The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-01
Nal. GEN. MERRITT'S REPORT.
,s ACCOUNT OF OPERATIONS AT
MANILA MADE PUBLIC.

.rl.atiOn to the Time OF His De-
.,,re From BInniIa-Conduct OF
~ Wen Mt All Times Admirable,
~. Cnmpaign's Success Being At
,.,,ted to His Division Command
.rs. staff and Aides of Whom He
,,..t,es Nlention-Great Changes for
-, letter since the Occupancy OF
D,,,tla by the Americans.
,,.,s4irgton, Sept. SO-The report of
.ar Wesley Merritt on the opera
-. sb.lt Manila was made public at
-. war department to-day. After giving
- the story of his embarkation and
ar-5,,I AT Manila. and the disposition of
- ,r5o-s there, he says:
81 found Gen. Greene's command en-
..,,s5 on a strip of sandy land running
-,.-r 10 the shore of the bay and not
7.stlat from the beach. but owing to
GREAT difficulties of landing supplies,
-. greater portion of the force had shell
,erts only, and were suffering many
s...,nf0rts. the camp being situated in
too. nat place without shelter from the
-r,o.sal sun or adequate protection dur
ns terrific downpours of rain so fire.
rrl Al his season. 1 was at once struck
.4. exemplary spirit of patience, even
..s.rul endurance shown by the officers
.5 men under such circumstances, and
,-t.f.'iag of admiration for the manner
81. which the American soldiers, volun-
ts.rs and regulars alike. accept the neces-
s,ry n4riships of the work they have
,.r1.rt,ken to do, has grown and increas-
IL VITA every phase of the difficult and
tryjr- campaign which the troops of the
p4.ra.ae expedition have brought to such
q brilliant and successful conclusion.
.Tae Fiupuos, or insurgent forces at
war With Spain, had. prior to the arrival
of the american land forces, been waging
ao,sailoty warfare with the Spaniards for
several months, and were at the time of
INV arrival in considerable force, various
~ estimated and never accurately ascer-
tanned. Uut probably not far from 1900
men These troops, well supplied with
small arms, plenty of ammunition and sew
era, field guns, had obtained positions of
investment opposite to the Spanish line of
detached works throughout their entire
extent
Gen Merritt then speaks of Gen. Agul-
nallos accomplishments previous to his
arrival and continues;
AS Gen. Aguinaldo did not visit me on
my arrival. nor offer his services as a
subordinate military leader, and as my
Instructions from the President fully con-
tempated the occupation of the islands by
the American land forces and stated that
tfe powers of the military occupant are
absolute and supreme and Immediately OPP
era upon the political condition of the
fuh3auants,' 1 did not consider it wise to
hold any direct communication with the
insargent Seader until l should be in pos
session of the city of Manila, especially as
! would not until then be in a position to
issue proclama ton and enforce my au-
thory in the event that his pretensions
sbold clash with my designs.
For these reasons the preparation for
the attack on the city were pressed and
military operations conducted without ref
erence to the situation of the insurgent
forces. The wisdom of this course was
subsequently, fully established by the fact
that when the troops of my command car
ried the Spanish intrenchments, extend
ng from the sea to the Pasay road on
the extreme Spanish right. we were under
no Obligations. by prearranged plans of
mutual attack, to turn to the right ana
clear the front still held against the in
surgents, but were able TO move forward
al once and occupy the city and suburbs.
To return to the situation of Gen.
Greene's brigade as l found it on my ar
rival, it will be seen that the difficulty
in gaining an avenue of approach to the
Spanish line lay in the fact of my disin-
clnation to ask Gen. Aguinaldo to with
draw from the beach and the Gale Real,
so that Gen. Greene could move forward
This was overcome by instructions to Gen.
Greene to arrange, if possible with the
L.
mediate vicinity TO move TO the right and
allow the American forces unobstructed
control of the roads in their immediate
front. No objection was made, and ac-
cordingly Gen. Greene's brigade threw for
ward a heavy outpost lire on the Gale
Real and the beach, and constructed a
trench, in which a portion of the guns OF
the Utah batteries were placed.
The Spanish observing this activity on
our part made very sharp attack with
infantry and artillery on the night of
July 81
The behavior of our troops during this
nights attack was all that could be de-
sired, ana [ have in cablegrams to the
war department., taken occasion to com
mend by name those who deserve special
mention for good conduct in the affair.
Our position was extended and
strengthened after this and resisted sue
cessfully repeated night attacks, our
forces suffering, however, considerable
loss III wounded and killed, while the
losses of the enemy, owing to the dark
ness, could not be ascertained."
Gen. Merritt then tells of the difficulty
he experienced in reinforcing Gen.
Greene's troops on account of the OBJ
stacles In landing
Continuing, he says: Upon the assem-
bly, OF McArthur's brigade in support of
Greene's, I had about $500 men in posi-
10 OH n-l- r. : Afs,-c bod
come for final action During the time of
the night attacks J. had communicated my
desire 20 Admiral Dewey that he would
allow his ships to open fire on the right Of
the Spanish line of Entertainments beiev-
ing that such action would stop the night
firing and the loss of life, bur the admiral
had declined to order it unless We were in
danger of losing our position by the as
saults cf the Spanish, tor the reason that,
IN his opinion, it would precipitate a gen
eral engagement for which he was not
ready. Now, however, the brigade of Gen.
Nolh