The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-22

excellent arms and plenty of ammuni-
ton. All they hcked was sand" The
engagement lasted not over two hours.
The army had both Spaniards and in
surgents to contend with.
THE insurgents were very anxious
to take part in the attack" said Cen
eral Merritt: but they were not noti-
fled when the attack would be made.
as I was sure the entrance of the Fill
pinos into the city would mean un-
necessary bloodshed and some loot
ing"
General Merritt said the American
losses were not correctly stated i'm the
press reports There were about 100
officers and men Killed and wounded
No accurate account OF the Spanish
loss was ever obtained. The American
force. however, captured over $4,000
stands OF modern arms. and the Span
ish loss was known To be severe.
There was some discussion by the
commission over the relative merits OF
the Springfield and the modern small
caliber rifles. This drew from General
Merritt the statement that personally
he should prefer the Springfield. with
smokeless powder. to the 'caliber 80"
or the Mauser. However. some Of the
line officers would be better judges Of
that than he. he added. AS an instance
of the lack Of stop~ing power of the
small-bore rife. he said one of his OFF,
GERS was shot through the leg i'm the
Manila fight and did not know IL until
the next morning. General Merritt said
in reply 10 questions that the volun-
teers were az effective and as enthusi-
astic as could be desired. He regarded
them as very excellent troops.
supplies Satisfactory.
The supplies We're satisfactory at all
times, except as To ice and milk for
fever patients. He explained this by
saying that there was apparently no
milk-producing animal in that region.
There We're some small cattle. appar-
emily imported from China. but they
gave no milk To speak of. As to medi-
cal supplies and hospital conveniences.
General Merritt said he had heard no
complaints. ON entering the city the
army took possession of all the good
houses IL needed and turned them over
to the medical department The sick
and wounded Were thus well provided
for.
The army on the island depended
upon local stock for transportation.
This proved quite satisfactory and he
doubted the advisability of importing
American horses or mules.
Asked IL he had the cordial and ef-
fective support of the administration,
General Merritt said:
From the president. ! had the most
hearty sympathy and support, and this
applies also to the various departments.
The only thing of which ] might feel I
had right to complain. was not hav-
ing some contingent of regulars to act
as a nucleus. even II they had to be taxi
en- from Tampa. ! should like To have
had hat 18th regular regiment. bdt l
was told | could not have IL unless
furnished something to take it's place.
But | made the best I could of the sit
uatiOn and distributed my stan officers
to aid and train first the volunteer Off
GERS and then the men. This worked
very well and I was very personally
thanked as well as were my stan OIL
GERS for this"
General Merritt paid quite as high n
tribute to the civilian staff officers as
did General Shafter the previous day.
saying:
They were good officers. intelligent,
anxious to learn and To work