The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-14
HOW THE CAPTURED
MANILA In 1862.

MANILA In 1862.
In 1IG2, 136 years ago, the Philippine
Island and cuba were both captured
by the British. Great Britain and
France had been at war for some years, |
when the latter persuaded its
neighbor Spain to take a hand and
help her. SO soon as this was known in
London the British with characteristic
prOmptness and vigor went SO work to
punish Spain for its folly. Lord Able
marie was sent to operate against Ha-
vana, n Brigadfer General (after-
wards Sir) William Draper COT 'Junius
Letters' fame) was sent against the
Philippines-to capture Manila. Both
were successful. Let us urn to the
capture of Manila brifly.
General Draper hurried in a sailing
vessel Gemember there were neither
eight batt1eships (of the old wooden
ITO Madras, India. There he had the
willing, earnest cooperation OF Admiral
Cornish. They sailed for Manila with
eight battleships (of the old wooden
hAllu) dIid IlItt 1lISddtS, VII 90 SuliS
n 4,330 sailors and marines. The
soldiers Draper had amounted to
1900 men. OF these there were not
many more than 1000 British, the
others being Indian Sepoys and some
French deserters. These ships reached
Manila before the Spanfards had heard
of war. When summoned to surrender
hI1-- -Nc.-oI ~ 0O,I
the British fleet lay in Manila bay.
Four days after a SpaniaTd was cap
tured on his way with the news of war.
The city had 5000 Spantards 10, 900
Chinese and in and around the city
were 10000 Malays or half breeds. The
Spanish garrison numbered 800 men,
with 10, 900 Malay retnforcements.
Draper determined to attack. On 24th
he landed men and CUR at the south
of the city walls about a. mile and a
quarter distant. Some lives We're lost
in landing owing to the high surf, but
no opposition was made by the Spanish.
Some of the boats were dashed to
pieces. Draper commanded the cen
tire. They seized the fort early mex
morning and also a church.. An &C
count says;
'On the 26th of September Admiral
Cornish sent on shore a battalion of
500 sailors under the of naval
officers, one of whom, Captain Pitch
ford of her majesty's ship America,
WAS the nephew of the admiral. The
Spaniards who had patiently per
united the landing, now made a SOrtie
against the invaders, but were repulsed
hoy the Madras sepoys, aided ~ some
of the S~eVenty-ninth and about a hum
dred sailors. Draper now for the sec
ond time summoned the governor-arch-
bishop to surrender, but again in vain,
and ne was forced to make preparations
to storm the city. On the 9th the ad-
miral landed from his ships eight
twenty-four Founders and two eigh-
H~een-pounders to form a siege battery,
land on the following day the most
striking incident was the murder of an
English officer, Lieutenant Fryer. who
with a flag of truce was bringing the
governors nephew, who had been taken
prisoner, to the city. This murder was
n work of the Malays, n after 1T,
Sn the words of Draper, our soldiers
showed them no mercy
While two of the vessels bombarded
night and day, the engineers were pre-
pairing for a land attack. On LIST and
End October there was a great storm,
and it ragged so loudly that the Span
Sards could not near the noise of the
British workmen. The Spaniards that
day gave no interruption. They were,
it seems, trusting to the elements to de-
stroy the British fleet and army. 1t is
said that the governor-archbishop gave
out that an angel from the Lord was
gone forth to destroy us like the host
of S~enhacherib." AS a matter of fact
Ehe hurricane had not prevented the
svorkmen from completing the bate
ries, but it drove ashore one of the
storeships, which proved to be not en-
tirely a disadvantage, as the stores
Were more easily obtained from the
stranded ship han through the surf.
While the S~paniards during h storm
,were idle and gassing. the brave British
were digging and working for the as