YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Copyrighted by George Spiel, 1899. ADMIRAL GEORGE DEWEY Capt, Simeon Dewey, (Grandfather). George Dewey at Age of 30. George Goodwin Dewey, (Son). FOUR GENERATIONS Dr. Julius Yemans Dewey, (Father) ADMIRAL DEWEY AT MANILA AND THE COMPLETE STORY OF THE PHILIPPINES LIFE AND GLORIOUS DEEDS ADMIRAL GEORGE DEWEY iNCT.i'nrNr-, A THRILLING ACCOUNT OF OUR CONFLICT WITH THE SPANIARDS AND FILIPINOS IN THE ORIENT JOSEPH L. STICKNEY ADMIRAL DKWEY'S AIDK FULLY ILLUSTRATED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS MANY OF WHICH WERE TAKEN BY THE AUTHOR DURING THE BATTLE, FROM THE BRIDGE OF THE FLAGSHIP "OT.YMPIA" IN MANILA BAY SOLD ONLY BY SUBSCRIPTION ELLIOTT PUBLISHING COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA, PA. Copyrighted by JOSEPH L. STICKNEY. 1890. VM'n Dedicated To The Navy of the United States BY JL>^^»-f-^^ J^y ^£^--<^CLv. -S » 7 PREFACE. In the first week of May, 1898, while the people of the United States were eagerly watching events in Cuba, while the attention of all was turned toward the island that promised to be the focal point in the pending Spanish-American war, this message flashed across the sea from the distant islands of the Western Pacific: "Not one Spanish flag flies in Manila Bay to-day. Not one Spanish warship floats, except as our prize." The brilliant victory that Admiral Dewey won over the Spanish fleet in the Philippines aroused the United States to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. For the moment Cuba was forgotten, and all public interest was directed toward this distant fighting center. Patriotism ran high. The "stars and stripes" and Admiral Dewey's picture were everywhere displayed. Praise of the man was heard on all sides. No such deed of valor and skilled manceuvering had been known since the days of Farragut, and for a time it was thought that the battle of Manila Bay would end the Avar. To-day the war is ended. Messages telling of brilliant and surpris ing victories are no longer sent from south and east; bulletins are no longer posted in the streets; but, while the American nation is bravely assuming the "White Man's Burden," the result of its great conquest, it becomes the part of History to commemorate the events of rhe war, of which the first and most decisive took place on that pleasant May morn ing when the people of Manila and Cavite awoke to find the American squadron at their doors. It has seemed to me desirable, in this recital of the heroic deeds of a 10 PREFACE. man like Dewey, to begin with a narration of that one of the incidents in his career that will be longest remembered, one that will be insep arably linked with not only the story of his life but with the history of his country. I make no apology, therefore, for allowing the early event* in Admiral Dewey's life to be placed after the great victory that has made him famous throughout the world. I have heard it called strange that no one who knew Dewey prior to the battle of Manila Bay had any presentiment that he would develop into one of the extraordinary naval commanders of modern times. There is a trite but, nevertheless, probably true saying that "the world knows nothing of its greatest men." Admiral Dewey is not an accident; he is the natural product of his own strong individuality and the system by which the officers of the navy of the United States are trained. He has passed through a school in which the necessity to act upon the in spiration of an instant is combined with the knowledge of how to wait with infinite patiences v the arrival of the right time to act. It is altogether probable that, if there had been no war with Spain, Admiral Dewey would have reached the retiring age next December without having done anything that would have made his countrymen remember him with greater interest or gratitude than they would have felt for any one of a dozen other navy officers of his time* But all his life had been a preparation for just the opportunity that came to him. When other officers of his grade were suggested for the command of the Asiatic station in the latter part of 1897, no one cared to have it. It was offered to Dewey and he accepted it — not because he fore saw an opportunity to win fame, but because he believed an officer should always be ready for any duty that might be required of him. When at last the time for action drew near, he prepared for it in such a thorough manner that nothing was left to chance. Having com pleted every preparation that forethought, skill and experience could suggest, Dewey's one object was to get within reach of the enemy at the earliest possible moment. There was where the spirit of the natural sea-fighter came out and compelled success. It is true that his squadron A* JJj> , XA> 'TfiVrfy* % AGUINALDO, the Insurgent Leader of the Filipinos. To his people he ranks as a Bolivar, a Toussaint L'Ouverture or a Washington. History must decide where he is to be placed. This work includes a sketch of his life and per sonality, with an estimate oi his character. PREFACE. 13 was mueh stronger than that of the Spaniards; but the difference in their merely material force cut no figure in the result. It is no exag geration to say that if Montojo had had Dewey's fleet and if Dewey had had Montojo's, it would still have been the colors of the United States that would hav~ been the only ensign afloat in Manila Bay at the close of the action. It is because Admiral Dewey is a type of the American who compete and deserves the admiration of not only his own countrymen but of the people of every nation who hold dear courage and capacity, delicacy and strength, that his name will go down to posterity as one of the noblest of this century. Jw*-^-^ 4^ WL^ 7 Chicago, April, 1899. THE DEWEY MEDAL Reproduced by permission. The above is a photograph of the Medal given to each officer and man who fought with Dewey "In memory of the victory of Manila Bay, May i, 1898." Designed by Daniel Chester French. m : Made by Tiffany & Co., New York. THE GIFT OF A NATION. The above picture is a photograph of the sword and belt ordered by Congress to be given Admiral Dewey as a token of the nation's gratitude. It is richly embellished with precious stones. GENERAL MAC ARTHUR AND HIS STAFF The above is a reproduction of a photograph of General Mac Arthur and Staff, taken by the photographer of the Signal Corps at Manila. The Original photograph is now on Exhibition at the War Department, Washington, D. C. GENERAL THOMAS ANDERSON TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. Page. Commodore Dewey in Command of the Asiatic Squadron — How the Story of the "Maine" Disaster Was Obtained — Putting the Fleet in Readiness for Battle — A Race from Tokio to Join Dewey — Leaving Hong Kong in Deference to Neutrality Laws — A Rendez vous in Mirs Bay — The Voyage to Manila — Night Drills and Emergency Calls — The Final War Council — Nearing the Day of Battle — In Manila Bay 23 CHAPTER H. THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. First Glimpse of the Enemy's Fleet at Cavite — Dewey Reserves His Fire — "You May Fire When You Are Ready, Captain Gridley" — The Story of the Conflict— That Withdrawal for Breakfast- Resuming the Attack — Dewey's Official Report to the Navy De partment — Dewey Fulfills His Instructions — How Captain Grid- ley Told the Tale-^A Spanish Account of Our Victory 38 CHAPTER in. AFTER THE BATTLE. Receiving the Surrender of Cavite Arsenal — Quibbles and Evasions to Meet — A Case for Haste — Journey to Hong Kong to Send Dis patches — Capture of the Callao— Routine of Blockade Duty in Manila Bay — Arrival of Aguinaldo from Hong Kong — Estab lishing a Government at Cavite — Three Important Proclamations — Filipino Victories over the Spanish — Their Treatment of Span ish Prisoners — Insurgents Invest Manila 66 15 16 TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. PREPARING TO TAKE MANILA. The American People Rise to an Emergency— General Merritt Chosen to Comimand an Expedition to the Philippines— Gathering an Army at San Francisco— Complications with the Germans in Manila Bay— Another Spanish Gunboat Captured— Prisoners Become a Nuisance— Arrival of Transports and Troops— First Battle Ashore — Ready to Take Manila 86 CHAPTER V. MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. Approach of the Time when Waiting Was to End— Efforts to Obtain a Surrender Without an Engagement Fail — Story of the Battle of August 13 — Dramatic and Picturesque Features of the Assault on the Fortifications — Taking Possession of the City — The Part Played by the Navy — Captured Spanish Gunboats Distinguish Themselves — Organizing the New Regime in Manila— Waiting for the Declaration of Peace 103 CHAPTER VL ANCESTRY AND CHILDHOOD OF GEORGE DEWEY. "The Child is the Father of the Man" — Origin of the Dewey Family — Nine Generations Born in America — The Grandfather of the Admiral — Dewey's Father and His Traits — Stories of the Home Life and the Youth of the Coming Hero — Boyish Pranks and Their Punishment — A Voyage in a Buggy — School Life and Schoolmates — Appointment to the Naval Academy at Annapolis . . . 121 CHAPTER VIL GEORGE DEWEY IN THE CIVIL WAR. Four Years in the Naval Academy at Annapolis — Incidents of Cadet Life — A Cruise on the European Station — Rapid Promotion for the Young Officer — Outbreak of the Rebellion — Executive Officer TABLE OF CONTENTS. 17 of the "Mississippi" — Bravery of Dewey When His Vessel Was Destroyed — Mentioned in Official Reports — Service With Far- ragut — At the Taking of Fort Fisher — What Admiral Porter Thought— The End of the War 135 CHAPTER VTJI. DEWEY FROM WAR TO WAR. When the Civil War Ended — On the European Station — Incidents of the Cruise — Marriage and Bereavement of Dewey — Service in Asiatic Waters — Successive Promotions — Shore Duty in Wash ington — Ordered to Command the Asiatic Squadron — The Thanks of the Nation — Presents and Honors — Dewey an Admiral . . 151 CHAPTER IX. THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS IN HISTORY. The Orient Always an Object of Interest and Desire — Writers of Authority on the Philippines — Magellan's Famous Voyage under the Flag of Spain — The Ladrones Discovered — Arrival at Min danao — Relations with the Natives — Legaspi Sails from Mexico for the Philippines — The Subjugation of the Islands — Revolt and Insurrection — The British Invasion 167 CHAPTER X. ISLAND GEOGRAPHY, CONDITIONS AND RESOURCES. The Native Tribes of the Philippines — Islands Comprising the Group — Climatic Conditions — Safeguards Against Disease — Earthquakes and Volcanoes — Animal and Vegetable Life — Land and Water Reptiles — Beasts and Birds in Countless Numbers — Extensive Pearl Fisheries — Mineral Wealth of the Islands — Chinese Inter ests in the Mines — Valuable Discoveries and Future Develop ment 185 18 TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER XL MANILA AND LUZON UNDER THE SPANISH REGIME. The Walls of the Ancient City— Picturesque Parks and Public Grounds — The Chinese and Their Work — Tragic Memories of the Lunetta — Beauties of the Night — Amusements of the Natives — Italian Opera and American Circus — Spanish Bull Fights and English Horse Races — The Hotels of the City — Native Shops and Their . Keepers— The Town of Cavite — Steamship Service of the Island . . 202 CHAPTER Xn. THE CENTRAL ISLANDS OF THE ARCHIPELAGO. The Visayan Archipelago — On an Island Steamer — A Typical Spanish Town — A Fort Without a Gun — Yellow Journalism in the Phil ippines — Beautiful Women Who Smoke — Cebu and Its Commer cial Importance — The Island of Panay — The Sulu Sea and Its Boundaries — Primitive Modes of Life in Palawan — Among the Savage Tribes 2H CHAPTER XLTI. SULU AND MINDANAO, THE HOME OF THE MOROS. Origin of the Sulu Mohammedans — A War for Supremacy — Fighting the Pirates — Insurrections in the Islands — An Efficient Governor — Where the Slave Trade Flourishes — How to Govern the Sulus — An Island Comparatively Unknown — Construction of the Native Houses — Peculiar Systems of Local Government — Hos pitality of the Filipinos £32 CHAPTER XIV. THE FILIPINOS AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS. Savage Tribes in the Islands — The Original Inhabitants — The Com mencement of the Insurrections — Native Weapons and How They are Used — Picturesque Dress of Men and Women — Religious Ceremonies — Beliefs of the Morros— &]M '" ' *^$ D' Cladd,o Monot — # Vi£I^l ' ' 1 REPRODUCTION OF RARE MAP Taken from the chart-house of the Spanish cruiser Isla de Luzon the morning after the battle, wH was still burning. It was the chart used by the navigator of that vessel during the fight, found by Mr. Sticl just as it had been abandoned when the Petrel drove the crew ashore. This is probably the only chart «S the Spaniards during the battle, saved from the fire that destroyed them, after they were sunk. CHAPTER L FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. Commodore Dewey in Command of the Asiatic Squadron — How the Story of the "Maine" Disaster Was Obtained — Putting the Fleet in Readiness for Battle — A Race from Tokio to Join Dewey — Leaving Hong Kong in Deference to Neutrality Laws — A Rendezvous in Mirs Bay — The Voyage to Manila — Night Drills and Emergency Calls — The Final War Council — Nearing the Day of Battle — In Manila Bay. Without treating the subject in a technical way, I purpose giving an account of Commodore (now Admiral) Dewey's operations in the Phil ippines, from the time when war with Spain was declared to the occupa tion of the city of Manila. To most of these events I was an eye-witness, and I was in a position to learn what may be called the "inside history" of every important occurrence in the bay. Shortly after the explosion that destroyed the Maine, Commodore Dewey received orders to concentrate the Asiatic squadron at Hong Kong. Without professing to tell any state secrets, I may say that this rendezvous was made as a precautionary move in case the investiga tion into the cause of the Maine's destruction should result in war with Spain. Accordingly the Flagship Olympia, the Boston, the Ra leigh and the Concord, cruisers, and the gunboat Petrel, assembled in the harbor of Hong Kong before the middle of March, 1898. The Monocacy, the only remaining vessel on the Asiatic station, was left in Shanghai because she was not sufficiently seaworthy to make even a short cruise. As I was not with Commodore Dewey at this time, I can speak about his acts prior to my joining him only from information obtained from his officers; but as to its absolute accuracy there can be no question. When the news of the destruction of the Maine was received on the Asiatic station, the news agency that serves the Far East with dis patches from the United States and Europe sent such meager and un satisfactory reports that the officers of the squadron in Hong Kong subscribed a sufficient sum of money to have a full account cabled to 24 FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. them. Wishing an accurate and unbiased story, they asked Col. W. L. Church, editor of the Army and Navy Journal, of New York,^ to send them the admitted facts concerning the disaster to the Maine, and within ten days they had all the information that wa' xhen obtainable. Dewey's Opinion of the Maine Disaster. Commodore Dewey was too well versed in all the technical questions involved to have any doubt about the real cause of the explosion. He made all his plans upon the probability that the court of investigation would lay the disaster at the door of the Spaniards and that there could be only one result of such a finding — namely, war between the United States and Spain. To be ready for that emergency he made every prep aration that skill and experience could suggest. His ships were docked, that their bottoms might be cleaned; their bunkers were kept filled with coal; provisions were ordered in ample quantities, so that they might leave port at any time with supplies sufficient to feed the crews for three months, and every piece of mechanism, whether in the propelling machinery or at the guns, was overhauled and put in complete order for effective and continuous work. As the relations between the two powers became more and more strained, the Commodore asked and ob tained leave to charter a supply ship and a collier. The British steamer Zafiro was taken for the supply vessel, and the British steamer Nanshan, laden with 3,000 tons of the best Welsh coal, was chartered as the collier. How thoroughly Commodore Dewey made his preparations may be understood by a comparison of the dates of his movements against the Spanish forces in the Philippines. War was declared on Monday, April 25th, and on Wednesday, April 27th, he sailed for Manila, having waited two days solely on account of the coming of the United States Consul at Manila, who, he had been informed, would bring him im portant facts concerning the Spanish fleet and the defences of Manila. It was just before this time that my own preparations to take part in the Manila campaign were made. I had gone to Japan to keep a look out upon the British, Japanese and Russian fleets in the Far East, be cause there were such indications of tension among the Western powers that it was desirable to be in the neighborhood of Asiatic waters for any war that might occur between Russia and Great Britain. FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. 26 Arranging to Join Dewey. Being in Tokio, Japan, I cabled to Commodore Dewey on Saturday, April 9th, as follows: "The Secretary of the Navy gives me permission to accompany your squadron to the Philippines if you do not object. May I go with you, agreeing not to send while with you any news except when approved by you? If yes, shall I come immediately? Stickney, Imperial Hotel." I received next day the following reply, dated Hong Kong: "Yes; come immediately. Dewey." On Monday, April 11th, the cruiser Baltimore, bringing ammunition for Dewey's ships, entered the harbor of Yokohama just as I was em barking in the mail steamer China for Hong Kong, and I was thus as sured of joining the Commodore before he sailed for the Philippines, because I knew he would wait for the Baltimore; and, as the latter was going to remain in Yokohama long enough to fill up with coal, it was a practical certainty that the China would reach Hong Kong first. I had as a shipmate in the China Captain (then Commander) B. P. Lamberton, United States Navy, who was under orders to report to Commodore Dewey, to take command of the cruiser Boston. As fog and storm de layed the China two days over her schedule time*between Yokohama and Hong Kong, we were both seriously apprehensive that we should find our squadron gone to Mirs Bay when we reached our destination, as we had been informed in Shanghai that Commodore Dewey had already withdrawn to that bay, about thirty miles north of Hong Kong — in formation which we found to be incorrect. The First Sight of War Preparations. Entering the harbor of Hong Kong in a moderate gale after night fall on Thursday, April 21st, the China was obliged to anchor below Lye Moon Pass, far down the bay, and we were unable to learn whether or not our ships were in the harbor; but, as we went to the China's moor ing buoy at daylight next morning and the long stretch of the man-of- war anchorage opened into view, we saw seven grim vessels moored in line, apart from the white painted hulls of the British squadron. And simultaneously the same thought flashed through our minds, and to- 26 FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. gether we cried: "They're grey! They're grey! This means war!" For, instead of the brilliant white, that had made our ships such con spicuous features of the Yokohama harbor, when I had last seen them there, every one wore a garb of olive grey — the recognized war paint of the navy. But we were in time for the battle, and our hearts were glad. And presently, through the fog-laden atmosphere that obscured the view of the lower bay, we saw a great white ship forge into the harbor flying the "stars and stripes" and making signals to the Olympia. It was the Baltimore, just arriving from Yokohama. The curtain was about to rise on a war drama of which all the world was to furnish the spectators. Events began to move fast enough now. The Baltimore had been lying in Honolulu a long time, and her bottom was covered with seaweed and barnacles to such an extent as to reduce her speed very seriously. In preparation for her arrival, therefore, permission had been obtained to dock this fine cruiser as soon as she reached Hong Kong, and before sunrise next morning she was floated into dock at Kowloon, just across the harbor. The forethought which Commodore Dewey showed in laying his plans was equalled only by the rapidity with which he and his subordinates executed them. The English navy officers, who have a pretty good reputation for skill in the management of ships and seamen, were surprised at the prompt handling of the Baltimore and the amount of work done by her men. On Sunday, April 23d, she came out of dock, her bottom cleaned and coated with anti-fouling com pound and her upper hull repainted with the war color of bluish grey. From Hong Kong to Manila. Acting Governor Black issued a proclamation Saturday evening in which he announced the neutrality of Great Britain and laid down the rules which the warships of the United States and Spain would have to obey in Hong Kong waters. In accordance therewith Commodore Dewey sent most of his squadron out of the harbor on Sunday, and all the American cruisers were anchored in Mirs Bay on Monday, April 24th. The Commodore was all ready for action that day, but he wished to await the arrival of the United States consul at Manila, Mr. 0. F. Williams, who was then on his way from Manila to Hong Kong. Commodore Dewey's orders when he sailed from Mirs Bay were brief FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. 27 but explicit. He was instructed to proceed to the Philippine Islands and do his utmost to capture or destroy the Spanish naval force in those waters. During the battle in which he completely accomplished the task set him he kept those orders so literally in mind that, for a long time after the Spanish batteries had begun to show that they could do better shooting than was being done by the Spanish cruisers, the Com modore refused to turn any of his fire upon them. "We'll sink the ships first," he said, "and then we'll finish off the shore guns." Augustin's Bombastic Proclamation. One of the curiosities of the day was the issuance by Captain-General Augustin of a proclamation concerning the coming of our fleet. It was couched in such extravagant and absurd language that many people refused to believe that it was really issued by the Spanish commander- in-chief. Having obtained a copy of the Spanish newspaper in Manila' in which it was officially published, I present herewith, in fac-simile, that part of the paper containing it, with a translation into English. ESPANOLES: EXTRAORDINARY PROCLA MATION BY THE GOV- Entre Espafia y los Estados- ERNOR-GENERAL OF Unidos de la America del Norte THE PHILIPPINES. se han roto las hostilidades. Llego el momento de demostrar "Spaniards. — al mundo que nos sobran alientos "Between Spain and the United para veneer a los que, nngie"ndose States of North America hostilities amigos leales, aprovecharon nues- have broken out. tras desgracias y explotaron nues- "The moment has arrived to tra hidalguia utilizando medios prove to the world that we possess que las naciones cultas reputan the spirit to conquer those who, por reprobados 6 indignos. jretending to be loyal friends, take El pueblo norte-americano, advantage of our misfortunes and formado por todas las excrecencias abuse our hospitality, using means sociales, agot6 nuestra paciencia y which civilized nations count un- ha provocado la guerra con sus worthy and disreputable. 