ay, due solely to the morning
skirmishes, amounted to four killed and thirty wounded.

It is apparent, from the official despatches, that at this time
the American generals seriously believed the Aguinaldo party would
acknowledge its defeat and make peace if Malolos, the revolutionary
seat of government, fell. All that was going on in Manila was well
known to the insurgents in the field, as the news was brought to
them daily by runners who were able to enter the city during daylight
without interference. On March 30 General McArthur's division resumed
the advance and brought up the baggage trains, after having repaired
the several bridges damaged by the enemy. The environs of Malolos were
reconnoitred up to within a mile of the town, and the dead bodies
of insurgent soldiers were seen scattered here and there. Groups of
hundreds of non-combatants were hurrying off from the beleaguered
insurgent capital. General Otis's brigade pushed forward without
any encounter with the enemy, but General Hale's column, which
continued to take the right side of the railway, was fired upon
from the woods, the total casualties that day being five killed and
43 wounded. At 7 a.m. (March 31) the Americans opened the combined
attack on Malolos. General McArthur directed the operations from
the railway embankment, and half an hour's artillery fire dislodged
the enemy from their cover. The columns advanced cautiously towards
the town in anticipation of a fierce resistance and, it was hoped,
a fight to the finish. General Otis marched on direct: General Hale
executed a flanking movement to the east; General Wheaton's brigades
were held in reserve, and a halt of half an hour was made preparatory
to the final assault. The scouts then returned and reported that the
insurgents had abandoned their capital! It was a disappointment to
the Americans who had looked forward to inflicting a decisive and
crushing defeat on the enemy. The first troops to enter the town
were the 20th Kansas Regiment, under Colonel Funston. The natives,
in the wildest confusion, scampered off, after firing a few parting
shots at the approaching forces, and the Americans, with a total
loss of 15 killed and wounded, were in undisputed possession of the
insurgent capital. Aguinaldo had prudently evacuated it two days
before with his main army, going in the direction of Calumpit. Only
one battalion had been left behind to burn the town on the approach
of the Americans. Aguinald