The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-04-24
TOWN FIRED BY FlllPlNOS
A Graphic Description by DR.. Paul c
Hutton of Goldsboro.
FILIPINO TROOPS EXIST AS A MOB
1t Took a Day and a Half 10 Haul Away the
Dead Of the F%iIipinos. Only twenty
Three Americans Killed.
Three Americans Killed

! Marcus +. Miller left Manila Decem-
| Der 20. 1895. to capture and garrison
| tie city Of IloiIo, the post Of most
importance next to Manila in the
Philippine archipelago, he was con-
fronted by a condition Of affairs which
had hitherto not been known 10 exist.
He found IloilO @alrisoned by 500
Filipino soldiers, who had fought and
| forced TO Withdraw all the Spanish
troops which for centuries back Spain
had sent to protect her interests il
The Island Of Panay. Officers, as we'll
as soldiers, had seen service against
Spain. and the Commanding General
o. the american forces soon realized
that his task was not to be an easy
one. The enemy was armed with
MAuSer. Remington and MuratO rifles,
and beside occupying the most m
able points in the city, they were
strongly ~intrenched outside.
On the morning OF December 2S. the
two big Transports, Hancock and
! Newport. steamed lazily into Iloilo
harDor. escorted by the cruiser Balti-
more and ounboats Concord and Pc
tree. Upolf arriving, American Off
| cere went ashore with a white flag al.l
attempted to arrange terms of sur
render. Also. the Filipino officials
came aboard the transports and were
heartily received, but nc terms, sat
isfactorv to both sides. could be
| agreed upon. Negotiations continued.
as time fled by. and still no conclusion
was reached.
In old Fort Santiago. a tumble
down. disintegrating pile Of Old stone
! not four hundred Yards from the
transports, the insurgents had forty
a%ntiquated and With this
collection Of junk they threatened
the American troOpshi pS. The Amerl-
can commander now threatened to
lombard the city and the Filipinos re-
taliated by saving that should Ameri-
can troops be landed or the city bonn
boarded, he would burn the city. re-
treat to his trenches and there give
battle. 50 matters continued and an
agreement seemed impossible. For
six weeks were the transports within
a stones throw Of the Filipino. and
for six weeks did the American sol
der remain aboard ship waiting fer
the time 10 come when he could f@,.e
his unprecedented enemy He watch
ed him drill from the rigging Of the
ship and listened to his trumpet calls
lat intervals during the day. AS the
sun arose every morning, he Won
dered what the day would bring forth.
How much longer would he nave to
remain aboard ship? At night he
watched the city With its hundred
! lights. and with his feet dangling
from the side Of the ship. looked
down at the sparkling waters. twenty
five feet below him. "SurelN." he
said. this cannon last always. There
must be q change oon.'
fortN-SeNen days after the eNpedi-
ton left Manila. some EiIipinos fired
a shot at the Baltimore. The cruiser
responded promptly both by bonn
harding and landing her sailors. Old
Fort Santiago was riddIed and its gar
rison sent flying to Join their COM
mands quartered further in the city.
Now there was no help for it. Troops
had to land and they landed quickly.
SO soon as practicable General Miller
had his force ashore and q detachment
from the naval vessels landed at
Fort Santiago. 1t took the Filipinos
but a short time to realize the Situa-
! ton and h blasting. booming sound
Of the heavy Hemingtons was soon to
be heard. The roaring Of the naval
gnTs the explosive. rtSounding sound
Of the Remington and Nurato. togeth-
er with the sharp crack of the
Mauser and Krag, made a mixture
which is never to be forgotten.
\ small mound Of smoke is soon
seen coming from the central portion
OF the city; another appears and then
another. They grow larger and the
air becomes thicker. Now the smoke
seems 10 spring from everywhere. In
huop hI1rE Glands InnS COO,
upward as the air becomes filled with
/ flying PARTICLES Of carbon. The
flames now grow larger and sizzle
and crackle as they seemed to merge
into one solid flake of fire. The city
IS a Scething. flaming mass and the
Americans cannot enter nor the in
SurGentS remain. They have re-
treated to the trenches and taken
harbor. while in front and behind
them are scurrNing the simple natives.
Half frightened to death. The husband
with his few possessions on his back
and his wife with a child in her arms
and another running beside her. are
hurrying to the mountains. They
cannot remain in the city. The in
surgentS have told them that .Ameri-
cans Will put them all to death.
Among the better class. it was differ
ent. For a month they have had in
their professions a loreha (smau
schOOner). in which to take refuoe
when necessary and now they resort
to it. They all have their families
! aboard and put out into the Iloilo
river. They are safe from insurgents
and they knOw Americans will protect
instead of mistreat them.
For hours American forces stand in
the edge of the city or on the river
bank and watch the city as it melts
away. A few hours ago it was a
'nrlVlhg' busy city, its streets filled
with all n%atlOnS: now its walls have
tumbled and the white soldier i
greeted by brick-dust and ashes