28 FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. perfidas maquinaciones, con sus actos de deslealtad, con sus atentados al derecho de gentes y a las convenciones internacionales. La lucha sera breve y decisiva. El Dios de las victorias nos la con- cedera tan brillante y completa como demandan la razon y la justicia de nuestra causa. Espana, que cuenta con las simpatias de todas las Naciones, saldra triun- fante de esta nueva prueba, humi- llando y haciendo enmudecer a los aventureros de aquellos Estados que, sin cohesion y sin historia, solo ofrecen a la humanidad tradi- ciones vergonzosas y el espectaculo ingrato de unas Camaras en que aparecen unidas la procacidad y la difamaci6n, la cobardia y el cinismo. Una escuaara, tripulada por gentes advenedizas, sin instruc- cion ni disciplina, se dispone a venir a este archipielago con el descabellado prop6sito de arreba- taros cuanto significa vida, honor y libertad. Preteiidese inspirar a los marinos norte-americanos el coraje de que son incapaces, en- comendandoles, como realizable empresa, la de sustituir con el pro- testantismo la religion cat61ica que profesais, trataros como tribus refractarias a la civilizaci6n, apoderarse de vuestras riquezas como si os fuese desconocido el derecho de propiedad, arrebataros, "The North American people, constituted of all the social ex- cresences, have exhausted our pa tience and provoked war with their perfidious machinations, with their acts of treachery, with their outrages against the law of nations and international conven tions. "The struggle will be short and decisive. The God of Victories will give us one as brilliant and com plete as the righteousness and jus tice of our cause demand. Spain which counts upon the sympathies of all the nations, will emerge tri umphantly from this war test humiliating and blasting the ad venturers from those States that, without cohesion and without a history, offer to humanity only in famous traditions and the ungrate ful spectacle of Chambers in which appear united insolence and defa mation, cowardice and cynicism. A Very Bad Lot, These Americans. "A squadron manned by for eigners, possessing neither instruc tion nor discipline, is preparing to come to this archipelago with the ruffianly intention of robbing us of all that means life, honor, and liberty. Pretending to be inspired by a courage of which they are in capable, the North American sea men undertake as an enterprise capable of realization the substitu* FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. 29 en fin, las personas que consideren utiles para tripular sus barcos 6 ser explotadas en faenas agricolas 6 trabajos industriales. jVanos propositos! ; Ridiculos alardes! Vuestra indomable bravura basta a impedir que osen intentar siquiera realizarlos. No consen- tireis, no, que se escarnezca la f6 que profesais, ni que plantas im- pias hollen el templo del Dios ver- dadero, ni que la incredulidad der- roque las santas imagenes que adorais; no profanaran los agre- sores las tumbas de vuestros pa dres: no satisfaran sus impudicas pasiones a costa del honor de vues- tras esposas 6 hijas; no os arreba- taran los bienes que vuestra virtud acumulo para asegurar vuestra vida; no realizaran, no, ninguno de esos crimenes acariciados por su maldad y su codicia, porque vuestro valor y vuestro patriotismo bastan para escarmentar y abatir al pueblo que, llamandose civiliza- do y culto, emplea el exterminio con los indigenas de la America del Norte sin procurar atraerlos a " la vida de la civilizacion y del pro- greso. ; Filipinos! preparaos a la lucha, y unidos cuantos cobija la gloriosa bandera espailola, siem- pre cubierta de laureles, peleemos con el convencimiento de que la victoria coronara nuestros esfuer- tion of Protestantism for the Cath olic religion you profess, to treat you as tribes refractory to civiliza tion, to take possession of your riches as if they were unac quainted with the rights of prop erty, and to kidnap those persons whom they consider useful to man their ships or to be exploited in agricultural or industrial labor. "Vain designs! Ridiculous boastings! "Your indomitable bravery will suffice to frustrate the attempt to carry them into realization. You will not allow the faith you pro fess to be made a mock of impious hands to be placed on the temple of the true God, the images you adore to be thrown down by un> belief. The aggressors shall not profane the tombs of your fathers, they shall not gratify their lustful passions at the cost of your wives' and daughters' honor, or appro priate the property that your in dustry has accumulated as a pro vision for your old age. No, they shall not perpetrate any of the crimes inspired by their wicked ness and covetousness, because your valor and patriotism will suffice to punish and abase the people that, claiming to be civil ized and cultivated, have extermi nated the natives of North Ameri ca instead of bringing to them the life of civilization and of progress. 30 FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. zos y contestemos a las intima- "Philipinos, prepare for the ciones de nuestros enemigos con la struggle and, united under the decisi6n del cristiano y del patrio- glorious Spanish flag, which is taal grito de '.VivaEspana! ever covered with laurels, let us Manila, 23 de Abril de 1898. fight with the conviction that vic- Vuestro General, tory will crown our efforts, and to Basilio Augustin y Davila. the calls of our enemies let us op pose with the decision of the Christian and the patriot the cry of 'Viva Espana.' "Manila, 23d April, 1898. "Your General, "Basilio Augustin Davila," *&v About noon on Wednesday the consul reached Mirs Bay, and prompt ly the signal was made: "Get under way." During the time since it had become apparent that war was inevitable the squadron had been engaged in preparations for an immediate fight, and the signal was answered with an alacrity that showed how welcome was the order to the ships' companies. At two o'clock the flagship Olympia led the way out of Mirs Bay, followed by the Baltimore, the Raleigh, the Petrel, the Concord and the Boston, in the order named, while in a separate line were the dispatch-boat McCulloch, the Zafiro and the Nanshan. The slow speed of eight knots was set by the flagship, because the colliers were deeply laden, and it was not wise to push them to their best speed in the long, moderate sea then running. The course was laid for Cape Bolinao, near the northern end of the island of Luzon, and we ran out of the ground swell before Thursday night, although there was still enough motion on the smaller ships to keep their decks wet and far from comfortable. Wednesday midnight the Commodore waked the boys up with a call to "quarters for action," just to see how quickly they could get their ships ready to meet the enemy. As the rapid and stirring notes of the bugle rang through the Olympia, followed by the hoarse call of the boatswain's mates, the silent beehive was instantaneously transformed into a scene of the greatest activity. The watch already on deck promptly began to clear the bat tery for service. The watch below, roused out of their early sleep, quickly dropped from their hammocks or sprang from the deck where FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. 