The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-07-12
In ANSWER TO DEWEY
GENERAL ANDERSON REPLIES
TO ADMIRAL's TESTIMONY.
Says Manila Surrendered to the
Sword. and Not in Aecordance
with Previous Agreement.
Correspondents With
Aguinaldo,

Chicago, July 1l.--General Thomas N.
Anderson has addressed to The Record
Herald letter giving his version OF the
surrender of Manila In which he differs
materially from the statements made BY
Admiral Dewey. General Anderson's let
ter is In chief. as follows:
National Soldiers Home, Erie County.
Ohio, July e.-To the Editor: Admiral
Dewey Is quoted as saying in his evidence
before the Senate Philippine Committee
that when Manila was surrendered 1t was
In pursuance of a DEFINITE understanding
between him and the Spanish Govern
General In concluding his statement ne
said that his views did not coincide with
those expressed by General Anderson In
a magazine article and closed his festf-
mony by saying: We differed very much
from the beginning
Admiral Dewey is a great naval oflicer.
He did the state great service. Yet must
say. with all Difference. that he 10 rnistak-
en- in his statement In relation to the
surrender Of Manila. 80 sincere is my
regard for the Admiral that ! would not
make this assertion but for the fact that
such statements. when hncontradieted.
pass into history.
Several days before the assault made
on the 18th Of August. Father McKinnon.
the Catholic chaplain of the First Califor-
MIA. was permitted to pass our lines and
60 into Manila. He says the archbishop
and the governor general and when he re-
turned he reported that the latter told
him he could not and would not surrender
without fight as he had TO fight for the
honor Of Spain. Subsequently General
Merritt directed me to draw up the tacti-
cal order for the attack ana this was
done on the assumption that there would
be bonafide resistance. In the attack
and the preceding skirmishes we lost III
killed and wounded.
'.If the city was surrendered as result
OF a definite understanding what was the
understanding and how definite was itY
Was u that American soldiers were 70 be
sacrificed for the honor Of Spain.
The Admiral says we dtnered very
much from the beginning. ! hope cur
countrymen will believe that we differed
very much about this. II there ever was
such an understanding ! did not know It
and the army did not know 1t.
''The Admiral Ii reported to have testt-
fed that the Spanish authorities offered
to surrender to him the day he destroyed
the Spanish squadron. No written
proposals have come to light. and the
probabilities are that he was deceived
by the misrepresentation OF the foreign
consuls. who were endeavoring by all
means in their power to perevent bonn
bardment.
II now learn for the first time that my
correspondence with Aguinalda was not
approved by the Admiral Permit me to
remark that he had no occasion for Q
correspondence. When he took possession
OF the Cavite navy yard he doubled the
wages of several hundred Filipinos work
ing there That did not require any corr
n a. -. -.
respondence to induce Aguinaldo to start
his insurrection. II is not dificult to in
duce men to do what they wish to do.
II wrote some letters to Aguinaldo
which seemed necessary at the time. He
had arrested some of our officers for
entering the town of Cavite without his
permission. He had forbidden his people
to supply us with lighters to land our
men and materials. We required land
transportation, and he had all the carts.
We could only buy fuel ana forage fron
him. Finally he forbade US to land on
the sacred soil of Luzon. We did not
pay any attention to this last imports
nenve, but in regard to the other disa-
greements / thought a correspondence
was a jnstifiable expedient If. however,
had known as much about them as ev-
erybody seems to know now. might have
arrested him thea without correspond
ence.
Referring now to my original PROPOSE
ton that Admiral Dewey's statement in
reference to the surrender OF Mantle was
misleading I wish to say that no doubt
the Admiral and General Merritt both
thought hit they had made an agree
ment with the Spanish authorities by
which the city could be taken without
bloodshed. Yet the fact ernains that Cap
tain General Augustin was relieved be-
cause he was willing to make such a
equalization while his successor refused
TO do SO
LAS to this. both the Admiral and the
General commanding must have been mis-
informed.
speaking for the second division OF the
Eighth Army Corps permit me TO say that
it's attack on the defense Of Manila was
not In the nature OF an opera bouffet
demonstration. m
''Thomas NJ. Anderson"