Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-09-15
FILIPINO WAR METHODS.
Aguinaldo'8 instructions to the
Brave Soldiers ofSandatahan."
ORDERED TO SURPRISE ENEMY

err, They Are to Respect the Con
nuIntcs, Etc., and Avoid Looting.
Washington, Sept The war de-
| partment yesterday made public the
! following letter Of instructions purport
| ing to be signed by AgunaldO, with
! the explanation that it was in the rec
ords captured by the American forces.
| 1t is dated Malolos, Jan. 8, 1899, and IL
! headed Instructions to the brave sol
! diers Of Sandatahan of Manila"
| "All Filipinos should observe our
! fellow countrymen in order to see
/ whether they are American sympathiz-
! ers They shall take care to work
| with them in order to inspire them
| with confidence OF the strength Of the
| holy cause of their country When
ever they are assured Of the loyalty Of
the convert they shall instruct them &c
continue in the character of an Ameri-
can sympathizer in order that they
may receive good pay, but without pre-
JUDGING the cause of our country. In
this way they can serve themselves and
at the same time serve the public by
communicating to the committee Of
chiefs and officials of our army what
ever news OF Importance they may
have.
"All Of the chiefs and Filipino broth
ers should be ready and courageous for
the combat and should take advantage
of the opportunity to study well the
situation of the American outposts and
headquarters, observing especially Sc
cret places where they can approach
and surprise the enemy.
"The chief cf tt vho go to attack
the barracks should send in first four
men with good present for the Amer
lean commander. Immediately after
will follow four others who will make
a pretense of looking for the same Of
fieer for some reason, and larger
group shall be concealed in the corners
Of houses in order to aid the other
groups at the first signal. This wherever
il is possible at the moment of attack.
"They should not, prior to the attack,
look at the Americans in a threatening
manner. To the contrary, the attack
on the barracks by the Sandatahan
should be a complete surprise, and with
decision and courage One should go
alone in advance to kill the sentinel.
In order to deceive the sentinel the
one should dress as woman. and must
take great care that the sentinel is not
able to discharge his piece, thus call
ing the attention of those in the bar
racks This will enable his compan-
ions who are approaching to assist in
the general attack.
"At the moment of the attack the
Sandatahan should not attempt to Sc
cure rifles from their dead enemies.
but shall pursue. slashing right and
left with bolos until the Americans
surrender, and after there remains no
enemy who can injure them they may
take the rifles in one hand and the
ammunition in the other
The officers shall take care that on
the top of houses along the streets
where the American forces shall pass
there will be placed four to six men,
who shall be prepared with stones, tim
beTs, redhOt iron, heavy furniture, as
well as boiling water oil and molasses,
rags soaked in coal oil, ready to be
lighted and thrown down, and any
other hard and heavy objects that they
can throw on the passing American
troops. At the same time in the low
err parts of the houses will be conceal
ed the Sandatahan, who will attack
Immediately. Great care should be
taken not to throw glass the streets,
as the greater part of OF soldiers go
barefooted. On these 0uses there
wi, if possible, be arranged in addi-
ton to the objects to be thrown down,
a number of the Sandatahan, in order
to cover retreat or to follow up
rout of the enemy's column so that we
may be sure of the destruction of all
the opposing forces
oh n q L,r1 ~, oh
prepare groups of the Sandatahan, who
will attack with ferocity and decision
the Americans within their lines, at
tempting to surround each group of
Americans or to break through their
lines. This must be done if the ma
ture of the ground occupied by the
Americans will permit, and if the
Sandatahan have the proper amount of
courage and resolution, and the more
| courage and intelligence that they
show in the moment of the attack the
more sure will be the result and the
fewer will be their own losses.
There shall be in the houses YES
sells filled with boiling water, tallow
| molasses and other liquids. which shall
thrown as bombs on the Americans
who pass in front of their houses, or
! of bamboo In these houses shall be
| the Sandatahan, who shall hurl the
! liquids that shall be passed to them
| by the women and children.
In place of bolos or daggers, if
they do not possess the same, the
! Scndatahan can provide themselves
with lances and arrows with long sharp
heads, and these should be shot with
great force in order that they may
! penetrate well into the bodies of tina
enemy And those should be so made
that in withdrawal from the body the
| head will remain in the flesh
1T can be taken for granted that if
the above instructions are observed
the enemy will not be able to use fire.
arms because of the confusion in his
ranks, as they would shoot one an
other For this reason | have always
thought the rifle useless in this kind
Of combat.
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