31 they had been sleeping and hustled into their clothes. Soon they began appearing on the upper deck, each carrying two hammocks, to be stowed in the nettings or packed around the small rapid-fire pieces as a pro tection against musketry. A Test of Readiness for Battle. The sea fastenings of the guns were hastily cast loose, the training levers shipped, the sights uncovered, the elevating screws worked and the sponge and rammer. placed ready for use. In the powder division the magazines were opened, the hatches of the shell rooms taken off, the electric battle lanterns turned on and put in their proper places, the division tubs filled with water and the ammunition hoists set at work whipping up powder and shell. The master's division went to the wheel and the lead, hung up the battle lanterns and swiftly swung the search lights around to be sure that they were in easy working condition. The signalmen cleared away the Ardois lights and got out the Coston signals, ready to communicate with the other ships of the fleet as occa sion might require. The engineer's division gathered at their stations in the fire rooms and engine rooms, ready to fire up under all boilers and put on any pressure of steam up to the maximum limit as called upon, at the same time closing the watertight compartment doors and starting the forced-draft air blowers. Throughout the ship there was continuous movement and preparation, carried forward in silence and generally in darkness, the only noises being those caused by the working of the machinery and the guns. Suddenly, out of the silent gloom, the voice of the executive officer, Lieutenant Rees, was heard: "Man the starboard battery! Pivot to starboard!" The heavy turrets swung around on their centers till their guns pointed off to starboard, and the men quickly took their places at the guns on the starboard side of the ship. When each division officer had satisfied himself that not one small detail of preparation had been overlooked, he went to the upper deck where the executive officer was standing and reported his division. The ship's writer, acting as clerk for the executive — in the absence of naval cadets in the Olympia — took note of the time when each division officer made his report, thus keeping a record by which the captain could judge the promptitude of his crew in all its departments. 32 FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. Spirited Work on the Olympia. In just seven minutes from the first note on the bugle, Lieutenant Rees reported to the captain: "The ship is cleared for action, sir." A rapid drill at the guns — "going through the motions" of loading and firing at an imaginary enemy, first on one side and then on the other — kept the men on the jump for twenty minutes, and then came the order: "Secure!" With a rapidity like to that with which the guns had been cast loose, the crew returned to the magazines and shell-rooms the ammunition that had been brought on deck, replaced the temporary fittings that had been removed and secured the guns for sea. Again the division officers had a brisk rivalry to be first in reporting their divisions secured, and when they had made their reports the executive officer sent word to the captain, "All secure, sir." This was followed by "Retreat!" sounded on the bugle, and the men left their battle sta tions to resume the usual routine of the night watches.. During the slow run across the China Sea, the men in our ships were exercised in all the duties pertaining to battle except the actual firing of the guns. There was never a moment after the time the "hands were turned to" — the navy phrase that indicates the waking up of every one aboard and the stowing of all hammocks in the nettings — when the crews were not busy about something that would be of use to them in the fight that was now so near at hand. When twilight hour came it was a fairly well tired-out lot of jackies that carried their hammocks be low to get a night's rest, broken, of course, by the regular sea watches. Patriotic Music at Sea, At the hour when the officers dined in the evening the band mus tered on the deck just forward of the Commodore's cabin and played popular airs, the selections being made usually from the light comic operas and stirring march movements of favorite composers; but on Thursday, the day after leaving Mirs Bay, Bandmaster Valifuoco select ed the music with special reference to rousing the patriotism of the "boys in blue," choosing many of the airs that had been popular in the north during our civil war. These were all favorably received, but it was not till the band struck up "Yankee Doodle" that the boys cheered. When the concert closed with "The Star Spangled Banner," the voices FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. S3 of at least fifty men took up the words of each verse, the young ap prentices being particularly noticeable in the lead, and the chorus spread through the ship from forecastle to cabin with an enthusiasm that carried with it the hearts of all on board. Land was sighted Saturday morning, April 30th, the squadron hav ing arrived off Cape Bolinao, near the north end of the Island of Luzon. That forenoon the Boston and the Concord were sent ahead of the rest of the fleet to enter Subig Bay, which is about thirty miles north of the entrance to Manila Bay. As it was thought that perhaps the Spanish squadron might have moved up to this bay, the Baltimore was sent to reinforce the other two vessels a little before noon. As the remaining ships came down the coast at easy speed, several small schooners were sighted along the shore and the Commodore or dered the Zafiro to overhaul one of them to see whether she could give us news concerning the Spanish defences at Manila. When the Zafiro returned from this duty signal was made to her to come within hail of the flagship. Her captain, misgauging his speed as he came close alongside the Olympia, shot ahead and then made the mistake of putting his helm the wrong way. In consequence, the Zafiro swung straight across the flagship's bows, and a collision seemed inevitable. Lieu tenant Strife, the officer of the deck — that is, the officer having charge of the handling of the Olympia during that watch — was equal to the emergency. He quickly put the Olympia's helm over also, and the two vessels glided past each other without touching. As the Olympia's bow just cleared the Zafiro's stern by a distance of not more than three or four feet, the Commodore said to Captain Gridley : Commodore Dewey's Way. "Who has the deck, Captain Gridley?" and then, when informed, he added: "Give my compliments to Lieutenant Strife and tell him that I noticed and appreciated his coolness and skill in handling the ship so as to avoid a collision." It was not a matter of much moment in itself, since Strife did no more than his duty, but the incident was illustrative of Dewey's way of dealing with his officers. When we arrived off the entrance to Subig Bay, early in the after noon, the Boston, the Baltimore and the Concord came out of the bay 34 FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. and reported that the Spaniards had neither ships nor shore guns in the harbor. Our course for Manila was resumed. Now the final prep arations for battle were made. All woodwork that could be removed without injury to the working of the vessels was thrown overboard, and it was interesting to see the men coming on deck in a steady stream, carrying in their arms tables, chairs, doors and bulkheads, which they would pitch into the sea as though they were enjoying the opportunity to dismantle the interior of their ship. In fact, the seamen were glad to get rid of everything that might endanger their lives by fire. In the Olympia the men had a number of board tables, made to swing from the beams above the berth deck, upon which they served their meals. The executive officer gave an order that these mess-tables should be "put over the side," meaning that they should be hung outside the ship by ropes in a position where, even if they should