The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-18
HOW MANILA WAS CAPTURED.
A STATEMENT THAT A PLAN OF AD-
VANCE WAS CUT AND DRIED.

of RIOOd-HOwever, the Pro-
gramme Was Changed aud the
Land batteries Opened Fire With
the Fleet, and Considerable Loss of
Life ResuIted-Dramatic story of
the Hosting oG Old Glory in the
Philippines.
London, Aug. 1S.-The Manila corre-
spondent of the Times teegraphs, under
date of Aug. 1S, p. M, as follows; The
capture Of the town to-day was not WITH
out certain melodramatic elements.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Span
ish made a serious resistance against the
advance of the right wing of the Ameri-
can force, it would not have been difficult
to foresee that surrender would follow
a display by the land forces to satisfy the
Spanish honor, nor has it been well
kept secret that the captain general prac-
| tically suggested the manner in which the
| American troops should advance to pre-
vent loss of life on both sides.
At first it was not intended to attack
the trenches, but quietly to advance after
the bombardment had ceased.
"At the last moment, however the pro-
gramme was changed, and orders were is
sued for the land battery to open fire
simultaneously with the fleet, and for an
advance to be made as soon as it was con-
sidered practicable to assault the Spanish
trenches. The reason for this change of
plan is not yet apparent, but considerable
loss of life resulted.
Gen. Anderson placed his division. ac-
cording to directions from Gen. Merritt
| There were eight battallons of the First
| Brigade under Gen. Macarthur, in the
| fighting line on the right, with three bat
| talions in reserve, while seven battalions
of the Second Brigade, under Gen. Greene
were in the trenches across the Gale road
to the sea shore, three others forming a
reserve.
"The troops left the camp at $50 in a
heavy thunderstorm. They carried 300
rounds of ammunition per man and two
| days cooked rations.
Shortly after S:45 the fleet got under
way with flags mast headed. At 8 o'clock
the Olympia led the way, attended by the
| Raleigh and the Petrol, while the Calao,
under Lieut. Tappen, and the launch Bar
| colo crept close inshore in the heavy
| breakers
Perfect quiet prevailed in the lines on
both sides as the great ships cleared for
| action, silently advanced, some times hid
den by rain squalls. The Monterey, with
| the Baltimore, Charleston and Boston,
| formed the reserve.
"At 9S5 a sudden cloud of smoke, green
! and white against the stormy sky, COM
| pletely hid the Olympia; shell screamed
| across two miles of turbulent water and
| burst near the Spanish fort at Malate
! San Antonio de Abadad. Then the Pc
| trel and Raleigh and the active little Cal
! lao opened a rapid fire directed toward
| the shore end of the entertainments. In
| the heavy rain it was difficult to judge
| the range, and the shots nj first fell
/ short but the fire soon became accura re,
| and the shells rendered the fort unten-
| able While the four guns of the Utah
| battery made excellent practice on the
earthworks and swamp to the east of the
fort The Spaniards replied feebly with
| few shots.
ment began, Gen. Greene decided that it
was impossible TO advance, although the
| signals to cease firing was disregarded
by the fleet, being probably invisible on
| account of the rain. Thereupon six COM
| panies of the Colorado Regiment leaped
| over their brea stworks, dashed into the
| swamp and opened voley firing from part
shelter Of low hedges within 300 yards of
the Spanish lines. A few seconds later
| the remaining six companies moved along
the seashore, somewhat covered by sand
| ridge formed by an inlet under the out
works of the forts, and at IL O'Clock oc-
cupied this formidable stronghold without
| loss.
Mccoy hauled down the Spanish flag
| and raised the Stars and Stripes amid
wild cheers along the line.
Meanwhile the feet observing the
movement of the troops along the beach
withheld its fire. The bombardment had
| lasted exactly an hour and a half.
IAN hour later Gen. Greene and his staff
proceeded along the beach, still under a
hot infantry fire from the enemy, and
directed the movements for an advance
into Malate.
THE vicinity of the fort was uncomfort-
| able on account of the numbers of sharp
shooters in the buildings on both sides 200
| Yards distant. The forward movement
was therefore, hastened, and in a few
| minutes the outskirts of the suburb were
well occupied and the sharpshooters were
driven away.
"As the Californians, under Col. Smith,
came UP the beach, their band played the
| national air accompanied by the whis tling
| of the Mauser bullets, and during the
| sharpshooting continued to encourage the
men with the inspiring music.
Each regiment carried its colors into
| action. There was considerable street
| ngntng IN the suDuTDS OF lhHidte ana
| ErmitaV but the battalion of Californ-
ians pushed into the Luneta, a popular
promenade within 200 yards OF the moat
| of the citadel.
"Then the white flag was hoisted at the
southwest corner Of the walled town. Gen.
| Greene, with a few members of his staff,
galloped along the Lueta under a sharp
scattering fire from the houses near the
beach and parleyed with an officer who
directed him along to the gate, further
| east.
"At this moment the Spanish forces, re-
| treating from Santa Ana, came into view
| fully 1900 strong, followed by insurgents
| who had eluded Gen. Merritt's troops and
now opened fire for a brief period. The
situation was awkward, If not critical,
both sides being slightly suspicious OF
| treachery.
"The Spanish troops lining the citadel
! ramparts, observing the insurgents act
ion, opened fire on the Californians, kill
ing one and wounding three. The confus-
| ion however soon ceased by the advance