Evening star., 1899-02-11
Interesting Story of the Real Facts
in the Philippines.
RECIqED BY v. j RIGHqMIRE
FiIipinos Better Equipped With
Guns Than Our Volunteers.
ESS IS NECESSARY

William J. Rightmire, who was fleet pay
clerk under Admiral Dewey during the bat
tie of Manila, the subsequent blockade and
the bombardment of the city, is in WASH
ngton Mr. Rightmre resigned in Septem-
ber, owing to i'll health, and returned to
San Francisco, his home, arriving there in
the middle of November. He volunteered
for duty in both of the naval engagements,
and Captain Gridley in his report of the
battle of May commends him for his SER
vices. Although not called upon to perform
any active duty in case of battle, he volun-
teered for service IN whatever capacity ne
might be most useful and he was assigned
10 one of the powder magazines where he
served during this engagement. He was
also assigned to the same; duties during the
Dombardment of Mania. die was ashore in
tavite during the blockade and following
the fall of Manila he was in the city on
many occasions. He meta number of in
surgent officers, including AguInaido, dur
ing the time there were friendly relations
EXISTING between the Filipinos and the
Americans.
The action of the Filipinos in attacking
the Americans in Manila said Mr. Right
mire today, did not surprise me. We saw
enough of the natives during the time of
the blockade to convince US that they were
not to be depended upon, and ] for one am
not surprised at the treacherous action of
the leader of the insurgents. None of the
ofhcerS IN the fleet put much dependence in
them. / do not believe Admiral Dewey
looked with any degree of favor upon Agui-
naldos coming to Cavite. While he al
ways treated Aguinaldo with courtesy he
any way, or of recognizing his pretensions
as president of the Philippine republic
Admiral Dewey saw Aguinaido frequently
during the blockade, but he made a point
of always receiving him as a private citi-
zen. All of the stories that have been
printed to the effect that Admiral Dewey
made Agunaldo an ally and treated him as
such are incorrect. He gave him no aid
whatever, except to allow him to take some
of the arms that We're in the Cavite arsenal.
ana to take possession of some of the old
guns stored in the yard. In doing this ac-
cordfng to the understanding the officers
had, the insurgents We're not given formal
permission to take the arms but they We're
given to understand that If they took them
nothing would be said. Aguinaldo took
tour S-nch Misunderstanding rifles which
were in the Cavite arsenal loaded them on
iron lighters, which had belonged to the
Spanish government, and took them over
to Paranaque. where. they We're taken
ashore and hauled up to the rebel trenches
in front of Maiate. These guns would make
a lot OF noise when they were fired, but l
doubt if they ever inflicted any considerable
damage upon the Spaniards.
Ihe insurgents met with wonderful sue
cess III their operations against the Span
1ards, and during the month of June they
practically obtained control of all the coun-
try surrounding Manila. They captured
from 5000 to 1000 prisoners, obtained large
quantltles or arms by capture, and drove
the Spanish soldiers from one position to
another, until they had retreated within
the walls of the city. When our troops
We're landed in July, Manila was in state
OF siege, and the rebels had trenches almost
entirely around the city, preventing all
communication with the Interior When
the Americans landed troops south of Ma
MIA they were marched forward and took
possession of the trenches which the rebels
yyp nj arI
abandoned for new ones constructed nearer
the Spanish lines. The insurgents grew
very arrogant after they had driven the
Spaniards before them and they evidently
thought it would be as easy to fight the
American soldiers. One of the insurgent
oflcers, In talking with an officer on one
OF our snips' stated that Filipino soldier
was equal to two white soldiers This was
evidently their belief when they made their
attack upon Manila, but l am inclined to
thlnk they have revised their estimate of
,a ine Hsntins qualities of white men since
last Saturday.
1t seemed to me that trouble with the
insurgents was inevitable. They had a
large force OF well-arned men, and the
had turned their heads AS a matter of
Iact, thelr rifles are equal to- if not supe-
rlof TO. those with which the Americans
are equipped The regulars sent out from
Jorgensen rifles, but most of the volunteers
are armed with old Springfield rifles While
the Springfield rifle is good gun. it cam
nol @ pe used as rapidly as the Krag-Jorgen-
fighting ''' 0i'"e
me insurgents were almost all armed
with Mausers of late pattern In addition
70 those which they captured from the
spaniards, they have received large uuan-
Iltles shipped from Asiatic ports. Admiral
Dewey captured a Philippine steamer in
Heptemoer' pep which, It was reported, had
!e !elt annoy with 5000 rifles on board. The
time OF her departure however was not
correctly given, and she had already reach
Ell Batangas, small bay south of Manila
anu had peen at anchor for two days when
the news of her coming was received. When
sne was captured she had only twenty-five
rlnes on board, but it is supposed she
bIousht a full cargo and that they had
an peeh landed The insurgents had in
september two of the latest pattern Maxim
rapld-nre guns and it is reported they have
SINCE received a number more.
IN the belief of all who know the char
acter Oh the Filipinos there is only one
course to take with them and that is a
course OF firmness. Anyiconcessions made
70 them are regarded by them as an evil
uenee OF weakness, and make them only
think that the lesson which has been
Taught them in their brush with the Amer
leans VIII be valuable one. Aeuinaldo has
never been any too secure In his position as
ieaoer OF the natives, and the unsuccessful
attack they have made is likely to result
III MS oelng ousted as president, and in
tne putting in power of some man who has
not SO well developed a case of big head.
The one thing that ia to be feared in
my opinion, In campaign in the Philip
pine Islands IDS is malaria and other forms of
disease. There will be more deaths from
disease than from buliefs, no matter how
rigorous a campaign might be carried on.
The water is impure, the heat is almost in
tolerable to white men. and no one but a
native can live IN the interior and drink
the water from the streams 1t is a very
fortunate circumstance that the Americans
nave finally secured possession of the water
works. The Filipinos captured the water
works In July, and they refused to turn
them over to the Americans after the sur
render of the city. If they had succeeded
IN destroying them. or in permanently in
able there would have been a recurrence
or the old scourges which caused the death
OF thousands of people dn Manila"