Evening star., 1898-09-30
DISTRICT BOY AT MANILA
His Description Of the Capture of the City by
the Americans
Was Present When Old Glory Was
Troops Well Cared For.

Private Robert Z. Smith of Company G,
I'd Oregon Volunteers, now duty in the
Philippines, recently wrote his father a de-
scripton of some of the scenes attending
the capture of Manila, in part as follows:
MANILA, August ~, 1898.
1 write this letter on Spanish stationery.
We have captured lots of it and the Span
sh government having gone out of bus-
ness here, have no further for it. The
health of the soldiers here is generally
good, although We have warm and wet
weather. We all get along nicely together,
have brotherly regard for one another.
are in good quarters, in good spirits and
well cared for. Looking out on the harbor
we can see our good Admiral Dewey's fleet
taking things easy, but ever on the alert
for any one that is looking for trouble.
You are no doubt anxious to learn
some thing about the capture of Manila
from one who participated in it. Our regi-
ment tthe I'd Oregon received marching
orders the Eth, and the morning of the
18th of August, at O'Clock, went aboard
the Chinese steamer Hong Kong, and
! moved under cover of Admiral Dewey's
| fleet. We remained in position until $3.50
o clock m, when we We're closed in by
| the feet, as cur steamer was frail vessel
| and might easily be blown to pieces. The
| Raleigh opened fire on the Spanish trenches
| at Malate, and the Olympia also let loose
| with her big guns We could see the Span
lards running IN every direction, some even
| toward the bay; but the captured little
cruiser Gallon was policing along the shore
and opened fire in turn with the Boston,
| Raleigh, Olympia and Charleston.
AT times when the smoke cleared away We
| could see the fort batteries making faint
| reply. About fifty minutes of rapid firing
sienced the fort, and ten minutes after the
| firing ceased the American boys were fore
| ing the SpaEiards toward Manila. 1t
| running fight, for in less than ten minutes
| Uncle Sans forces half mile
Manila. The city is large one, and the
| dome of the cathedral and the government
buildings We're fine targets for our feet.
The firing had ceased for while and all
! our vessels were in good firing distance.
| The guns seemed to be wistfully looking at
! the splendid targets in the doomed city be-
fore them, when all at once the very air
| seemed to speak and a white flag shot up
| in sight from the top of the tallest ca
| thedral, calling for peace consultation. 1t
| was a disappointment to all of US, but at
the same time great relief, the sus-
| pense was simply awful
Given Orders to Land.
In about two hours we were givenorders
| to land We took a path along the fort
| walls, and entered the city each and
/ every man looked for trouble We climbed
| walls with embrasures full of cannon, and
| every now and then two three Spanish
heads would bob up from behind their
| works. The only command given was,
| Steady, boys, steady the officers being
fearful that at any moment We might get
| too anxious and commence firing. We
came to a small river, where there
| Spanish gunboat lying by wharf, when all
| of a sudden streak of fame shot out from
| her sides, and in a moment it dawned on
| Us that she had been set fire.
1T was time for things of more i'm
| portance than trying to save a gunboat and
we made double time until out of danger
| of her guns and explosives, as We did not
know what devitry might be intended. We
were unfamiliar with our surroundings, in
a strange city full of enemies, armed and
unarmed, and every man had to be on the
alert.
I'VE found many fortified places and
finally reached the governors palace. l
canno. describe to you cur feelings when
our country's glorious flag went up on the
palace and the Spanish colors came down
l hope to stay down forever. 1t was a
grand, supreme moment to us, and an
awful silence reigned throughout our
| ranks. 1t was to ne the proudest moment
| of my life, and l was glad | was an Amer
! lean and that it was my privilege to be
one of the few American soldiers present.
There were only the 1st and ID BattalionS
OF our regiment, one company Of the I'd
Battalion, the executive officer of Admiral
DeWeys fleet and a few other officers pres
| eEt. When old glCry raised over the
| fort on Guam Island Were wild with
enthusiasm, put at the raising of the same
grand emblem of our country at Manila .he
scene was entirely different.
In a short time the surrender was COM
| plete, and the first to march out and Law
down their arms to We're seven COM
panies of infantry, then some light ba5-
| teries followed by heavy artillery. 1t was
| grand moment to our little command.
and our major was as proud as a king on
| his throne.
Spaniards Swarmed In.
I'VE were up all right and the next day
| the Spanish soldiers came swarming IN
some Of them literally covered with mud.
While everything locked bright and cheer
full to us there were some very pathetic
scenes, to me indescribable. Spanish SOL
diers would cry and sob like children. and
some would go by supported by their COM
rades their grief seemingly unbearable
we were on guard al the palace for a
tine, but are now in comfortable quarters,
and all our troops are occupying the Span
ish barracks, while the prisoners are in
the churches and other places. Had We
occupied Manila, with its strong fortifica-
tlons and natural defenses, no two govern
ments in the world could have taken It
from US. The Spaniards say we are queer
people, for instead of falling back when
fired on we press forward.
I'VE have not done much fighting here
but we have the grand, ,never-to-be-surren-
dered city OF Manila, and that is some
compensation for the trouble we have had
The Spanish soldier here is paid l. cents a
day and ration of rice and very dirty
looking fish, and, l am told, no bread A
native will carry a big trunk on his head
two miles for ten cents.
There Is talk of transferring US t6the
regulars. While the regular service is more
strict as to discipline than the volunteer,
yet the men get what the allowance calls
for. We have just received rumors that
peace has been declared, and if that is so
! all the boys will want to go home as we
came here to fight for the government not
to do garrison duty