The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-05-15


nor mutual military courtesies. l do no
think Gen. Anderson ever visited Agui
nsldo's headquarters, though he may hav'
done SO. l am under the impression tina
Aguinaldo called on Gen. Anderson, bu
am not certain. There was no review o.
the American troops for Aguinaldo'S bene
ct, and apparently no recognition of the
fact that he and his motley army were
our allies. AT no time, so far as l coulC
see, was there ever any action on our par
based upon Filipino cooperation, and
know of none on theirs, except at the TAX
ing Of Manila, when they followed oul
troops into the city, but did none of the
fighting necessary to capture it. L have
seen the correspondence that passed be
tween Aguinaldo and both Anderson and
Dewey, as reported officially, and this is ii
accord with my observation of the atti
tude maintained, that of two not unfriend
ly armies encamped near each other, hav'
ing to a degree q common temporary pur
pose, but rather tolerant of each Other
than cooperating.
The only courtesy / observed at all was
the serenade of Gen. Anderson by the
famous Aguinaldo Band some time about
the last of July.
When we made our trip to Pasig with
Arevalo he told us of this famous band,
and said some wealthy Filipino was GO
ing TO pay the expense of sending it to Ca
vite and supporting it while there, his
father being the man, as l understood it.
1t was about two weeks later, late one
afternoon, when l heard a burst of music
30 different from that of either of the
regimental bands that 1 stepped out to the
parade ground to see what it was. A
band of about 60 natives, neatly dressed
In "bedtick" uniforms, was marching: by
In the direction of Gen. Anderson'S quar-
tiers, and playing as l have never heard
q marching band play either before or
since. Its technique was superb. In time,
tone and phrasing, even while marching.
It was superior to almost any concert band
] ever heard, unless it be the Royal Ital-
ian Band of Signor Creatore. The reeds
predOminated, with a liberal supply Of
cymbals. Among the horns there was an
excess of comets and French horns, with
an absence of heavy and blaring from
bones and BASES. This gave a peculiar
and unusual effect. and heightened the i'm
preston of perfection of tone. While at
times the music was shrill, it was never
harsh, even the cymbals being used with
much skill and softly. The music played
was classical. and put to shame the rag
time efforts of our own bands.
Once more l heard this band on the
streets Of Manila during a procession at
a great church fiesta, but a little later the
o1igencies of the war dispersed ii, and l
believe it has never been brought together
again. 1t would create furore in this
country could it be brought here for con-
cert tour.
This, as have said, is the only courtesy
ever saw exchanged between the com
manders Of the two forces.
1t was apparently the desire Of Agui-
81 ~. IL l., H.
leans were ready to do SO. Soon after our
arrival he removed his headquarters across
to the mainland at Bakur, about Is miles
south of Manila, and from there pushed
his siege and attack of the city. The Span
ish army had practically abandoned all its
garrisons it had not been able to with
draw into the city, and these were be-
sieged in the isolated spots where they
were stationed. Some of them surrender
ed at once, and their arms fell into the
hands of the insurgents. Others were cap
tured after a short siege and considerable
fighting of the long range order. ! saw
evidences Of one of these sieges at the
church and convent in San Rafael, when
our regiment went with Lawton the fol
lowing Summer on raid into the interior.
The Spaniards had barricaded them
selves in the stone church and had stood
siege of several weeks, the marks of bull
lets on the outside and on the inside where
they had come in through the partially
barricaded windows, as well as on the
tower, being mute evidences of Spanish
valor in defense. One such garrison in
the extreme northern portion of the island,
far removed from any news whatever of
the progress of the war, held out for five
months, and was finally permitted to with
draw TO Manila with its arms and full
honOrs Of war. These were the few re-
deeming deeds Of valor to the credit of
the Spanish army in the Philippines dur
ing this campaign.
The prisoners captured were brought to
Cavite and incarcerated in the military
prison in the walls Of Fort San Felipe,
where they had not so bad a time Of it.
They were out of the rain, and were am
ply fed on rice and soup. A few escaped
with the cOnnivance Of our boys, and went
into Manila with us when we captured it.
Although we were fighting the Spaniards.
our boys had natural sympathy with
white men held captive by "niggers,' as
they always called the natives.
The prison formed one side Of the pa
rade ground. and the Filipino guards and
their prisoners were always interested
spectators Of our drills. This special good
treatment Of the Spanish prisoners, of
whom in the end the insurgents had about
1000. and whom they afterwards removed
TO the interior, where the Americans could
not release them, was due TO the eager
ness of Aguinaido to prove that the Fill
pInos were not Savages and observed the
rules Of civilized warfare, and also 10 the
fact that large stores of rice and food
had fallen into the possession of the in
surGents by the abandonment in haste of
the country around Manila when Dewey
put Montejo's feet under water
render to the Americans should have been
demanded at the time the remainder of
the Spanish army fell into our possession
by the capirulation Of Manila, were starry
ed and nlstreated. and hundreds Of them
died before, at the expense of millions of
dollars and many lives, we ourselves re-
captured the remnant of them and restored
them 10 their cOuntrymen. 1t was one of
the worst errors our commanders made
amounting 10 a crime against civilization.
that they did not demand the release of
these Spanish soldiers as soon as the pro-
tOcol was signed, which meant the end of
the war. 1t was done in that vain and
fruitless effort 10 placate the Filipinos and
prevent the bringing about of more strain
ed relations between them and us, but il
was useless and cruel concession to their
sensibilities
THE GUAM PRISONERS.
We also had a few Spanish prisoners.
brought with us from Guam. The army
surrendered TO us by the Governor there
consisted OF one company of Spanish
troops and one Of native troops. The
Spaniards numbered 30 men, and nine Off
GERS Of all grades. The native troops were
told that they were released from military
service. and were no longer subjects of
Spain. They capered about with joy, tore