The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-10-06
MERRITTS BATTLE STORY.
Thirteen Thousand Prisoners
Were Taken at Manila
THE CHARGE ON THE CITY.
With Dewey Hammering Away at the En-
trenchments, the American Soldiers
Boldly Marched to Victory.

GfOpnleS OF Mania were nearly S9Un--
900, thirteen thousand prisoners and
$4,000 arms. This is the statement
made in the report of Major General
Wesley Merritt, of his operations
about Manila, made public to-day
After giving briefly the story Of his
embarkati6h and arrival at Nanilas
and the disposition of the troops
there, he says that Aguinaldo had
$4,000 men well supplied with small
arms and plenty of ammunition and
several field guns. He makes the
declaration: General Aguinaldo did
not visit me on my arrival nor offer
his services as a subordinate military
leader, and my instructions from the
President fully contemplated The
occupation of the islands by the
American land forces, and stated that
the powers of the military occupant
are absolute and supreme and imme-
diately operate upon the political
condition of the inhabitants
Regarding the investment of Manila
General Merritt says: THE prepara-
tions for the attack on the city were
pressed and military operations con
Quoted without reference to the situ-
alton of the insurgent forces ="
Aguinaldo moving his men from the
roads out of Cavite on report Gen
eral Green's brigade threw forward q
heavy outpost line on the Gale Real, .
and the beach and constructed 4
trench in which a portion of the guns
of the Utah battery was placed
THE Spaniards, observing this
activity on our part, made a sharp
attack with infantry and artillery on
the night of July 81 The behavior
of our troops during this night attack
was all that could be desired. Our
position was extended and strength
ened after this, and resisted success
fully repeated night attacks, our
forces suffering, however, considera-
bic loss in wounded and killed, while
the losses of the enemy, owing to the
darkness, could not be ascertained.
The strain of the night fighting and
the heavy details made for outpost
duty made it imperative to reinforce
General Greene's troops with General
MacArthur's brigade.
THE difficulties of this operation
can hardly be overestimated. The
transports were at anchor off Cavite,
five miles from point on the beach,
where it was desired to disembark
the men. Several squalls, accom-
panied by floods of rain ragged day
after day, and the only way to get
the supplies and troops ashore was to
load them from the ships side into
native lighters called 'cascosD or
small steamboats,, move them to a
point opposite the camp, and then
disembark them through the surf in
small boats.
Upon the assembly of MacArth-
ur's brigade in support of Greene's, |
had about $500 men in position to
attack, and | deemed the time had
come for final action. During the
time of the night attacks | had com
municated my desire to Admiral
Dewey that he would allow his ships
to open fire on the right of entrench-
ments, believing that such action
would stop the light firing and loss
of life, but Admiral had declined
to orderl IS we were in danger
of losin. our position by
the assaults the Spanish, for the
reason that, in his opinion, it would
precipitate a general engagement, for
which he was not ready.
Now, however, the brigade of
General Macarthur was in position,
and the Monterey had arrived and,
under date of August 6, Admiral
Dewey agreed to my suggestion that
we should send a joint letter to the
Captain General, notifying him that
he should remove from the city all
non-combatants within 4S hours"
Captain General August was then
asked to surrender, but the Council
of Defense refused. To lombard the
seacoast batteries meant shelling
city full of women and children, so
an attack on the trenches was decided
on. General Merritt says:
about a. Ill. on August 13, our
fleet steamed forward from Cavite,
and before 10 a. IN. opened hot and
accurate fire of heavy shells and rap
id-fre projectiles on the sea flank of
the Spanish entrenchments at the
powder magazine fort, and at the
same time the Utah batteries in posi-
tion in our trenches near the Gale
Real began firing with great accur-
acy. At 1925, on a prearranged sig