Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-08-10

| with detail Of men and attempted t.
pass the guard on the San Juan bridge,
our guard being stationed at the west
end Of the bridge. The Nebraska sentinel
drove them back without firing, but a
few minutes before 8 o'clock that evening
a large body Of insurgent troops made an
| advance on the South Dakota outposts,
| which fell back rather than fire. About
the same time the insurgents came IN
| force to the east end Of the San Juan
bridge, in front Of the Nebraska regiment
For several nights prior thereto a lieu
tenant in the insurgent army had been
coming regularly to our outpost No. 2, OF
the Nebraska regiment, and attempting
to force the outpost back and insisting
on posting his guard within the Nebraska
| lines; and at this time and i'll the dark
| ness he again appeared with detail of
| about six men and approached Private
Grayson Of Company d, First Nebraska
volunteers, the sentinel on duty ut out
post No. 2. He, after hating them three
times without effect, fired, killing the
lieutenant, whose men returned the fire
and then retreated. Immediately rockets
were sent up by the Filipinos, and they
commenced firing all along the line.
'1The story of the actual fighting has
often been told by military men who
were engaged in it, and we do not deem
it necessary to give a description OF 1t
here. 1t is known of all men that imme-
diately after the first shot the insurgents
opened fire all along their line and con-
tinued to fire until about midnight; and
about 4 o'clock on the morning of Feb.
the insurgents again opened fire all
around the city and kept it up until the
Americans charged them and drove them
with great slaughter out Of their trenches.
AFTER the landing Of our troops, Agui-
naldo made up his mind that it would be
necessary to fight the Americans, and at
ter the making Of the treaty Of peace at
Paris this determination was strengthen
ed He did not openly declare that he
intended to fight the Americans, but he
excited everybody, and especially the mil
itary men, by claiming independence, and
it is doubtful whether he had the power
to check or control the army at the time
hostilities broke out. Deplorable as war
is, the one in which we are now engaged
was unavoidable by us. We were attack
ed by bold. adventurous and enthusiast
tic army. No alternative was left to us,
except ignominious retreat. It is not to
be conceived Of that any American would
have sanctioned the surrender Of Manila
to the insurgents. Our obligations to
other nations, and to the friendly Fill
pinos, and to ourselves and our flag de-
manded that force should be met by force.
Whatever the future of the Philippines
may be, there is no course open to Us
now except the prosecution of the war
until the insurgents are reduced to SUBJ
mission. The commission is of the opin-
ion that there has been no time since the
destruction Of the Spanish squadron by
Admiral Dewey when it was possible to
withdraw our forces from the islands
either with honor to ourselves or with
safety to the inhabitants"
On the very night the actual fighting
began Aguinaldo issued the following:
Order to the Philippine Army.
Nine o'clock p. M, this date, received
from Caloocan station a message COM
municated to me that the American
forces, without prior notification or any
just motive, attacked our camp at San
Juan del Monte and our forces garrison
ing the blockhouses around the outskirts
of Manila, causing losses among our SOL
diers, who, in view Of this unexpected
aggression and Of the decided attack Of
the aggressors, were obliged to defend
themselves until the firing became general
all along the line.
No one can deplore more than l this
rupture Of hostilities. I have q clear
conscience that I have endeavored to
avoid it at all costs, using all my efforts
to preserve friendship with the army of
occupation, even at the cost Of not
few humiliations and many sacrificed
rights.
But it Is my unavoidable duty to main
tain the integrity of the national honor
and that Of the army so unjustly attack
ed by those who, posing as our friends
and liberators, attempted to dominate US
in place of the Spaniards, as is shown
by the grievances enumerated in my man
ifest of Jan. last; such as the continued
outrages and violent exactions commit
ted against the people of Manila, the USE
less conferences, and all my frustrated
efforts in favor Of peace and concord.
Summoned by this unexpected provoca-
ton, urged by the duties imposed upon
me by honor and patriotism and for the
defense Of the nation intrusted to me,
calling on God as witness Of my good
faith and the uprightness Of my inten-
tons.
order and command:
l. Peace and friendly relations between
the Philippine forces and the American
forces Of occupation are broken, and the
latter will be treated as enemies, with
the limits prescribed by the laws of war.
2. American soldiers who may be cap
tured by the Philippine forces will be
treated as prisoners Of war.
8. This proclamation shall be commu-
nicated to the accredited conspls Of Ma
ni'a, and to congress, in order that it
may accord the suspension of the con-
stitutional guarantees and the resulting
declaration of war.
Given at Malolos. Feb. 4, 1899.
EMILIO AGUINALDO,
General in Chief.
To Attack the Americans.
The following proclamation was issued
by Aguinaldo's Secretary of the Interior
on Feb. 5, 1899: