The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-02
OUR TROOPS IN MANILA.

The achievements of the army which has
captured Manila are much more important.
as set forth by General Merritt in his re-
port, than shown by reports of correspond
ents. General Merritt is a soldier by educa-
ton and experience. He won an enviable
reputation as a lieutenant Of General Sheri-
dan in Virginia Since that time he has
been in the army holding important COM
mands. For these reasons he knows what
soIdierly conduct is, what gallantry means
and what hardship is. When he gives
may be sure he finds that both come UP
to his high standard. In camp, under the
most trying conditions, such as lying for
weeks in rain-swept trenches, alternated by
burning heat with a scarcity of rations at
times because they could not be landed, and
in sharp engagements with the enemy, the
volunteers have won the praise of life
long army officer who knows what war is
and what soldier must be.
We have not learned much about the cap
ture of Manila, consequently we have not
appreciated the difficulty of the task and the
brilliancy with which it was performed. The
capture Of an intrenched town which has
been a garrison, held by any considerable
number of soldiers. has always involved a
shocking loss of life. Yet General Merritt's
army accomplished this in the occupation
of Manila with little loss. 1t may be urged
that the Spanish were not much of a fight
ing foe. 1t was enough of a fighting army
to cause an assault with spirit which was
repealed. In that assault and in the subse-
quent movements of the American troops.
the Spanish were doubtless impressed, as
were the SpaniarGs at Santiago, with the
irresistible valor of General Merritt's army.
In the capture of Manila the same valor
was displayed as in the jungles about San
tiago or on board the victorious ships of
Dewey and Sampson. No words. can more
adequately express the splendid achieve
ments of our army which captured Manila
than those of General Merritt, as follows:
submit that for troops to enter under
fire town covering a wide area, to rapidly
deploy and guard all principal points in the
extensive suburbs. to keep out the insurgent
forces pressing for admission, to quietly dis
arm an army of Spaniards more than equal
In numbers to the American troops and.
finally, by all this to prevent entirely all
rapine, pillage and disorder and gain en-
tire and complete possession of a city of
100000 people filled with natives hostile to
the European interests and stirred up by
the knowledge that their own people were
hghting in the outside trenches, was an act
which only the law-abiding, temperate. res
olute American soldier. well and skillfully
handled by his regmental and brigade COM
manders, could accomplish.
''The law-abiding, temperate, resolute
American soldier''-there can be no higher
attributes, no qualities that will so thor
oughly win us the respect Of the civil
lied world. General Greene, another
West Pointer who was a subordinate
of General Merritt at Manila, says
that 'the American soldiers have
made a proud record at Manila for
self-control and good order, and this fact
has gone far to make favorable impression
on the minds of the people of the islands
regarding the character of the people of
the United States The same class of men
are needed to take the place of Spanish SOL
diers in Cuba, because they will make the
Cubans our friends and hasten the fulfill
ment of DIR mission in that island