The National tribune., 1898-11-24
TAKIN@ MANILA.
A Sd U. S. Art. Boy Tells How
the Amerieatis Went In.

the Americans Went In.
Z IT
Larry Wyer, of Battery L, Sd Art, no
at Manila, has recently sent his relative
at Portland, Me. Ian account OF his G,
periences in the Philippines. We tax
extracts from his. letter. He writes:
slofyi MANILA.
Here we are in the center of Manila, cor
trolling the town with little or no excite
ment and all my calculations busted.
l never dreamed of such an easy walk
over for our troops; in fact, there was yer
| little actual fighting on the day of the as
sault.
| We left Honolulu July and had q mos
delightful trip here, there being no wine
stirring and no sea. 1t was more like al
excursion trip than voyage of 1000 miles
We lost but five or six men on the trip ant
were otherwise very lucky. We arrived a
Cavite on the evening of the last of July
That night there was considerable fighting
on shore, as we could see by the continue
flashes four or five miles distant from the
ship. H
and were Quartered at an old fortress foul
or five days. Here we found troops, Volun
teers and Regulars, though most of the
Regular troops were at the 'front.' 1t rained
every day and sometimes six or sever
times day, and we had not the freedom
we might have had in times of peace
But what we did see was quite interesting
In the harbor was the top hampers o.
seven or eight ships that Dewey had sunk
a couple of forts battered quite a bit, and a
general appearance of the ghastly flight
of the Spaniards. Insurgents were grouped
about the streets and dock as we landed
All were armed with some kind of rife.
n r1svrr ant aYa lxr IL
ing lot. would put one good American
soldier against dozen of them. Still
they can stab in the dark or behind youl
back, and though they do fight that way
mostly they seem to have no fear OF death
This is, of course, the direct result Of
ignorance.
We left the camp at Cavite on Aug Z
went on board small steamers and were
taken across the bay about three miles tc
the outskirts of Manila We went into
camp that night one mile and half from
our trenches. 1t rained all night, and
things were in bad shape, but everyone
was in the best of spirits. We stayed al
this camp until the morning of Aug. 10
when we got orders to move on Manila
Every man was served with 100 extra
rounds of ammunition making 200 rounds
in all, and two days rations. These with
the rifles and sidearms constituted sol
diers' outfit on this day.
A march of about two miles brought us
to the nches-earthwork thrown up for
protection. 1t was raining heavily, and
everyone was soaking wet and as mudd Y
as a goose, but all were anxious for the
attack.
At about 10 O'Clock the ships began to
shell the SpaniardS in their trenches
which were about one mile from ours. AT
the same time we began to advance all
along the line. There had been and was
at this time some little skirmish- firing
but no general engagement. The shells
from the ships sfuieking over our heads
made peculiar music under peculiar cir
Gums tanceS.
We had to break through dense foliage
tangled vines and the like, some tripping
and going into trenches Of mud and water
to their waists; but amid many curses and
few bruises we broke cover about 300
yards from the first line of Spanish works
field thinly sprinkled with cornstalks
separating us.
| had no idea but what we would lose
two-thirds of our, battery at this place.
Well, we lost no time, but advanced as
skirmishers, andssstiff but an occasional
shot was fired. They were waiting for a
sure thing, | Thought Still, WIS sur
prised that they had not opened fire at
sight OF us. But when SO yards only
separated our troops, from the trenches my
surprise was complete. l more than ex-
pected death right here, and felt no ex-
ultation in yet being alive In fact, was
too much puzzled about where the Spani-
ards were to think Of anything else We
mounted and passed the trenches, which
were very firm, heing made OF bags Of sand.
An American army could have held those
works against four times their number,
and SO could the Spaniards, beheve, had
they stayed there and fought it out But
that is Just what they did not do.
We continued to advance 300 yards
oh,
very soon were in the streets. The houses
were deserted, and no one was encountered
even in the streets, it being quite evident
that the inhabitants had LETT the city for
safety.
Occasionally groups of Spanish soldiers
could be seen running through the side
streets, and all seemed to be making for
The same center, and were but a moment
in sight. We were more than ever on the
alert at this time, expecting volley from
any OF the houses at any moment, but
none came. Here again the Spaniards
could have given the Americans a severe
essen.
One-half mile more and we were in sight
If an inland fort, and there, streaming in
he breeze, surrounded by hundreds OF
Spanish SO diers, was white flag planted
on the ramparts. To me this was the big
yest surprise of the day, but there was
more to come. Right here it may he said
If American soldiers to enter Manila.
Well, this, beyond doubt, Tor time at
east, settled the matter. Even while the
white flag ffoated from the fort some shots
we're exchanged through the town We
lalted within 200 yards of the Spaniards.
and were soon joined by troop after troop
Of our soldiers. Here it was definitely
settled that the Spanish had surrendered
the city.
One-half hour more and we were called
upon to go to another portion of the town,
in which the insurgents were massed
Arrived there we were drawn up, COM
pletely blocking two streets. We were at
this time about Semen strong, facing about
] 600 angry insurgents DESTROYS of getting
into the city and footing and killing. We
were not 80 yards apart, and the insurgents
seemed bound 10 come.
Finally we got the. command "As single
leaders load " and consequently looked
for squalls. Still The officers of both
sides talked and gesticulated and then the
order, + ill magazines and fix bayonets'
This was the most critical moment of any
we had passed, but finally the insurgents
took water and retired, and after awhile
our flag was hoisted from this portion of
the city, and the first chance Of serious
was avoided.
We sough quarters, an have been taking
matters pretty easy since. Armed Ameri-
can soldiers patrol the city, but business
n