catch on fire, they would endanger nothing else. But the seamen chose to interpret the order to mean that the tables should go overboard, and the result was that, after the battle, the jackies had to eat either standing or lying down, since they had no tables. Giving His Captains Their Final Orders. A few miles north of the entrance to Manila Bay, Commodore Dewey stopped his flagship and made signal for commanding officers to repair on board. When every gig had been called away, and the captain of each ship was steering in solitary state toward the Olympia, no one needed to be told that we were on the eve of battle. "They're comin'," said one of the old seamen, "to hear the 'old man's' last word before we go at the Dons." "Not his last word," said one of the younger men. "Perhaps not his," was the reply, "but it's near our last words some of us are. There'll be many an eye will look at that sunset to-night that'll never see another." But such prophets of sorrow were rare. As a rule our men went into the action of Manila Bay with their minds more set upon revenge than foreboding. The sun went down on a sea as calm as if storm were unknown the deep sapphire surface being unruffled by even a ripple. Heaps of clouds in the southeast were colored in all the gorgeous pageantry of a tropical FBOM HONG KONG TO MANILA. 35 brilliancy, and some of the more imaginative minds were able to see cloud-shapes that resembled the Maine. The war council was of short duration. Commodore Dewey had de cided on his plans before it met, and he took little time in giving to each captain his duties for the night and next day. By seven o'clock the gigs were all hoisted at their davits, the flagship was again under way, and long before dark every vessel had taken her station, ready to run by the batteries at the mouth of the bay or to fight her passage, as circumstances might require. Aside from one light at the very stern of each ship, intended as a guide for the next in line, not a glimmer was to be seen aboard any craft in the fleet. As I looked astern from the Olympia's taffrail, I could just get a faint suggestion of a ghostly shape where the Baltimore grimly held her course on our port quarter, while the Raleigh, somewhat further away on our starboard quarter, could be seen by only the sharpest eyes when the moon was wholly unob- scured by cloud. Entering Manila Bay. The Commodore decided to waste no time in useless delay; but, re gardless of hidden mines and shore batteries, led the way into the harbor. With all lights out, and the crews at the guns, the warships in their grey war paint turned silently toward the Boca Grande, the larger entrance to the bay, the flagship, Olympia, leading. Following closely, in the order that was retained during the battle of the suc ceeding day, came the Baltimore, the Raleigh, the Petrel, the Concord, and the Boston. As the fleet approached the entrance it moved as slowly as was compatible with keeping the formation of the line. Half of the crew of each gun were allowed to sleep alongside their stations in order that they might be better fitted for what was to come. Except for the sleep less eye on the bridge of the Olympia, and the alert gaze of the officers on watch, the ships seemed to slumber, as did the city and the forts. It was at 9:45 o'clock that the men were sent to their guns, but there was little needed in the way of preparation for battle. On the shore north of the other channel — Boca Chica, us it is named — we had seen a bright light, but there was no stir perceptible to indicate that we had been discovered by the Spaniards. Opposite the middle of Corregidor— 36 FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. the island that lies in the entrance to the bay— another light now began to flash at intervals, as if making signals, and soon the flight of a rocket from this island told us that we had been discovered. "We ought to have a shot from Corregidor very soon now," said the Commodore; and having been already sighted, our ships were permitted to increase their speed to eight knots. The Olympia could have moved at a 15-knot gait without any unusual effort, and all the warships could have made about twelve knots; but it would not have been safe for the -fighting craft to run away from the non-combatant column led by the revenue cutter McCulloch, and as the Nanshan and the Zafiro were not capable of doing much better than eight knots that speed was never exceeded. Into the yawning blackness between Corregidor and the lone rock that is called El Fraile — the Monk — we passed, and still no hostile demonstration from the Spanish guns and torpedoes. The moon was now hidden in the western clouds, and the solemn stillness of the Olympia, as we steamed along in the complete darkness, made the passage of the entrance probably the most oppressive time of our whole operations. The First Shot from the Spaniards. On, on crept the mighty engines of war, but the batteries on shore gave no sign. Suddenly when the flagship had passed a mile beyond Corregidor Island, a gun boomed out, and a shell went screaming over the Raleigh and the Olympia, soon followed by a second. Three ships, the Raleigh, the Concord and the Boston, replied, apparently with effect, for the firing ceased, and again the batteries lay silent. As Commodore Dewey had planned, the fleet arrived within five miles of Manila at daybreak. What must have been the astonishment in the Spanish lines when the sun rose, and they looked out on the Ameri can ships that had come in during the night! While, as yet, the fleet retained the appearance of calm that had characterized its approach, now many eyes on board lighted with the fire of war, as they sighted the Spanish fleet, under command of Rear Admiral Montojo, lying off Cavite, and realized that the battle was at hand. During most of the battle the Spanish vessels were moving about at full speed. The Spaniards had a well equipped navy yard called Cavite Arsenal, which had put the ships in first-rate fighting trim and FROM HONG KONG TO MANILA. 3? on Sangley Point they had two strong batteries containing three 6.2-inch and one 4.7-inch guns; so that, when we take into account the advantages that the Spaniards had in position, in their opportunities to lay mines, and in their knowledge of the bay, it may be seen that it was no trifling task that confronted the fleet. With the American flag flying from all mastheads, the ships moved on. No excitement was visible; the quiet man on the bridge of the Olympia was as unmoved, apparently, as though he were sailing into a peaceful harbor. For the first time in many years the stars and stripes were being borne aggressively into a foreign port. It was an epoch in history. The rapid changes of scene and the whole picturesque effect was something never to be forgotten. The underlying meaning of it all was too great to be readily understood. Nineteenth century civili zation and fifteenth century medisevalism lay confronting each other. CHAPTER IL THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. First Glimpse of the Enemy's Fleet at Cavite— Dewey Reserves His Fire— "You May Fire When You Are Ready, Captain Gridley" — The Story of the Conflict— That Withdrawal for Breakfast — Resuming the At tack — Dewey's Official Report to the Navy Department — Dewey Fulfills His Instructions — How Captain Gridley Told the Tale — A Spanish Account of Our Victory. As the ships passed in front of Manila, action was begun by the Spaniards. Three batteries, mounting guns powerful enough to send shells to the distance of five miles, opened fire. The Concord replied, but Commodore Dewey, after two shots, made signal to stop firing, since there was danger of the shells carrying destruction and death into the crowded city beyond. At six minutes past five o'clock, when nearing Cavite, there was a splash and roar, and two great jets of water were thrown high in air ahead of the flagship. The fleet had come upon the first of the sub marine mines. Of course it was possible and probable that the whole harbor was filled with torpedoes. At any moment they were liable to explode beneath the ships; but Commodore Dewey had foreseen this when he entered the bay, and it did not now cause him to change his plans. Moreover, he had fought with Farragut at New Orleans and at Mobile, and submarine mines had no terrors for him. Contrary to ex pectation no more mines exploded, and it is believed that no others had been placed by the Spaniards. We regarded these explosions as a sort of "bluff," intended to make us imagine that there might be other mines in front of Cavite. "They ain't so good at blowing upWps that come with their fighting clothes on as they are at murdering a crew in time of peace " said one of the Olympia's petty officers, as he saw the column of water and smoke subsiding ahead of us; and this reference to the Maine showed what was uppermost in the minds of our men as they were moving on for their first chance to avenge the crime perpetrated in Havana last February. