The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-01
Hurdships Endured Without Muir
Dur uDd Great Bravery
Displayed.
Siege and Capture Of MoDiIo Told in Detail by
the Military Governors Official
Report.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

Real. began firing with great accuracy.
| AT 1925, on a prearranged signal from our
! trenches that it was believed our troops
| could advance, the navy ceased firing and
4fInmedlately ight line OF sklr un.
| brigade passed over our trenches and de-
pioyed rapidly forward another line from
| the same regiment from the left flank of
our earthworks advancing swiftly Up the
| beach in open order. Both these lines
! found the powder magazine fort and the
trenches fanking it deserted, but as they
passed over the Spanish works they were
met by sharp fire from a second line
situated in the streets of Malate, by
which a number of men were killed and
wounded, among others one soldier who
| pulled down the Spanish colors still fly
| ing, on the fort and raised our own.
way to the determined advance of
Greene's troops, and that officer pushed
his brigade rapidly through Malate and
over the bridges to occupy Binondo and
San Miguel, as contemplated in his in
structions. In the meantime the bril-
gade, of General Macarthur advancing
countered a very sharp fire, coming from
the blockhouses, trenches and woods in
front, positions which 1T was very diff
dition of the ground on both sides of
the roads and the heavy underground
concealing the enemy. With much gal
part of the brigade commander and the
troops engaged these difficulties were,
kovercome with a minimum loss, and Mac
Arthur advanced and held the bridges
and the town of Malate, as was contem-
plated by his instructions.
The city of Malate was now in our pos
session, excepting the walled town, but
shortly after the entry of our troops into
Malate a white flag was displayed on the
walls, whereupon Lieutenant Colonel Z;
lieutenant Bfrumby, u. S. n. represent
ing Admiral Dewey, were sent ashore
to communicate with the captain general
foil rrn6
into the town, going at once to the palace
of the Governor General, and there, after
a conversation with the Spanish authorl--
ties a preliminary agreement OF the
terms of capitulation was signed by the
captain general and myself. This agree
ment was subsequently incorporated INTO
the formal terms of capitulation, as ar
ranged by the officers representing the
two forces.
Immediately after the surrender the
Spanish colors on the sea front were
hauled down and the American flag dis
played and saluted by the guns OF the
navy The Second Oregon Regiment,
was disembarked and entered the walled
town as a provost guard and the colonel
was directed to receive the Spanish arms
and deposit them in places OF security:
The town was filled with troops OF the
enemy driven in from the entertainments,
regiments formed and standing IN llhe IN
the streets but the work OF diSarmlng
proceeded quietly and nothing unpleasant
occurred. In leaving the subject of the
operations of the 18th ! desire nere 70.
record my appreciation of the admiraDle
manner in which the orders for attack
and the plan for occupation OF the CITY
were carried out by the troops exactIy
as contemplated. / submit that for troops
to enter under fire town covering a
wide area, to rapidly deploy and guard
all principal points in the extensive sub
urbs, to keep out the insurgent forces
pressing for admission to quietly diSaTm
an army of Spaniards more than equal In
number to- the American troops, and final
w oil
rapine, pillage and disorder and gain en-.
tire and complete possession of city OF
100000 people, filled with natives hostile
the knowledge that their own people were
fighting in the outside trenches was an
ate resolute American soldier, well and
shillfully handled by his regimental and
brigade commanders, could accomplish
General Merritt then details the in
auguration of the military govern
ment of Manila by the Americans. Fur
Their he says:
text of the Presidents proclamation di-
rectfng a cessation of hostilities was re-
ceived by me and at the same time an
d to tne faet wag d e9
once. This resulted in formal protest
from the Governor General in regard to
place, on the ground that the proclama-
ton was dated prior to the surrender.
To this i replied that the status quo in
which we were left with the cessation
of hostilities was that existing at the
time of the receipt by me of official no.
tice. and that / must insist upon the de-
livery of the funds. The delivery was
made under protest.
After the issue of my proclamation, and
the establishment of my office as Mill
tary Governor, ] had direct written COM
munication with General Aguinaldo on
several occasions. He recognized my au-
thority as Military Governor of the town
of Manila and suburbs, and made profess
sions of his willingness to withdraw his
troops to q line which I might indicate,
but at the same time asking certain IA
vors for himself. The matters in this