The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-22
MERRITTs TFsTIMoNY.
He Describes the Operation of the
Army Before Manila.

He Describes the Operation OF 1le
Army Before Manila.
General Wesley n. Merritt was the
first witness of the afternoon. He be-
gan his testimony by description Of
The operations around Manila prior to
its capture. Owing to the smallness
of his force he said the army was COM
PEELED to operate along the sea front.
in cooperation with the navy. Had
there been a large American force on
land the city would have been taken
from the high ground inland, but this
was tacitly impractlcable without leav-
ing our base at the mercy Of both
spanlards and insurgents, The clty's
defenses were good. The Spaninrds
had excellent arms and plenty OF aIEl-
munltion. All they lacked was sand"
The engagement lasted not over two
hours. The army had both Spanlards
and insurgents to contend with.
'The insurgents were very anxious to
take part in the attack, said General
Merritt "bHt they were not notified
when the attack was to be made, as I
was sure the entrance OF the Filipinos
into the city would mean unnecessary
bloodshed and some toottng."
General Merritt said the American
losses were not correctly reported IN
the press reports. There were about 12O
officers and men killed and wounded.
No accurate account of the Spanish loss
was obtainablc. The American force.
however, captured over 1900 stand OF
modern arms and the Spanish loss was
known to be severe.
There was some discussion in the
commission over the relative merits Of
the Springfield and the modern small
calibre rifles. This drew from General
Merritt the statement that personally
he should prefer the Springfield with
smokeless powder to the "calibre 30."
line officers would be better judges of
that than l."
Didn't Know He Was Shot.
AS an instance OF lack OF stopping
power of the small bore rifle, he said
one OF his officers was shot through the
leg in the Manila fight, and did not
know 1t until the next morning.
General Merritt said in reply to ques-
tlons that the volunteers were as eftec-
tive and as enthusiastic as could be de-
sired. He regarded them as very excel
lent troops.
The supplies were satisfactory at all
times, except as to ice and milk for fe-
yer patients, He explained this by say
ing that there was apparently no milk
producing animals in that region. There
were some small cattle apparently inn
ported from China, but they gave no
milk to speak OF.
As to medical supplies and hospital
c0RvenIences, General Merritt said he
had heard no complaint. on entering
the city the army took possession OF all
the good houses 1t needed, and turned
them over to the medical department,
The sick and wounded were thus we'll
provided for.
The army on the island depended
upon local stock for transportation,
This proved quite satisfactory, and he
doubted the ndVlsability OF importing
American horses or mules.
Asked II he had the corui1l and etfec-
tive support OF the administration, Gem
Gral Merritt said: From the President
l had the most hearty sympathy and
support, and this applies also to the
various departments. The only thing
OF which l might feel had II right to
complain Of was not having some con-
tlngent of regulars to act rs n nucleus
even IL they We're TO be taken from
Tampa. Should IKE 10 nave had tHuC
Fifteenth regular regiment, but was
told could not have 1t unless / fur
nlshed something TO take Its place. But
made the best could OF the situation,
and distributed my stan officers to aid
and train first the volunteer officers and
then the men. This worked very well,
and l was personally thanked, as were
my officers, for this service"
General Merritt paid quite as high q
tribute to the civilian officers MS did
General Shnfter the previous day, say
ing: "They were Eood officers, intelli-
gent, anxious to learn md to work.