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. VIEW OF THE BALTIMORE IN ACTION The above picture shows the Baltimore in hot action against the Spanish batteries on Sangley Point and Canacao, as photographed by Mr. Stickney. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. VIEWS OF SPANISH SHIPS Here is a photograph of the Spanish cruisers Don Juan de Austria and the Isla de Luzon after they had been sunk in shallow water, and partly burned by our fleet. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. VIEW OF THE AMERICAN FLEET This picture was taken astern of the Olympia going into the second fight just before the Baltimore was ordered to take the lead, with the signal for close action on the flagship. The Boston is omitted from this picture owing to the small field of the camera, she being the last vessel in the line. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. ON BOARD THE OLYMPIA Mr. Stickney photographed these men, who came on deck from the turret to get a breath of fresh air while the ship was turning to make another run across the front of the Spanish line, and while, therefore, the guns were silent for a few min utes. The officer whose head is seen just beyond the central group of men is Lieutenant Stokely Morgan. THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. 41 Squadron Formation for Battle. Steaming at the comparatively slow speed of eight knots, our ships approached Cavite. From the peak of each vessel and from every mast head floated the "stars and stripes" — the largest regulation ensign being displayed. In the lead was, of course, the Olympia, followed by the Baltimore, the Raleigh, the Petrel, the Concord and the Boston, in the order named. The revenue cutter McCulloch and the merchant steamers attached to the squadron as coal carriers were ordered to keep well out of range in the bay, and they naturally did not try to come nearer. The warships had closed up to an interval of about two cables' lengths — say, 300 yards — and they held their respective positions with an accuracy that must have astonished Don Basilio Augustin Davila, the Spanish governor, who had told his people that our vessels were manned by men without training or discipline. Drawing on at this slow speed toward the enemy's line, I could not help recalling the lines of — I believe it's Southey : "Like leviathans afloat lay our bulwarks on the brine, While the sign of battle flew down the lofty British line — It was ten of April morn by the chime. As we drifted on our path, There was silence deep as death, And the boldest held his breath, For a time." Presently, we came near enough to distinguish the Spanish ships in the Bay of Cavite. Most prominently in view at first was a sort of cream-colored vessel, apparently at anchor. This we recognized as the Castilla. She was moored, head and stern, with her port battery to seaward, just outside the point of low land that makes out like a lobster's claw and protects the inner anchorage. Behind the Castilla, with all steam up and moving to and fro in the back bay, were the Reina Cristina, flagship, the Isla de Luzon, the Isla de Cuba, the Don Juan de Austria, the Don Antonio de Ulloa, the Marques del Duero, the General Lezo, the Argos, several torpedo boats and the transport Isla de Min danao. The latter steamed away as fast as she could and was beached 42 THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. some distance up the coast, where she was burned by the Concord latef in the day. The Batteries Open Fire. When we were at a distance of about 6,000 yards a puff of very white cloud arose from a clump of bushes on shore. It was a pretty sight, for the smoke floated away in fantastic shapes above the red clay shore and the bright green foliage. But for whom aboard our ships did that ap parently harmless pillar of white mean death or mutilation? Within four seconds we heard the scream of the shot, as it passed far over us, and we knew that the first gun in the battle of Manila Bay had failed to do us any damage. Then the Spanish flagship, taking a lesson prob ably from the excessive elevation given to the shore gun, fired several times in quick succession, with an aim as much too short as the battery's had been too high. Yet one or two of her projectiles passed between our masts on the rebound from the water. More puffs of flame from the shore in different places showed that the Spaniards were better protected than we had supposed. Soon all the Spanish vessels were aflame with rapid gun fire. Shell after shell flew close over our super structure or skimmed past the head of our Commodore and his staff on our forward bridge. Still our courtly chief made no sign. In the usual service white uniform, wearing, however, a gray traveling cap on his head, having been unable to find his uniform cap after the guns in his cabin had been cleared for action, the Commodore paced the bridge, watching the enemy's hot fire as if he were a disinterested spectator of an unusual dis play of fireworks. "Take her close along the 5-fathom line, Mr. Calkins," he said to the navigator, "but be careful not to get her aground." The 5-fathom line is the curve of the coast outside of which the water is five fathoms deep. As the Olympia was drawing more than four fathoms, it was not safe to take her in closer. We had been ap proaching the Spanish line at an angle of about fifteen degrees and soon the shoaling of the water, as shown by repeated casts of the lead, called for a change of course. As the helm was put to port and the Olympia's men at the port battery began to get a view of their still distant enemies, they felt that the moment for which they so long had waited was at hand. No order to open fire had been given, but the experienced petty THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. 