The Boys of '98

The Spaniards had, by a rush, gone 150 yards through and beyond the American right flank, when the regulars of the Third Artillery, armed as infantrymen, pushed them back in confusion, the Pennsylvanians and Utah battery aiding gallantly in the work.

August 1. After the attack on the right wing had been repulsed, the second Spanish attack at two in the morning was directed against the American left wing.

After thirty minutes of fighting the enemy was again beaten off, and the rain seemed to be so heavy as to make further attack impossible.

But at 3.50 A. M. the battle was resumed at longer range, Spanish sharpshooters firing from the trees, and the batteries working constantly, using brass-coated bullets. The Americans, smoked and powder-stained, stuck to their guns for fourteen hours without relief, and shortly after sunrise the Spanish retreated. The American loss was eight killed, ten seriously and thirty-eight slightly wounded.

August 4. The monitor Monterey and the convoyed collier Brutus arrived at Cavite.

August 7. Admiral Dewey demanded the surrender of Manila within forty-eight hours. The Spanish commander replied that, the insurgents being outside the walls, he had no safe place for the women and children who were in the city, and asked for twenty-four hours additional delay. This Admiral Dewey granted.

At the expiration of the specified time Admiral Dewey and General Merritt consulted and decided to postpone the attack.

August 13. The American commanders decided to begin hostilities on the thirteenth of August, and the navy began the action at 9.30 A. M., the Olympia opening fire, followed by the Raleigh, Petrel, and Callao. The latter showed great daring, approaching within eight hundred yards of the Malate forts and trenches, doing grand work and driving back the Spanish forces.

The firing from the fleet continued for one hour, the Spanish then retreating from Malate, where the fire was centred, and the American land forces stormed the trenches, sweeping all before them. The First Colorado Volunteers drove the Spaniards into the second line of defence. Then the troops swept on, driving all the Spaniards into the inner fortification.

The fighting in the trenches was most fierce. Fifteen minutes after the Spaniards were driven to the second line of defences, they were forced to retreat to the walled city, where, seeing the uselessness of resistance, they surrendered, and soon afterward a white flag was hoisted over Manila.

The total number of killed on the American side was forty-five, and wounded about one hundred. The Spanish losses were two hundred killed and four hundred wounded.

Captain-General Augusti took refuge on board the German ship Kaiserin Augusta, and was conveyed to Hongkong.

The following official reports were made by cable:

    “Manila, August 13, 1898.

“Secretary of Navy, Washington: – Manila surrendered to-day to the American land and naval forces, after a combined attack.

“A division of the squadron shelled the forts and entrenchments at Malate, on the south side of the city, driving back the enemy, our army advancing from that side at the same time.

“The city surrendered about five o’clock, the American flag being hoisted by Lieutenant Brumby.

“About seven thousand prisoners were taken.

“The squadron had no casualties, and none of the vessels were injured.

“August 7th, General Merritt and I formally demanded the surrender of the city, which the Spanish governor-general refused.

    (Signed) “Dewey.”

    “Hongkong, August 20th.

“Adjutant-General, Washington: – The following are the terms of the capitulation:

“The undersigned, having been appointed a commission to determine the details of the capitulation of the city and defences of Manila and its suburbs and the Spanish forces stationed therein, in accordance with agreement entered into the previous day by Maj. – Gen. Wesley Merritt, U. S. A., American commander-in-chief in the Philippines, and His Excellency Don Fermin Jaudenes, acting general-in-chief of the Spanish army in the Philippines, have agreed upon the following:

“The Spanish troops, European and native, capitulate with the city and defences, with all honours of war, depositing their arms in the places designated by the authorities of the United States, remaining in the quarters designated and under the orders of their officers and subject to control of the aforesaid United States authorities, until the conclusion of a treaty of peace between the two belligerent nations. All persons included in the capitulation remain at liberty; the officers remaining in their respective homes, which shall be respected as long as they observe the regulations prescribed for their government and the laws enforced.

“2. Officers shall retain their side-arms, horses, and private property. All public horses and public property of all kinds shall be turned over to staff officers designated by the United States.

“3. Complete returns in duplicate of men by organisation, and full lists of public property and stores shall be rendered to the United States within ten days from this date.

“4. All questions relating to the repatriation of the officers and men of the Spanish forces and of their families, and of the expense which said repatriation may occasion, shall be referred to the government of the United States at Washington. Spanish families may leave Manila at any time convenient to them. The return of the arms surrendered by the Spanish forces shall take place when they evacuate the city, or when the Americans evacuate.

“5. Officers and men included in the capitulation shall be supplied by the United States according to rank, with rations and necessary aid, as though they were prisoners of war, until the conclusion of a treaty of peace between the United States and Spain. All the funds in the Spanish treasury and all other public funds shall be turned over to the authorities of the United States.

“6. This city, its inhabitants, its churches and religious worship, its educational establishments, and its private property of all description, are placed under the special safeguard of the faith and honour of the American army.

    “F. V. Greene,
    “Brigadier-General of Volunteers, U. S. A.
    “B. P. Lamberton,
    “Captain U. S. Navy.
    “Charles A. Whittier,
    “Lieutenant-Colonel and Inspector-General.
    “E. H. Crowder,
    “Lieutenant-Colonel and Judge-Advocate.
    “Nicholas de la Pena,
    “Auditor-General’s excts.
    “Carlos Reyeo,
    “Colonel de Ingenieros.
    “Jose Maria Olquen,
    “Felia de Estado Majors.
    (Signed) “Merritt.”

    “Hongkong, August 20th.

“Adjutant-General, Washington: – Cablegram of the twelfth directing operations to be suspended received afternoon of sixteenth. Spanish commander notified. Acknowledged receipt of cablegram same date, containing proclamation of President.

    “Merritt.”

CHAPTER XVII.

PEACE

On the twenty-sixth day of July, shortly after three o’clock in the afternoon, the French ambassador, M. Cambon, accompanied by his first secretary, called at the White House, the interview having been previously arranged and an intimation of its purpose having been given. With the President at the time was Secretary of State Day.

M. Cambon stated to the President that, representing the diplomatic interests of the kingdom of Spain, “with whom at the present time the United States is unhappily engaged in hostilities,” he had been directed by the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs to ask on what terms the United States would agree to a suspension of hostilities.

The French ambassador, continuing, said that Spain, realising the hopelessness of a conflict, knowing that she was unable to cope with the great power of her adversary, and appreciating fully that a prolongation of the struggle would only entail a further sacrifice of life and result in great misery to her people, on the ground of humanity appealed to the President to consider a proposition for peace.

Spain, said the ambassador, had been compelled to fight to vindicate her honour, and having vindicated it, having fought bravely and been conquered by a more powerful nation, trusted to the magnanimity of the victor to bring the war to an end.

The President’s reply showed that he was responsive to the appeal. He was evidently moved by the almost pathetic position which the once proud nation of Spain had been forced to take, but he had his feelings well under control and behaved with great dignity.

The President frankly admitted that he was desirous of peace, that he would welcome a cessation of hostilities, but he delicately intimated that if Spain were really desirous of peace she must be prepared to offer such terms as could be accepted by the United States. The President asked the French ambassador if he had been instructed to formally propose terms, or make any offer.

M. Cambon replied that he had not been so instructed, that his instructions were to ask on what terms it would be possible to make peace.