The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-05-22

first night he spent on shore was quiet
one but about 10 o'clock of the second
night there were sounds of "a strenuous
life'' across the water. / was officer of
the day, and after the firing had been in
progress for half an hour | was returning
from a visit to some detached posts we
had in the town where we were guarding
some captured stores, when ] met this
contract doctor in front of the Oregon
quarters.
Captain, do you hear that" he asked,
waving his hand in the direction of Manila.
There is a terrible battle going on. Gen.
Anderson has ordered out the 18th, and |
think the entire army will be sent"
How are we going to get therc| /
asked.
81 don't know March, I suppose"
"Well, it's 20 miles to where that shoot
ing is being done by land, and we could
not get there before tomorrow noon if we
started now. It's pretty late, Suppose
Won 90 to bed and / will call you if we
are ordered cat I've heard these battles
| before" | answered.; but he went on his
way unconvinced and thoroughly satisfied
| that his time for saving off legs and arms
was about to come.
This was the nature of the warfare
| Aguinaldo's army carried on with the
Spaniards fer the six weeks we lay al Ca
TO care for Manila after it was captured,
the Filipino stock of ammunition constant
| II growing less, but their list Of killed and
wounded growing no greater, and this was
the status of the Filipino siege of the city
and the progress they had made toward
its capture when the Americans finally
took the job off their hands and finished it
up Ill single day.
PREPARATIONS FOR CAPTURE OF MANILA.
Gen. Anderson was anxious to capture
and occupy Manila soon after our first eX-
petition landed. He was senior in com
mand, even until Gen. Merritt arrived
inst before the assault upon the city. and
he naturally wanted the glory of being
the commanding officer when that event
occurred. He had fear that the Fill
pinOs would succeed in taking the town
though that fear was dispelled after Il
TIM, in the light of our experience of Fill
Pine characteristics and fighting methods
as previously related. On this subject he
could not get Admiral Dewey to agree
with him, SO il was understood. They held
occasional conferences, but, of course
what took place between them was moi
made public 10y either themselves or the
members of tE"ir staffS who were present
Nevertheless, there was much camp gossip
on the subject, based upon what was sup
posed TO have leaked out in one way OIL
another, and there was one story that went
the rounds Of the camp and was received
with considerable credence. though posi-
bly, strictly apocryphal in its nature. The
little bird who told If may have been q
chattcring magpie. The story goes that
Anderson, angcred because he could not
get Dewey to agree with him that Manila
tsh0uld be taken at once and not risk its
falling into the hands Of Aguinado
avcrred that he had troops enough to dc
the job: To this Dewey is said TO have
replied that he did not need AndersOn's
handful of soldiers to take Manila; tina
There had not been day for the past two
4 mot.ths he could not have taken the city
if lac had wanted TO, with his fleet; all h'
had To do was to threaten TO lombard il
and it would have 10 surrender; but b,
positively would not take the responsible
ty Of capturing it with only the small force
now there to police il after its capture ant
protect the foreign residents from plundeI
and assassination by the natives.
This somewhat contemptuous estimat,
of the value of his gallant little army
made Anderson wrathy, so the story goes
and he is said TO have replied:
YES, you think because you came ou
here and knocked few pewter ships Il
: pieces that you have played hell"
The interview is said TO have closed
here, with possibly n word CT two more
and with it closed any hope Gen. Ander
son may have entertained of Dewey under
taking to cooperate with him In the cap
tnre of Manila before the arrival Of Mer
rift. So far as the army was concerned
the city was impregnable against mere in
flntr!. and both Anderson and Dewey
llflcw II.
This incident, If 1t occurred at all, die
Lot prevent consultation between the two
commanders with regard to joint action
and precautions for the safety of both
commands. At night the feet maintained q
patrol of steam launches, while guard ships