The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-01
the BATTLE OF MANILA
General Wesley Merritt Makes
His Report.
DETAILS OF THE FIGHT
Aeuinaido DID Not Offer His Services
md No Communication Was Held
with Him Until After the
Surrender OF the City.

Washington, Sept. so.-The report Of
Gen. Wesley Merritt Of operations
about Manila was made public to-day.
1t Is dated on board the transport
China. Aug. 81. After giving briefly
the story Of his embarkation and ar
rival at Manila and disposition of the
troops. he says:
Il found General Greene's command
encamped OF a strip OF sandy land
running parallel to the shore of ;be
bay. and not for distant from the
OF binding supplies the greater portion
of the force had shelter tents only and
were suffering many discomforts. the
camp being situated in a low. fiat place
without shelter from the heat Of the
tropical sur or adequate protection
from the terrific d~ownpour of rains fire.
quent at this season"
Merritt then stated that the Philip
pine insurgents at the time OF his ar
rival numbered about 125. 900 men. car
rying small arms and having a number
of field guns.
Merritt says Aguinaldo did not offer
mis- services as subordinate military
leader. and he felt Il unwise to hold
any direct communication with the In
sureent leader until after the complete
investment Of the city of Manila by
Americans. and for these reasons prep
arations for the attack OF the city were
conducted without reference TO the in
surgent forces. The wisdom of this
course was subsequently fully estab-
lished.
ITO return to the situation OF
Greene's brigade as i found IL on my
arrival. II will be seen the difficulty in
A.
Spanish line lay In the fact OF my dis
inclination to ask Aguinaldo TO with
draw from the beach and Gale Real
80 Greene could go forward. This was
overcome by Instructions to Greene 10
arrange with the insurgent brigade
commander in the immediate vicinity
to move to the right and allow the
American forces unobstructed control
OF he rQads In the immediate front
No objection was made and accordingly
Greene's brigade threw forward heavy
outpost line, on 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 a very sharp attack
with infantry and artillery the night
of June 81. The behavior OF our troops
during the night attack WAS all that
could be desired. Our position Was ex-
NAtata III Z AANE ANNA
resisted successfully repeated night at
tacks. our forces suffering. however.
considerable loss in wounded and
killed. while the loss OF the enemy.
owing to darkness. could not be as
certained."
The strain Of the night fighting and
the heavy details for outpost duty made
II imperative to reinforce General
Greene's troops with General MacAr-
thurs brigade. which had arrived I'm
transports on the 31st of July. The
difficulties of this operation. due to lack
Of transports and heavy seas. can hard
ly be overestimated.
Upon the assembly OF Macarthur
brigade In support OF Greene, I had
about $500 men in position to attack
and ] deemed the time had come for
Ina action. During the time OF the
night attacks I had communicated my
desire to Admiral Dewey that he would
allow his ships to open fire OF the right
OF the Spanish line OF intrenchments.
believing that such action would stop
the night firing and loss OF fire. but the
admiral had declined to order u unless
we were in danger OF losing our posi-
ton by the assaults OF the Spanish.
with the reason that. I'm his opinion. Il
would p~recipitate a general engage
ment. for which he was not ready.
Now. however. the brigade OF Gen
eral Macarthur was In position and the
Monterey had arrived and under date
Of Aug. 6 Admiral Dewey agreed to my
suggestion that we should SEND a Joint
letter TO the captain general notifying
him hat he should remove from the
city all non-combatants within IS hours
and that operations against the defenses