g with the left platoon of Battery A shelled the woods to the
north and west of the town so effectively that when the infantry forces
entered the place they found it deserted.

This ended the fighting in that vicinity until the general advance of
March 25th.

[Illustration: UTAH GUNS ON MANILA & DAGUPAN RAILWAY EN ROUTE FOR THE
FRONT.]

On March 25th began that remarkable advance which never ended until the
native forces were driven beyond Calumpit and San Fernando into the
hills north of San Isidro and Tarlac. The American forces had long been
inactive gathering strength for the difficulties before them, and now
that this strength had been mustered they were eager for the fray. The
plan was for the commands of Generals H.G. Otis and Hale to swing around
to the right and cut off the retreat of the enemy from that quarter,
while General Wheaton's brigade was to strike the foe in front and not
move forward until the other forces had had sufficient time to
straighten out the line. A large body of the insurgents had assembled
at Malabon. The entire preparation had been made for the capture of this
force.

Otis's brigade on the left consisted in the order given of the Kansas,
the Third Artillery (infantry), and the Montana regiment; in the center
was the divisional artillery under Major Young and then troops of the
Fourth United States Cavalry, and on the right was Hale's command,
containing the Tenth Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Nebraska regiments.
The Nebraskans were on the extreme right, while the Kansans formed the
pivotal regiment.

The artillery designated to take part in the forward movement were two
B. and L. rifles, under command of Lieutenant Critchlow; two B.L. rifles
of the Sixth United States Artillery, under Lieutenant Fleming, and an
automatic gun under command of Ensign Davis of the navy. On the evening
of the 24th Lieutenant Fleming's guns were removed from the old
intrenchment in front of Fort MacArthur, and were replaced by two B. and
L. rifles under Lieutenant Gibbs of Battery A, who had formerly been
stationed in front of the Colorado line at Sampaloe. Major Grant at this
period was no longer in immediate command of Battery B, as he had been
detailed as commander of the river gunboats on February 17th. During the
period of waiting the Government mules had arrived and the rifles under
Lieutenants Critchlow and Fleming were now equipped for the journey into
the jungle.

Few artillery exploits can