The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-12
.GEN. ANDERSON
ANSWERS DEWEY
Says Admiral is Mistaken About
Surrender Of Manila
A FIGHT WAS NECESSARY.
Says He Now Learns for the First
Time That His Correspondence
With AguinaIdo Was Not
Approved.

Chicago, July 11.-Gen. T. M. 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 Andersons letter is as
follows
National Soldiers Home,
Erie County, Ohio,
July 9, 1902.
'sro the Editor: Admiral Dewey is
quoted as saying IN bis evidence before
the Senate Philippine COMMITTEES that
when Manila was surrendered 1t was in
pursuance of a definite understanding be-
tween him and the Spanish governor-gen-
ersl. In concluding his statement he said
that his views did not coincide with those
expressed by General Anderson in a
magazine article and closed his testimony
by saying: We differed very much from
the beginning
Admiral Dewey is a great naval Of
ficer. He did the state great service, yet
/ must say, with all deference, that he
Is mistaken N his statement 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 feat
that such statements wher not CONTRA
dicted pess into history.
Couldn't Surrender.
Several days before the assault, made
on the 18th of August, Father McKen-
non the Catholic chaplain of the First
California. was permitted to pass our
line and go into Manila. He saw the
archbishop and the Governor General,
and when he returned he reported that
the latter told him he could not sur
render without a fight, as he had to fight
for the honor OF Spain. Subsequently
General Merritt directed me 10 draw up
the tactical order for the attack, and this
was done on the assumption that there
would be a bona fide resistance. In the
attack and the preceding sklrmisres We
lost 122 killed and wounded If the city
was surrendered as a result OF definite
understanding what YVES the understand
ing and how definite was it? Was 1t that
American soldiers were to pe sacrificed
for the honor OF Spain?
1.-The admiral said we differed very
much from the beginning. I hope our
countrymen will believe that we differed
very much about this. If there was ever
such an understanding / did not know 1t,
| and the army did not know 1t.
The admiral is reported to have testi-
| fed that the Spanish authorities offered
| to surrender to him the day he destroyed
the Spanish squadron. No written pro-
posals have come to light and the prob
abilities are that he was deceived by
the Misrepresentation of the foreign
consuls who were endeavoring by all
~, fair 70 q
| bardment.
1T now learn for the first time that
my correspondence with Aguinaldo was
| not approved by the admiral Permit
| me to remark that he had no occasion
| for correspondence. When he took pos
| session of the Cavite navy yard he
doubled the wages of several hundred Fill
| ipinos working there. That did not re-
| quire any correspondence, nor did 1t re-
| quire any correspondence to induce Agui-
| naldo to start his insurrection. 1t is
not difficult to induce 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 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
We could only buy fuel and forage from
him. Finally he forbade us to land on
the sacred soil of Luzon. We did not
pay any attention to this last imperti-
nence, but in regard to the other dis
agreements I thought a correspondence
was a justifable expedent. If, however, 1
had known as much about them as every
body seems to know now, 1 might have
arrested him then without corresponding
referring now to my original PROPOSE
tion that Admiral Deweys statement in
reference to the surrender of Manila was
misleading, I wish to say that no doubt
the admiral and General Merritt both
! thought they had made an agreement
with the Spanish authorities by which
the city could be taken without blood
shed. Yet tho fact remains that Captain
General Augustin was relieved because
| he was willing to make such q capitula-
| ton while his successor refused to do so.
| AS to this, both the admiral and the gen.
eral commanding must have been misin-
| formed.
fSipned1 saTTIOMASM AMBER SON -