The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-27
HARDEST FIGHTING
y is YET TO COME


NEW YORK, March 26.-The Wash
ington correspondent of the Herald
telegraphs: The crushing of Aguin-
aldo's northern army is a more difficult
task than the authorities here had an
ticipated. Advices from General Otis
to-day make it clear to = EN- that con-
siderable more fighting must be done
before the supremacy of the United
States is firmly established in the
archipelago.
LAS far as the operations of the last
| twenty-four hours are concerned the
situation is as satisfactory as could be
expected in view of the great difficult
ties encountered Adjutant General
Corbin remarked tonight.
The latest dispatch brought the most
favorable news Of the day. 1t showed
that General Macarthur has succeeded
in getting north of Polo, though not by
the route that had been desired. Thus
it appears that while General Mac
Arthur has not been able to cut Aguin-
aldo's army in two. there has been
distinct advance by the American
troops and the enemy is being driven
northward.
Other advices, however. indicate that
the hardest fighting is yet to come. The
intrenchments which the insurgents
have been building for months are re-
ported to be much stronger between
Polo and Malolos than anticipated.
General Otis indicates by his dis
patches that the line Of the railway will
be followed in further movements to-
ward Malolos. With the aid of small
gunboats which will be able to navi-
gate some of the small rivers and inlets
the military experts here do not doubt
the ability of the American forces to
steadily advance along the route of the
railway to Aguinaldo's headquarters.
The news that the railway is to be re-
paired to the advance point held by
General Macarthur by tomorrow is
regarded of the utmost Importance, as
it will enable General Otis to forward
supplies promptly and send forward re-
endorsements if necessary.
An important phase of the Official
dispatches received to-day is the state
ment that the best of Aguinaldo's
forces are composed of released prison
ers of war of former native Spanish
troops. General Corbin told me to-
night that he understood that all the
Spanish prisoners of war had been re-
leased by Aguinaldo, including Catholic
priests. If this is true 1t relieves the
United States from rather embarrass-
ing problem.
While late advices from Otis give an
encourag ing aspect to the situation, the
authorities appreciate that the war
may be prolonged, and it is the pur-
pose of the War Department to hurry
more troops to the, assistance Of Otis
as rapidly as possible. About $4,000
troops have been under orders for some
days to prepare for service in the Phil
ippines. There are at present 29,50O
men in the Philippines and about 5000 en-
route, some of which will reach Manila
on the Sheridan tomorrow or next day.
WASHINGTON, March 26-General
Otis dispatches received at 10 o'clock
tonight recording MacArthur's ad-
vance to New Canayan marked d1-
rect and important step by the AmerI-
can troops in the opinion OF Acting
Secretary Meiklejohn and AdJutant
General Corbin. Both expressed their
satisfaction at what had been accom-
plished. The former dispatch regarding
this branch Of the operations had not
been so promising, inasmuch as they
had stated that General Macarthur,
though he had riven the enemy, could
not gain point north of Polo on &C
count of the roughness Of the country.
With easy railroad communication 10
the advanced point, the dit1culty IN
forwarding commissary supplies will be
considerably lessened. Every step Tor
ward is regarded as so much ground
gained and an approach nearer the IN
surgents' headquarters at Malolos, now
stated to be but fifteen miles from the
vanguard of the American army.
The tenacity of the Filipinos in the
mast few days fighting has somewhat
surprised the war officials here VINO
did not think them capable of putting
I'D and maintaining the contest they
have. The Associated Press bulletin
dated at 9:15 the morning of the 2(th
was the first news of Mondays flghtlng
received by the War Department OIL
Gals. General Otis dispatch up to that
time having been confined to the pre-
yious days operations. The fact that
the insurgents had been forced to re
tire from Malabon so early In the day
was regarded as very encouraging, ana
Acting Secretary Meiklejohn remarked,
THAT is good; very favorable, indeed.
Secretary Long said tonight that
nothing had come from Admiral Dewey
during the day respecting the American
operations at Manila
Word is hourly expected at the War
Department of the arrival of the trans
port Sheridan at Manila, with 1900 re-
Inducements for General Otis. This
will be formidable addition to his
fighting strength. They include one
full regiment and headquarters and one
battalion of another, and if the expert
ence of those taken aboard the Grant
and Sheridan is repeated they will be in
fighting trim as soon as they land and
ready to be pushed Immediately to the
front. Six regiments of infantry
and artillery, comprising approx
mately 5000 men, one regiment of
which sailed from San Francisco
yesterday, are under orders for
Manila. Their movement will be pushed
as rapidly as possible with a view to