Morris tribune., 1900-09-08

o. strong detachment 20 draw the flre 9
eur outposts, which took up position i'm
0nediateiy in front and within few
: F1ards of the same. The outpost wa.
i0trengthened by few of our men, who
silently bore their taunts and abuse tht
sentire night This was reported to me By
Gen. Macarthur. whom directed to com
imunicate with the officer in command OF
'the insurgent troops concerned. His pre-
Rared letter was shown me and approved
and the reply received (both papers found
dn Gen. MacArthur's report) was all that
could be desired However, the agree
ment was ignored by the insurgents, and
on the evening of Feb another de-
moustration was made on one of our
small outposts which occupied retired
position at least 150 yards within the line
which had been mutually agreed upon-an
ansurgent approaching the picket and re-
fusing to halt or answer when Challenged.
The result was that our picket dis
charged his piece, when the insurgent
troops near Santa Mesa opened spirited
fire on our troops there stationed. The
insurgents had thus succeeded in drawing
the fire of small outpost, which they
had evidently labored with all their in
genutty to accomplish, in order to justify
In some way their premeditated attack.
IT is not believed that the chief insurgent
leaders wished to open hostilites at this
time, as they were not completely pre-
pared to assume the initiative. They
desired two or three days more to perfect
their arrangements, but the zeal of their
army brought on the crisis whichs anti
'cipated their premeditated action. They
could not have delayed long, however,
for it was their object to force an issue
before American troops, then en- route,
could arrive in Manila
ATTACK PREMEDITATED.
Hero we have clear and concise state
nent of the events which lead up to the
attack of Feb. 4. Let it be remembered
chat the treaty of peace was not yet rati-
Ned and that tour forces were still tethered
to Manila by the terms of the protocol
during all this critical period, so that the
insurgents had a free hand for all hostile
purposes outside of Manila. That the at
tack on our army, on the eve Of the rati-
fication Of the treaty and just before the
arrival Of reinforcements, was premedi-
$ated and carefully planned is confirmed
by this fact: At. the time the debate was
going on in the senate on the ratification
of the treaty there was stopping at the
Arlington hotel, in Washington, Fill
pino commission, at the head of which
was Angoncillo, one of Aguinaldo's prin-
cipal advisors At midnight on the 4th
1f February, before any one In Washing
Don could possibly have learned of the
attack made on our forces at Manila, |
Agoncillo, with a companion, hurriedly !
left his hotel and started on the first train |
direct for Canada. He must have known
of what was transpiring at Manila that
night, and feared to remain and face an
outrag ged government and nation. On
Feb. II Gen. Otis sent the following dis
patch to the war department.:
; "'Reported thnt insurgent repre-
sentative at Washington teIe-
graphed Aguina1dO to drive out
before arrival of rein
rcements. The dispatch received
at HOnEkOng and mailed tO3HIa1olos,
which decided on attack to be made
about 7th. Eagerness of insurgent
troops to engage precipitated bat
tie"
How well prepared Aguinaldo was for
nOstliities is apparent from the further
tact that within an hour after the firing
began on the soutp posts hes ISSUED al lengthy
quarters at Malolos. more than twenty
1--WE miles from Manila.
The proclamation was evidently pre-
pared in advance.
What was the condition and number of
our forces in Manila at this time? Our
whole effective force in the city was only
L, 900 men. OF these 5000 belonged to the
provost guard, and were expected to pre-
serve order and check demonstrations =
Ind uprisings in the city. Another 1000
was required to protect the buildings and
occupied by our troops, as the
Insurgents had provided themselves with
kerosene and perfected plans to burn
Eese buildings. This left but 10000 men
o repel the attack Of Aguinaldo's army,
estimated at from 10000 to 10000, and
by earthworks and ri1epits, /
which they had been months in preparing
The battle which ensued commenced at
D. M on Feb. and lasted until p. M
he next day, resulting in the complete
Lefeat of the insurgents. During the
progress of the battle two or three at
empts were made to rally and employ
he secret Filipino military organizations )
within the city, but such attempts We're
suppressed by our forces.
Aguinaldo, having been thoroughly de-
eated in his attack Of Feb. 4, with his
accustomed duplicity claimed that the
Lttack was purely accidental And 1t
las been claimed that he applied for
of hostilities through Gen.
Eorres.
STATEMENT PROVED FALSE.
Gen. Otis puts complete quietus upon
his claim in the following dispatch to
he adjutant general:
Judge Torres, citizen, resident of Ma
nila, who had served as member insur-
gent commission, reported evening Feb.
5, asked if something could not be done
10 stop the fighting, as establishment of
reutral zone. I replied Aguinaldo had
commenced the fighting and must apply
Tor cessation; had nothing to request Of
The insurgent government. He asked per-
mission to send Col Arguellez to Malolos,
and Arguellez was passed through lines
near Caloocan next morning. He went
direct to Malolos, told Gen. Aguinaldo
and Mabini that Gen Otis would permit
hostilities upon their request.
They replied declaration Of war had
been made, a copy Of which they fur
nished him. They said they had no OBJ