The San Francisco call., 1898-09-24


 MANILA, Aug 13-The battle is won and Manila has been delivered into American hands. Writing by electric light in the Governor Generals country palace at Malakanau, with the swift Pasig flowing silently by, it Is difficult to realize that what has been done was done so quickly. For weeks the Ameri- cans have lain in the trenches before Malate, soaked with the torrential rain of the tropics, shivering from fever when the hot sun shone, watching the electric lights of the fleet before Cavite play up and down the beach by night, fearful of nothing as an army, each man realizing that one chance exposure of his head above the line of intrench- ments would lead to death at the hands of a Spanish sharpshooter, hoping against hope, day by day, for the signal to be given for the advance.
 It has been a weary waiting crowned with glorious success. And while the men waited the wise heads to whose subtle brains had been entrusted the conduct of operations planned coup which would deliver Manila into our hands with the smallest possible loss of life. It is difficult to say, in the light of events, that the city was given up as the result of an agreed plan, per hitting Governor JaudeneS to make just enough resistance to save his own head under Spain's peculiar military law. If the plan was made the Ameri can soldiers knew nothing about it, nor did the Spanish. They fought as men fight who believe their quarrel just, fiercely and to the death. Let it never be said after the fall of Manila that the Spanish soldier is not brave, al- though it can be said with truth that he Is badly led.
 Last night the order came to Camp Dewey that the attack would be de- livered this morning The wild cheers that broke from the throats of ten thousand men as the news travelled down the line was sufficient demon stration of the joy coming when the long suspense was over. The boys in camp polished their rifles, tested and sang and sank to sleep after taps calmly and peacefully as though the morrow would not dawn a day of bat tie. If there was the slightest sign of nervousness in the camp of the Cali fornians, the gallant First, with whom l made my home, I did not see it. Ger tainly there was not an additional man at sick call on the eventful morning and many who were sick, as we'll as even the cooks from the camp kitchens, seized their guns despite camp duty and the doctors and marched to the front with the rest. The Californians only grumbled and as they thought with justice when the word came that they were to lead the reserve instead of being on the firing line-but present. ly Colonel Smith, coming from the headquarters of General Anderson. said fhe had been assured the First would be first into Manila and so made light the hearts inclined heretofore to rebellion.
 . The troops for the land attack were disposed as follows: General Greene had, on the left wing, extending from the beach to the Pardy road, the First Colorado. the Fourteenth regulars and the Twenty-third regulars on his firing line. The reserve was half a mile back and consisted of the First Califor- mia, First Nebraska and Tenth Penn sylvania in the order named, the Penn sylvanians having held the trenches expected to come into action except as last resort. Battery A of the Utah Artillery, with four guns, held the en- trenchments.
 The right wing, under General Nc Arthur, had its line extending from the Calle Real, otherwise known as the Pa say road, to the entrenchments oppo- site the Spanish blockhouse at Paco and the Santa Ana trenches. Battery B of the Utah Artillery held the old trenches above the Pasay road with four guns. The Thirteenth Minnesota, the Eighteenth regulars and the Third Regular Artillery. acting as infantry, were on the firing line, and the Astor Battery, on high ground, commanded the Paco blockhouse, where was housed a rapid-fire gun which was expected to do great havoc. The Dakota and Wy oming troops formed the reserve of the right wing.
 The troops had been ordered to get under way at 6 a. m., to be in position at o'clock, when the battle would be- gin. The fleet would begin moving long before that hour.
 The day broke cloudy, with spits of rain now and again, sweeping over the bay and almost hiding the ships from the shore. At little before a. m. the Charleston. which had been keep ing coast guard over Camp Dewey, was seen from the shore to be moving over to join the fleet Then I saw the Mon terey slowly detach herself from the slowly circling vessels and steam to- ward a position where her great guns could batter the famous walled town down about the ears of it's garrison and of the thousands who had sought shelter within it's gates. Slowly, as the mist rose and fell, I could sec the admiraPs line forming. The Monterey still led. The Concord, far on the left had the Boston next in line, and then there was the Charleston, the Baltimore lying little back, the noble Olympia, the Raleigh, the Petrel and close in to the shore the captured gun boat Callao, bristling with rapid-fire guns. AS the ships came on, the Mon terey like some grim black monster of the deep, crept closer and closer to- ward the walled tow- her guns silent. and no sound coming from the doomed city, whose roofs. could see, were black with people watching the ap- preaching fleet.