New-York tribune., 1900-01-28
CAMPAIGNING IN LUZON.
SCENES THAT AMUsE AND SCENES THAT
TRY MEMS PATIENCE.

Panique. Luzon. Dec 15 (SpeciaD.-In a former
letter the fightlngs in this island were compared
to those incident to an Apache campaign, and
the comparison obtains even more strongly at
this time A strong line extends from Manila
north to the Gulf of Lingayan. At that point
the formation has assumed a mushroomlike
shape, spreading to the east and west while
from the outer edge of this semt-circular en-
largement detachments shoot out and draw
back they explore barrios and valleys seek
ing the little groups into which the late army
of the Filipino Republic has dissolved itself
From points along the stalk of the mushroom
other detachments have been pushed out toward
the coast or to the interior, 50 that now the
shade of military occupation is slowly over
spreading the whole of the north field of opera
tions Meanwhile only little running skirmishes
are reported Scattered groups of perhaps one
hundred or two hundred are encountered.
little jolt and they, too, separate. most or their
constituents as a result promptly mastering
themselves out of service and becoming only
energetic wavers of white flags as they thread
their way back to their long deserted rice pad
dies while the remaining faithful cnes prowl
about the savannas ravines, occasionally
risking few shots at supply train or more
frequently, marauding among the smaller vii
lagos of their own people They are no longer
armed forces, but only members Of guerilla
bands, a class that has always met with but
short shrift, no'matter what the principles they
seek to uphold. No protection whatever is given
by the laws Of war to such auxiliaries.
But this spreading out by our forces has been
a painfully slow movement. One reads or the
shoutings Of the victorious and Of the counter
yells Of defiance uttered by the unconquered In
the great game of war; but 1t is safe to assume
that most of the vocal performances OF the
last two weeks have been given in that part of
+Ia ayxyhar fIa ffafO
specials linger not-that is, along the line of
communication. When MacArthur's advance
from Angeles began on November only two
roads were available. One Of these was the
railway line and the other the ordinary wagon
track. In these islands wagon road may De
usually understood to mean only longer OF
shorter openings in the scenery. Into one or
these openings, following our men, there passed
more than three hundred bull carts. In addi-
tion to this long train there were many Iour
mule wagons, long string of ambulances
dozens of the light single carts and the car
riages of the field batteries. Macabebe bull
drivers lashed and howled; Chinos jabbed and
sputtered; mule skinners from of the great
freightng roads in the West stood sWaylng
perilously the narrow footboards OF their
wagons cursng, shouting and urging their mud
coated beasts through the heartbreaking
morasses wherein the wheels soused chugged
or sank until the axes buried. when the teams
would give final surge. only to be jerked back
there to founder belly deep, hopeless and help
less.
WORSE THAN FIGHTING.
The heavy bull yokes Of bent bamboo slipped
or broke; the coarse harness OF native rope
snapped and parted; mule harness gave way.
cartwheels collapsed, and mems tempers were
eternally lost in the splatterings Of the thick,
ropy mud Then, when further progress was
impossible without help. out into the Shiny
depths would splash dozen reeking, sweating
infantrymen from the escort, there to tug and
heave at starting the load; or, as happened Of
ten, If cart smashed irretrievably, to shoulder
the hundred pound boxes of bacon, ammunition
or other supplies, splashing back to the roadside
with their burdens. 1t of sound and
babel of tongues for the entire weary way. And
when night had come and the last straggler had
come up on the far bank of the Rio Cutcut de
Capas, dripping from his hundred yards bath
in that rushing stream, the days work
done.
It's founder or fight" said one of the train
guard he stood that night before the Dk
fire, turning himself to the blaze and. with his
bayonet, scraped away at the half dried mud
"All one to me-" and he hummed to him
self. It's seventeen miles from Schenectady to
Troy" breaking off with But no such roads
as this, I'm thinking" They had come from
Bamban to Capas-fve nniles-no more; but
had brought through seven days rations and
the reserve ammunition, and had done their
duty.
The railroad from Manila to Dagupan is now
entirely within American possession and a trip
along it's sadly disjOinted length shows the
destruction that the insurgents have been able
to accomplish while the Americans awaited the
necessary strengthening of their forces Not
half dozen station houses are remaining and
there are yet four considerable gaps around
which supplies must be carried by bull trains
The break at Bamban, including as it does a
burned trestle and dropped span of the steel
bridge is the most serious interruption. All
along the whole line overturned cars
twisted rails and smashed engines. Fire and
rude skill have done their worst. In the river
at BambGn lie nine engines hopelessly wrecFed
the half burned fragments of ffty-four coaches
fiat and box cars in one great tangled mass.
A RIDICULOUS LOOKING TRAIN.
Probably no train ever ran that was more
ludicrous in appearance than Is the one that
serves between the broken bridge at Bamban
and the long washout at Tarlac It's line forms
a separate branch of the whole railway service
and the men call that portion THE Tarlac
Washout and Walk" battered. dented en-
gine. much patched and plugged sans tender
headlight sans nearly everything whaezas
and snorts along, dragging the remnants of five
boXcars. Their woodwork is entirely burned
away, leaving the iron verticaIs stretching up
ward like gaunt, rusty arms still aCpealing
against the flames. For flooring serve sheets of
corrugated iron roofing, lying loose These clat-
ter loudly as their loads bounce and 1ostle with
the oumpings OF the crooked and uneven track
And such loads! Hundreds of cases of toma-
toes, piles of boxes of canned horse crates of
fiat ham,, as the soldiers call bacon; tele-
graph material. great heaps OF blanket rolls that
have been left behind on the last hike" and are
now needed in the cool heights in the mountains
to the north
Not seldom tier of the rough, dull red coffin
a n 1norla Nf1Iv I-fz.