The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-07-15
GENERAL ANDERSON DIFFERS
WITH GREAT ADMIRAL.
ABOUT EVENTS AT MANILA
Gives HIS Version Of Surrender Of
the City by the Spanish
Garrison.

~S ~ la
Anderson has written a letter giving
his version of the surrender of Manila,
in. which he differs materially from
the statements made by Admiral Dew
ey. General Anderson's letter, in
brief, is as follows:
National Soldiers Home, Ohio,
July 9.-Admiral Dewey is quoted as
saying in his testimony before the
Philippine commission that when Ma
Mia was surrendered, it was in Lur-
suance of a definite understanding be-
tween him and the Spanish governor
general. In concluding his statement.
he said his views did not concide
with those expressed by General An
derson, in a magazine article and clos
ed his testimony by saying:
GIVE differed very much from the
beginning. Admiral Dewey is a great
naval officer. He did the state great
service. Yet l must say with all defer
ence that he is mistaken in his state
ment in relation to the surrender of
Manila. So sincere is my regard for
the admiral that l would not make
this assertion but for the fact that
such statements, when uncontradict-
ed. pass into history.
"'Several days before the attack in
August, Father McKinnon; the Cath
Ollie chaplain of the First California
regiment, was permitted to pass our
lines and go into Manila. He saw the
archbishop and the governor general
and when he returned. he reported
that the latter had told him he could
not and would not surrender without
a fight, as he had to fight for the honor
Of Spain.
Order Of Attack. "
subsequently. General Merritt di-
rected me to draw up the tactical or
der for the attack, and it was on the
assumption that there would be a
bona fide resistance. In the attack
and the preceding skirmishes, we lost
1872 killed and wounded. If the city
was surrendered as a result of a def
mite understanding, what was the I'M
derstanding and how definite was it?
Was it that American soldiers were
to be sacrificed for the honor of
Spain? The admiral says we differed
very much from the beginning. I hope
our countrymen will believe that we
differed very much about this.
If there was I've such an under
standing, I did not know it and the
army did not know it. The admiral
is reported to have testified that the
Spanish authorities offered to sur
render to him the day he destroyed
the Spanish fleet. No written agree
ment has come to light and the prob
abilities are that he was deceived by
misrepresentation of the foreign con-
suls who were endeavoring, by all
means in their power, to prevent a
bombardment. I now learn for the
first time that my correspondence
with Aguinaldo was not approved by
the admiral. Permit me to remark
that he had nj occasion fer a CORE
%spondence. When he took possession
of the Cavite navy yard. he doubled
the wages of several hundred Fill
pinos working there; that did not re-
ouire any correspondence. Nor did
1t require any correspondence to in
duce Aguinaldo to start his insurrec-
ton. 1t is not difficult to induce men
to do what they wish to do. I wrote
some letters to Aguinaldo which SEEM
necessary at the time, he having
arrested some of our officers for en-
tering 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 hid all the
carts; we could only buy fuel ana
forage from him. Finally he forbade
us to land on the sacred'soi of Luzon.
We did not pay any attention to this
last impertinence, but in regard to
the other d~isagreements I thought a
correspondence vas a justifiable ex-
pident. If, however, I had known as
much about him, then, as everybody
seems to know now, l might have ar
rested him then without correspond
ence.
"'Referring now. to my original
proposition that Admiral Dewey's
statement in regard to the surrender
of Manila, was misleading, I wish to
say that no doubt Admiral Dewey and
General Merritt had made an arrange
ment with the Spanish to the effect
that the town could be taken without
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