired as the troops advanced.
The change in the line of retreat of
the rebels stopped Lawton's advance
for several days. il is presumed. as no |
movement until today had been report
ed since Friday.
Meantime, it is presumed, supplies
We're sent forward up the Rio Grande
IN caScos (native barges), under the
escort OF the guDboats commanded by
major hobbes- The latter was reported
10 have 1,5O0 men with him, designed
Tor the reinforcement of Isawton. The
supplies probably having arrived at a
point opposite LawJon. whose column
had advanced along a line seven miles
easf and parallel with the river. were
delivered 10 him, and today he pushed
on into San Isidro.
Drive Them TO Foothills.
This cleared the province of BuIacan.
the words in General Otis
must not be taken literally as
meaning that I.awton has covered all
of the Bulacan province" but only the
open country OF that province. or all
west of Norzasa bay. East Of Nor
20 ga nav Is a wall of mountains ex-
tending 10 the sea. These mountains | ]
run directly north on The left bank of {
she rebel retreat along the valley of
the Rio Grande 10 about ten miles ,
1orth of san Isidro, where they trend !
westward and from the source of thar ,
river
t is into the foothills of these noun :
tains that Lawton is now driving the
scattered and demoralized forces Of the
Insurgents. LaWton has with hin, the
Third and Twenty-second infantry. one
of the Seventeenth. the Sec
md Oregon, First North Dakota, Thir- I
-eenth Minnesota and a squadron of I
he Fourth cavalry 7
No information has yet been received 1
Is to the Twelfth infantry and light s