The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-06
Nvpov GEMS. MERRITT AND GREENE.
Norm,r Military Governor Thinks tho stern
Lesson WIN End Serious Trouble.

Warmer Military Governor Thinks the stern
Lesson WIN End serious Trouble.
v,or.Gen. Wesley Merritt. first Military
,.rorror Of the Philippines and the com
S,,dsr NJ the American forces which cap
$500 Manila. ami Major-Gen. Francis V.
c,ssne. who was one OF Gen. Merritt's brigade
nmmanders in tho Philippine campaign.
,,Lsd 10 a reporter OF The Sun last night
TT +be situation In the Philippines when
they left there.
n "Vhep left Manila" said Gen. Merritt. we
,,d about 1900 officers and men there. Since
,hor all the regiments have been recruited to
,bsIr full strength. so that l should say our
,,mv to-day in the Philippines numbers
hon. $4,000. or this force all are volun-
,.,r regiments except Ave. The regulars
L ,rcluds the fourteenth. Eighteenth. Tween
ltisth. and Twenty-third Infantry and the
s,,tb Artillery. The infantry regiments were
commanded as follows: Fourteenth. Col
Charles F. Robe; Eighteenth. Col. David d.
Van vslzah: Twentieth. Col. Davis. l think
twenty third. Col. John w. French. The
health of the troors was excellent and the vol
unteers were rapidly becoming the equals OF
the regulars,
THE strength Of the insurgents was difficult
% estimate. and the only way / got at 1t was TO
r~scertain the number OF muskets they had.
| found they had captured some from the
s,aniards. received some from natives who
\ deserted from the Spanish Army. moro from
NHong Kong by purchase and some from
Che Cavit6 arsenal. given to them by Admiral
Dewey. From all these sources l estimated
that they had from 1000 TO $4,000 muskets.
And believe that was the strength OF the in
Eurgent force about Manila. l don't believe
thas materially increased"
When asked about the disposition OF the
American and insurgent forces, Gen. Merritt
referred the reporter TO Gen. Greene, who
aid:
The walled city OF Manila must not he con-
founded with that city which IL outside the
walls and made UP Of suburbs. Thu walled
city has the Pasig River on the north. Manila
Bay on the west, and to the north. west and
south OF it are suburbs situated in u sort OF an
Irregular semi-circle. Our forces, when I left.
were disposed outside. to the north. east and
\ south o! the walled city. in a semi-circle OF
shout two miles radius. Our trenches were just
tlittle inside those the Spanish had occupied.
The insurgents formation was the same as
ours. but beyond our lines. in Il semi-circle
whose radius was about three miles. The
walled city was policed by one regiment. the
First Oregon. The distance between our lines
and those Of the insurgents was about three
quarters OF a mile. The water works were
northeast Of the walled city. under guard. with
field pieces trained upon them"
Gen. Greene showed from a rough sketch
which he drew that ships of the fleet could be
\ DO disposed as to rake the Insurgents with a
fearful enhlading fire. Gen. Greene also pointed
out that II the positions OF the insurgents
could be accurately located the ships could
send shells over our trenches and into those OF
the insurgents. He said that the insurgents
bad no artillery worth anything.
Gen. Merritt said 1t was characteristic OF the
Insurgents TO make a night attack. They
learned oil they know Of warfare" said the
General, from the Spanish. and the Spanish
were fond OF night attacks. The insurgents
are accustomed to advance like al Oriental
soldiers, making az much noise 40 they know
how"
Asked what he thought the result OF the bat
tie would be. Gen. Merritt said:
The only thing those fellows respect Il
'nrce. IL they have received such a thrashlnR
as The suN's dispatches indicate. l think their
backbone has been broken. Just before I left
fhere | figured that it would be Just about q
goo day 5 work, with the force l had. to give
the lnsurgents a most satisfactory and complete
thrashing, | believe We have a large enough
force there at present to thrash and keep
thfeshed all the insurgents around Manila. 1t
Sthelr custom to keep one set of mon In the
Trenches forty-eight hours and then relieve
them with another set. Tho ones relieved
sometimes take their muskets with them
ana sometimes they leave them In the
trenches. When aghting. they fire a volley and
'heh walt for something to turn up. / have a
h'uon that when they find a force pitted
against them that never let's up until the
.nemy Is whipped, they will conclude that they
'on I want to tight that kind OF an enemy.
SiahlIa, however. isn't the whole island OF
Luhoh' and the insurgents might retire to the
nn'S mat overlook the city and maintain u
Guerrilla warfare for an indefinite period. To
1uo!utate tho Island Of Luzon l think Gen.
o'S should have 10000 mon"
asked II the Insurgents had military leaders
u ABILITY Gen. Merritt said IT don't think
20 "hat do you think. Gen. Greene? ?" Gen.
Greene replied:
They have ono General who Is a man OF no
IVA" aniIty as Il military commander, His
nsmei Is Po de Pillar. but he is not a Filipino.
a lu!-blooded Indian. Aguinaldo
showed to Gen, Merritt that he (Aguinaldol
~ az " vi IlluT HleL
."" man once He was extremely hos
NV " tho Americans and showed that
= was not Of the sort to be conciliated. An
Ursf iair'y able insurgent commander was a
VIZ named Noriel, He was a man. however.
lynn we could at least treat with"
co., 4 pl""Lr WAS not quite SO confident as
Gatti merritt alolt the result OF yesterdays
n",T re called attention TO the three
ipntrcs,..sJ ,mEIilng IN 1897. when the insurgents
EiIIa.a3{'s II qto" the Spanish u loss Of 800 or 400
dtyS, aAu a'"ut 1000 wounded. In ninety
VII said Neu. Greene. TN tell whether
n, nave a"y more trouble with the insur-
.oTn,n Mttritt's views were not changed by the
me-, ,4l'sHN OF Gen, Greene. Concluding the
fN On Merritt said.
a. me- atHahe maintained that as soon
Tie" .lHitoyod force with the insurgents
heinro""gtu respect our authority and not
10 ram FOR years they have been taught
hsyo "lrel no law hut force. and now that We
'orc. ven thrIn a specimen Of the kind OF
bcl 90" use when the occasion demands. !
,rr','' maj we have seen an end OF serious
On W. ne whole OUTFIT
thai " notiIii was greatly pleased at tho news
tai an E"'haldos private secretary had beep
"T6nn, ~ a spy, ,"That'h good he said
Ne Il, , w fellow that tried 10 arrange With
MIN ~ "h interview. with ARuinAldo. ] told
SOM a %! on lie day he called. ] had to meet
neXt l.,, Ngu naldo's rhieis. and that on the
$50 would be very buay The naHI dAV