The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1900-02-07
Affairs in the Philippines.
To the E litor of the Dispatch:


could have been persuaded tina
affairs here would have been in 81
favorable condition so early in th'
present campaign.
When I say that the situation ii
favorable, I mean that the condition
of affairs here at the present time arr
as good as could have possibly beer
expected under the circumstances
that existed five months ego.
The present campaign opene G
here about three week ago with the
advance on Tarlac by Gen, Near,
thar advancing from the south, Gen.
Lawton from the east, Gen. Young
from the west and Gen. Wheaton
from the north. Gen. McArther ad,
vancing norshward along the railroad
from Angeles and Gen. Wheaton
southwark from Dagopcn. Tarllc
was taken with only few shots
and from thence the four commands
have secured the whole northern
valley, at various places making very
valuable captures and nowhere meet
ing with the resistance that was gen.
orally expected.
Two days ago Gen. Lawton took
his command into Manila, marching
nearly three hundred miles and hav-
ing only two or three little skirm-
ishes that occurred very soon after
they started. The other commands
have had similar experiences, but
some valuable supplies have been
captured, but most of the time with
little resistance. Now the railroad
is opened to Dagopon and the towns
are garrisoned for many miles into
the interior.
The country between BAlinag and
San Migil has been the sight of most
of the fighting that has taken place
lately, but now it has been secured
by troops under Col. Hood and moth
ing but garrisons Of American SOL
diers remains.
I happened to be with Col. Hoods
command when he made an expedi-
tion to Biac No Bsc, the place where
Asuinaldo boasted that be could hold
off the American troops for hum
dred years to come and where he
compelled the Spaniards to pay him
half a million dollars to surrender,
but there was no sign of Insurgents
except that there was quite valu-
BILE lot of stores found in a cave on
the side of the mountain. I guess
thatthe vigilance of our troops in
the north has kept him too busy 10
hunt his favorite retreat of which he
boasted so loudly.
In the south about same conditions
exists as in the north only our troops
are not quite through their campaign
ing there yet, otherwise affairs are
about the same as in other parts Of
the island.
We would hardly know that war
was going on now if it were not for
the travel stained troops passing
through on their way to Manila after
two months monotonous campaign
ing. rendered monotonous because
there was nothing to attract their
attention except the country and q
few Fillipinos cutting rice in their
fields.
I now wish to say few words in
regard to the numerous criticisms
that have been heaped upon The
heads of the military Governor Of the
islands, and those who are directly
connected with government and
military authorities here.
To one who is in position t.
judge unprecjudicedly it sounds
like childish folly TO criticize some
thing that we know nothing about O.
are not in position to understand
Since the beginning Of the Insured
ton General Otis has been criticized
for it seems like every move that b.
has made, when, if the truth we,
known, most of the criticisms have
arisen through prejudice or throug
some order that was issued fer tn
good of the country but in som
way Effected the personal interests Q
some men that were temporarily cor
nected with the government.
The latter case is we'll exemplife
in the case of volunteers and "wa
recruits" who were serving here q
the time of the Insurgent outbrea
and were expecting to be discharge
as soon as peace had thoroughly bee
settled between the United State
and Spain. The readers of the Di'
patch we'll remember that at ths
time there were only about fftee