Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-17
WITH A CHEER
The Americans Stormed the
Trenches at Manila.
Cruisers Sail to Capture lIoiIo, Cebru
and Port Royalist.
Gen. Ausustin Denies Fleeing from Manila
But Is MOI Believed.


Hong Kong, Aug. 16.-Admiral
Dewey gave Gen. Augustin an hour in
which to surrender, at the time of the
last demand. made on Saturday. Gen.
Augustin refused to comply.
The bombardment, which began at
$50 A. M, was continued for two hours
and then the Americans stormed the
trenches, sweeping allbefore them. The
Intramuros Chose within the walls)
attempted no resistance
The LIST Colorado Volunteers stormed
the outer trenches and drove the
Spaniards into the second line of de-
fences.
Then the American troops swept on.
driving all the Spaniards into the in
ner fortifications, where the Spanish
commander, seeing that further resis-
lance was useless, hoisted the white
flag and surrendered
The losses, American or Spanish, are
not yet known. The Spaniards in the
trenches probably numbered 5000 men.
The American attacking force number
ed 10000. and the Americans were bet
ter armed, better trained and in better
condition.
TIE foreign fleets watched the bonn
bardment with acute interest.
The American warships engaged
were the Olympia, Petrol, Raleigh, Nc
Culloch, Boston. Monterey. Charles
ton and Baltimore
The Spaniards assert that the fire of
the Americans for the most part fell
short, the only effective fire being from
small gunboat armed with quick
firing guns that was close in shore.
1t is also asserted by the Spaniards
that the Americans lost heavily in
the stcrming, owing to the faulty con-
struction of their entertainments,
which the Spaniards could command
from the heights and upon which they
poured calling fire.
The Spanish trench extended around
| Manila at distance of from two to
four miles from the walled city, form
and it was impossible, the Spaniards
say to hold so long line against the
| American attack.
| Admiral Dewey and General MerEitt,
it is reported, had issued orders 70
spare all except armed defences of the
city, and. consequently the town is I'M
derstood to have been but little dam
| aged. Some street fighting between
the Spaniards and the insurgents &C.
Cured on the outskirts, but order pre-
vailed in the infamous section.
The American version Of the battle is
yet unobtainable.
Consul General Wildman, today, re-
ceived a report from Admiral Dewey,
saying that it was intended after the
capture Of Manila, to dispatch cruisers
Aug IA, tosIlolio and Cebu. to accept
the surrender of those ports and also
| to send cruisers to Port ROyalist, in
Talawan, to capture the gunboats there
hiding Another ship was detailed to
| capture the Spanish steamers plying
Labuan and Iloilo. Four Spanish gun
boats at Battaan, in Panay, were also
to be captured.
| Consul Wildman credits the report
and says that should the vessels have
left before the arrival at Manila of the
British steamer Australia. which was
| chartered to carry the news of the
signing of the protocol. and the cessa-
ton OF hostilities to that place, it will
be an impossibility to recall the vessels
! in three weeks.
Gen. Augustin, today, said he did not
know that the Kaiserin Augusta was
to sail for Hong Kong. He was in
| formed that a launch was awaiting
him which he boarded and was taken
to the kaiserin Augusta, which inn
mediately started for this place. This
statement is CONSIDERED an equIVOcsA-
ton, as Gen. Augustin evidently
knew his destination and his escape
was pre-arranged. go
A deputation of Hong Kong Filipinos,
headed by Agoncildo. high commits
sioner and ambassador Of the Philip
pine provisional government, waited
| upon Gen. Wildman, yesterday, and
| congratulated him on behalf of Aguin-
| aldo upon the splendid success of the
American arms in the Philippines and
the happy termination of the war In
favor of America and requested Mr..
Wildman to wire President Mckinley
their congratulations and assurances Of
their allegiance and an expression Of
their hope that the Filipinos. will be
represented on the Philippine commits
sion.