The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-06
INSURGENTS DRIVEN BACK
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4
gents themselves have been the first to
break the truce practically releases the
United States from further obligation in
this respect, so that General Otis was
unquestfonably warranted, in the opin-
ion of the administration officials, in
extending his lines as Dewey reports he
has done.
An Anomalous Condition.
The situation here is regarded as
rather anomalous from diplomatic
standpoint. Legally the Filipinos are
still Spanish subjects. Therefore, il ope-
rations continue outside the limits OF
Manila as laid down by the protocol, 1t
will amount to a resumption of the war
with Spain, at least technically.
Officials noted one little flaw In Dew
ey's dispatch, in which he spoke of the
American army and navy as generally
successful" conveying just the least in
timation that at some points the results
We're not as satisfactory as at others.
1t is Inferred that this might mean the
development of weakness at some of
the more exposed points on the Ameri-
can lines, which might be easily ex-
planned by the fact that the attack was
made at night perhaps in places where
the insurgents could creep closer up to
tiG oAe1tSl VI LIE tTOplCdl lHdl
grows nearly up into the town of Ma
Mia. Every confidence, however, is felt
that General Otis is master Of the situa-
tion.t This confidence Is based not only
on this mornings cablegram, but from
repeated assurances to that effect con-
yeyed by General Otis to Washington
from time to time during the past few
months The forces under his COM
mand, as shown by the records of the
n rkrxS n
date of the last report, We're 21,649
troops. and of these there were present
for duty 1856 men. This command is
composed of the following organiza-
tions: Company A, United States en-
gineer battalion; Companies G.. p, G,
I, X and l.. 4th United States cavalry;
troop of Nevada cavalry; Companies
G, H, K and l. of the Sd, and D and c
of the 9Th United States artillery;
Companies A and D of the California
and A and b of the California artillery
and the 1st Wyoming battery; the Sd
and 4th United States infantry; the 14th
and headquarters, and Companies E, d,
f, Fl, /, K, l. and M of the 18th United
States infantry; the 18th, Goth and I'D
United States infantry; the 1st Califor-
MIA, the list Colorado the list Idaho, the
51st Iowa, the Goth Kansas, the 18th
Minnesota, the list Montana, the list
Nebraska, the list North Dakota, the
End Oregon, the 10th Pennsylvania, the
1st South Dakota, the 1st Tennessee,
the list Washington and the Ist Wyo-
ming regiments of volunteer infantry.
Reinforeements on the Way.
A portion of this force, the 18th in
fantry, and a battery of artillery, are at
Iloilo, where General Miller was sent a
month or more ago. Approximately
5000 men are on their way to join Cen
eral Otis in four separate expeditions,
though none is expected to reach Ma
Mia for three weeks or a month. There
are the 4th and four companies of the
18th infantry, 1,T2S men under General
Lawton, which sailed from Gibraltar
Friday; the Goth infantry, comprising
so officers and 1.26S men under General
Wheaton, which left San Francisco;
the 22d infantry, in command of Colonel
Egbert, which left San Francisco early
in the present month and 1900 men and
officers of the Sd and 18th United States
regiments of infantry which left New
York Friday on the Sherman.
There is big transport now making
ready in New York to carry the 18th in
fantry and a battalion of the 18th in
fantry, 1920 men in all, and she will
start later than the 14th inst. That is
all that can be supplied to General Otis
in the way Of reinforcements, accord
ing to General Corbin, If the soldiers
are to be of service in this campaign.
More, of course, will follow as rapidly
as they can be gotten ready if General
Otis needs them in any future opera
tons he may plan, but as already stat
ed it is believed this particular crisis
will have passed before they can be
transported the great distance from the
United States to Manila. These troops,
with those now in Cuba, represent the
cream of the American army according
to General Corbin. 1t is true that only
about 5000 of General Otis soldiers are
regulars. but his volunteer soldiers
have been under thorough discipline
and training for months, some as much
as eight months, and many participant
ed In the engagements attending the
capture of Manila and are practically
as good as the regulars.
Strength Unknown.
No one here knows the real strength
of the insurgents opposed to General
Otis. The accounts of their number are
conflicting and none of them comes
from reliable sources. Still, the best
belief of the authorities at the war de-
partment is that they number about
10000 men, but they are not comparable
to the American forces in personnel,
discipline or quality of arms. 1t is
known that they have some Mausers,
some Remingtons and variety Of other
firearms, and it is suspected they have
been quite plentifully supplied with
ammunition from outside sources.
Taken as a whole this armament is de-
cidedly inferior to that of the Ameri-
can troops. Then, with inexperienced
officers, in many cases even the colo
nels of regiments being not more than
q years of age, and their lack of
knowledge of tactics. they are at
great disadvantage. Their strong point
is their knowledge of the country and
a certain fanatical bravery in on
slaught that would be formidable to a
volunteer force not well trained to
stand fire. Like the Cubans. they rely
too much on a swordlike weapon, cor
responding to the machete. weapon
of little value against long-range rifles.
Altogether the war department eff
Gals have not the slightest doubt of
General Otis ability to hold his posi-
ton indefinitely, and tn only cause
for apprehension is the fear that by
taking to the interior of the country.