Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-02-06
1T SURPRISED MERRITT.
Former Military Commander I'm Phil
ippines Did Not Expect an
Attack.

NEW YORK, Feb. 5.-Major General
Wesley Merritt was interviewed to-day re-
garding the attack by the Filipinos upon
the American forces about Manila Saturday
and Sunday. General Merritt spoke first
of the condition of the troops when he left
there in September last. He said he
thought there was absolutely no cause for
apprehension by the Americans, as he con-
sidered the American troops perfectly able
to cope with the enemy. ss.
''The insurgents" said General Merritt.
have the habit of attacking their enemies
at night. 1t was SO when l was there.
You will see they will try 1t again tosnight.
think there is no use in temporizing with
them The Fiiipinos are apt to imagine that
temporizing policy indicates. fear. ..
1t Is strange fact that all our fight
ing is done on Sunday, even in the far
East. This seems to be our fate.
II think that they could not do much by
attacking our troops on the north. On the
south they might attack with more sue
cess. The southeast of the bay is under
the guns of the navy
He was asked how large he thought the
Filipino army is. and he estimated when
he was there that they had from 1900 to
15.00O men. He arrived at this estimate, he
explained. by counting the rifles. The in
surgents. he said. fight in rather peculiar
way. A man. for example. stays in a
trench for forty-eight hours and then is
relieved by another man. who uses the
same gun. It is therefore quite probable
that the Filipinos are much greater in
number than the rifles. which he counted.
Il have no doubt" he continued, that
since left there much ammunition has
been smuggled to them by the Spaniards
from Hong Kong. They have about 1000
pieces from the Spanish deserters, i know.
Probably they are now well supplied with
guns. .'' r~- '-~'- "''H
my estimate has been and is now that
5000 to $1,000 men can cope with the Fill
pinos. Two-thirds Of this number might
be natives. The experience of the English
with their colonies shows US that good SOL
diers can be made of the colonists by man
ming them with efficient officers
The general was asked If he had any
reason to fear at the time he was in Ma
| Mia that the Filipinos would attack Ma
Mia. He replied: mo, 1 never thought
| they would attack us. think they have
been led to this by events that have taken
place si4ce."
He said he did not wish to be understood
as criticising the present military surveil-
lance of the Philippines. but it was his
| opinion that the holding in abeyance of the
treaty of peace may have influenced the
insurgents to make this attack.
General Merritt spoke Of the excellent
| troops that are in Manila and its suburbs.
| He referred particularly to the First Min
nesota, commanded by General Reeve. and
| the Colorado regiment, commanded by
| General Hale, a graduate of West Point,
| and who has a superb staff Of officers. and
| also of the California regiment, which, he
said, Is made up of magnificent men.
General Merritt said that when he was
! in Manila he was of the opinion that he
| could have Cleaned out" the insurgents
in half a day If he had orders to force the
| fighting. He spoke Of the preparations
| which Admiral Dewey had made during
his stay there for possible attack upon
| the army and added that Admiral Dewey
| always kept two picket boats in readiness
| needed, however. He thought that one
good lesson would be sufficient.
General Merritt spoke of the swampy
| environment of Manila and the difficulty
| to be encountered by our troops. He said
| the roads are about thirty feet wide and
| are known as causeways. On either side
are rice fields. There are also bamboo
| hedges.
| Brigadier General Francis V. Greene de-
clined to discuss the outbreak.