The National tribune., 1902-03-27

than three centuries. The waters of the
China Sea, skirting the western coast of
the island. were heaving and tossing un-
der the influence of typhoon that had
swept over them the day before, and roll
ing deeply from side TO side, their bows
dipping far under the waves and their
tunnels emitting long streams of black
smoke, were three black ocean steamers
and two sea-green cruisers, working their
way steadily down the coast toward Ma
nila Bay.
They were the army transports Austria
Liza, Sydney and City of Peking, bearing
the first United States troops ever sent
across the sea conveyed by the
Baltimore and Charleston. Two
months before, in the darkness of the
night, Dewey's feet had followed the same
course, swept past the batteries of Cor
regidor Island, and at daylight begun that
great battle which terminated Spains do
minion in the Philippines and drove her
forever from The Orient.
The decks of the transports were crowd
ed with soldiers, eager to see everything
possible in this land of mysteries.
A little before noon COrregidOr Island
was sighted, and the feet, forming col
umn, with the Baltimore in the lead, en-
tered the narrow north channel, the Boca
Chica, and was soon in the still waters OF
the bay. South of the island, which rises
luG NdlCl SAI ILC fNlg NA
trance to the bay and is covered with
scrubby growth of timber and brush is q
much wider channel, the BOca Grande,
through which Dewey's feet sailed on
that eventful morning, needless of the tor
pedoes that were officially planted in its
bottom, and should, officially, of course,
have blown the intruding Yankee flee into
the upper atmosphere. But Dewey knew
the Spaniards well. He knew their hab-
its of delay; of peculatiOn covered up by
official reports of things being done that
were not done; of general regard for the
shadow of things and neglect of the sub
stance, and he forged ahead, in disbelief
of the existence of the torpedoes and con-
tempt for them if there, and in confidence
of whipping a feet that, on paper at least,
with its protecting shore batteries, was
his superior in potency; and his confidence
was not misplaced.
Just outside the entrance 10 the bay is
q little harbor known as Marivalles Bay,
where ships can lie if they do not care to
enter. Just as we passed this place We
observed three German warships lying at
anchor, with steam up. One of them, the
Kaiserin Augusta, flagship of the squad
ron, Immediately weighed anchor and fol-
lowed the transports into the bay.
Before the troops had left San Fran
cisco they had learned of the disc0urteOus
behavior of the Germans at Manila, and
IulS HCl OI esplOudSG uIOuSSu lllSll llt liz
mediately. If curses could have sunk the
impudent cruiser, she would have disap-
peared beneath the waters of the bay. The
feet passed slowly over the 80 miles from
Corregidor to Cavite Point, where the
American squadron lay at anchor, the
men dividing their time between scanning
the horizon for the first sight of Dewey's
ships and hurting objurgations, and an oc-
easional boiled potato, at the unwelcome
German convoy, which finally drew ahead
of US before Cavite was reached, fired u
salute as she passed the Olympia, and
moved On to an anchorage among the for
eign vessels lying off the mouth of the Pa
sig River in front of Manila.
Great was the cheering, the saluting and
the blowing of whistles as the transports
moved slowly through the feet of war
ships and Golfers lying at anchor off Ca
vite Point, several miles distant from all
other ships, and finally dropped their an
chors at the end of a voyage that had con-
sumed SO days, all of them days of un-
certainty and speculation as to the con-
ditiOn of things that would be found at
its end.
Within a few minutes after the Aus
tralia came to anchor, the Flag Officer S
launch from the Olympia came putting up,
and in another minute Commodore Dewey
sprang over the side and inquired for Gen.
Anderson.
Mia Bay, and though l saw him often
later, / have had no occasion to alter my
first impression received at that time.
Dressed in an immaculate white suit, as
Is the custom of naval officers except on
dress occasions, he presented an aspect of
neatness and comfort quite in contrast
with the soldiers in their blue uniforms,
none too clean after a month at sea. His
step WAS elastic and firm, and his ques-
ions were quickly and tersely put in gen
tie but decided tone, giving the impression
that he was a man who knew what he
wanted and how TO get it, one who made
up his mind quickly and acted promptly,
yet without that offensive brusqueness so
many in authority are wont to assume.
Not unlike him in some respects as to size,
alertness and quickness of decision was
Gen. Thomas n. Anderson, commander of
the expeditionary brigade, who held he
rank of Brigader-General of Volunteers
and Colonel in the Regular service. The
two were closeted for time in the Gen
erals state-room, comforting about the
landing and quartering of the troops at
the navy yard, and then Commodore
Dewey returned TO the Olympia.
A few minutes later / was requested
by the Regimental Adjutant to supply q
boats crew from my company to row the
General ashore, and in a few minutes
more Gen. Anderson, accompanied by sew.
eral members OF his staff and Col. o. Sum.
mers, commanding the I'd Ore. regiment
were speeding toward the heavy stone
docks of the old Spanish navy yard under
the impulse of a white-ash breeze made
by four men of Co. l., with Private Chris
topher g. McKenna at the helm. mention
his name in particular, because, as tbs
boat touched the dock, he sprang lightly
ashore to hold it for the General to land
and thus became the first United States
soldier TO set foot on the soil Of the Phil
ippines.
Having examined the quarters Offered
by the navy yard and assigned the variou,
elements of his command, Gen. Anderson
returned on board and issued orders fo
the troops TO land in the morning.
That first night among the American
feet is one / shall never forget | re
mained up until late getting my first in
sight into genuine war conditions. From
peaceful and monotOnous voyage of NOR
than month. we were suddenly thrus
into the midst of war, though not within
reach of a hostile gun. The patrol boa
of the feet passed continually in and out
challenging everything suspicious, and tn
search-lights of the cruisers swung thei
long shafts in every direction.
Nothing could come within the limits 0
their sweep without being discovered an
receiving the attention of the patrol. ]
was in connection with this ceaseless vigi
lance of the search-lights that one of tn
annoying incidents with the Germans oC
CURED. Apparently the German Admira
took every occasion to show his contemp
for the American blockade, as far as h
dared go. He was continually doing dis
courteous and annoying things, violatin
the ll-knOwn code of ethics of nayieS