48 officers saw that the ship was nearing a range at which all our guns would be effective. Although at first the Spanish shots flew wild, after a time the gun ners got a better range and the shells from both the batteries and the Spanish vessels began to strike near or burst close aboard the American ships. Officers on the Olympia's Bridge. All this time, with the exception of the shots from the Concord, the guns of the American fleet had remained inactive. The strain on our men was fearful, but they had confidence in their commodore and sub mitted willingly to his judgment. The heat was intense, and stripped of all clothing except their trousers, the gunners stood silent and obedient at their posts. The Olympia might have been empty if the whirr of the blowers and the throb of the engines had not told of pulsating human life. On the forward bridge of the Olympia stood Commodore Dewey surrounded by his staff. In this little group were Commander Lamberton, fleet captain; the executive officer, Lieutenant Rees; Lieu tenant Calkins, the navigator, who conned the ship admirably all through the battle, and the Commodore's aide, myself. It was consid ered unwise to run the risk of losing all the senior officers by one shell, and therefore Captain Gridley was in the conning tower. Suddenly a shell burst directly over the center of the ship. As the projectile flashed over the head of the man' who held the destiny of the fleet in his grasp, it became evident that the moment of activity had come. Even the powerful will of their leader could no longer restrain the surging war fever of the crew. A boatswain's-mate, who had been bending over, looking eagerly ahead with his hand on the lock string of the after 5-inch gun, sprung up and cried out : "Boys, remember the Maine!" Instantly the watchword was repeated by the two hundred men at the guns. The hoarse shout was caught up in the turrets and fire rooms. It echoed successively through all the decks of the silent ship, till finally, in a sullen whisper, "Remember the Maine" stole up through the ventilators from the lowest parts of the hold to the officers on the bridge. There seemed to be no premeditation in the cry, but the explosion that wrecked the gallant Maine in Havana Harbor was the spark that fired the first gun in Manila Bay, as it was the flame that 44 THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. set blazing the righteous indignation of the American nation against the cruelty of Spain to her oppressed colonies. Dewey Gives the Order to Fire. "You may fire when you are ready, Captain Gridley," said the Com modore. This order sufficed, and at 5:41 o'clock in the morning, at a distance of three miles, America roared forth her first battle cry to Spain from the starboard 8-inch gun in the forward turret of the Olympia. The Baltimore and the Boston were not slow in following the ex ample of the flagship, and almost immediately their 8-inch guns were sending 250-pound shells toward the Castilla and the Reina Cristina. The battle now began to rage fierce and fast. Encouraged by the fact that the range was too great for accuracy, and that the American gun ners were obliged to guess the distance, the Spaniards fired more rapidly. Shots from their ship and shore guns came through the air in a screaming shower; time-fuse shells were constantly bursting about the American fleet, and their fragments, scattering in all directions, would strike the water like shrapnel or cut the hull and rigging of the ships. The Olympia was the target for most of the Spanish guns, because she was the flagship and because she steered directly for the center of the Spanish line. One shell struck close by a gun in the ward room, The signal halyards were cut from Lieutenant Brumby's hand, as he stood on the after bridge. One great projectile, with almost human in tuition, came straight toward the forward bridge, but burst less than a hundred feet away. A fragment cut the rigging directly over the heads of Commander Lamberton and myself. Another struck the bridge railings in line with us, and still another, about as large as a flat iron, gouged a hole in the deck a few. feet below the Commodore. Narrow Escapes Aboard the Baltimore. The Baltimore's crew had several narrow escapes. One shot struck her and passed through her, but fortunately hit no one. Another ripped up her main deck, disabled one 6-inch gun, and exploded a couple of 3-pounder shells, wounding eight men. This shell is worthy of special notice on account of its eccentric actions. It came undoubtedly THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. 45 from the Canacao battery and entered about two feet above the upper deck, on the starboard side, between the after 6-inch gun and the 3-pounder mounted on the rail. After piercing two plates of steel, each one-quarter of an inch thick, it struck the deck and penetrated till it cracked one of the heavy deck beams clear through. Bounding up ward it tore its way through the steel combing of the engine room sky light, and again passed through two quarter-inch plates. Leaving the skylight, it ranged forward, struck the recoil cylinder of the port 6-inch gun on the quarter deck and disabled the carriage. It at last met the steel shield curved in front of the gun. This was strong enough to resist the attack, and the shell followed the curve of the shield until it was traveling in exactly the opposite direction to what had been its former course. It again crossed the ship to the starboard side, where it struck a ventilator and stopped. This shell was the cause of wounding two officers and six men by exploding the two 3-pounder shells mentioned; but directly, it injured no one, and its course was one of the most remarkable on record. The Boston received a shell in her port quarter. It burst in Ensign Doddridge's stateroom and caused a hot fire, as did also one that burst in the port hammock netting; but both these fires were quickly ex tinguished. One shell passed through the Boston's foremast, just in front of Captain Wildes on the bridge. The entire battle was a series of incidents of this sort and the wonder is that they were no more than incidents. Scenes on Shipboard. Even now, when the Spaniards had brought all their guns into action, the Americans had not yet responded with all their strength. Commodore Dewey was reserving his force. The men naturally chafed at this continued restraint, but they laughed and joked good naturedly among themselves. Sometimes, when a shell would burst close aboard or would strike the water and pass overhead, with the peculiar sputter ing noise characteristic of the tumbling of a rifled projectile, some of t'the more nervous would dodge mechanically. A1 At a distance of 4,000 yards, owing to her deep draught, the Com- J'nodore was obliged to change his course and run the Olympia parallel 4;o the Spanish column. At last, as she brought her port broadside untoward the foe, Commodore Dewey said; 46 THE BATTLE OF MAOTLA BAY. "Open with all the guns," and the roar that went forth shook the vessel from end to end. The battle was indeed on. Above the snarling of the Olympia's 5-inch rapid-firers was heard the prolonged growl of her turret 8-inchers. The other ships joined in, and Cavite Harbor was no longer comfortable for the Spaniards. It is almost impossible to describe the situation at this moment. War has been always fearful, but the confusion and horror of modern warfare can only be understood by an eye witness. The roar of the guns of to-day and the horrors resulting from their powerful shells can best be left to the imagination of those who have not actually been in battle and seen the effects of their deadly work. And even to those aboard the American fleet that day, the fearful event was not known to its limit till later; for the scenes of carnage and death were upon the Spanish side. A Word of Praise For the Spaniards. As has before been stated the disastrous defeat, of the Spaniards was not owing to cowardice on their part. Their position was a strong one, owing to the protection of the shore batteries and the shallow water that guarded them from the danger of a close attack. They were fight ing gallantly, and the fire from the ships sailing back and forth behind the Castilla was hot. The American fleet had made four runs along the Spanish line, when, finding the chart incorrect, Lieutenant Calkins told the Commodore he believed he could take the ship nearer the enemy. Carefully watch ing the depth of the water, as shown by the lead, the Olympia started over the course for the fifth time and ran within 2,000 yards of the Spanish vessels, a range so close that now even the 6-pounders were effective. A storm of shells poured upon the Spaniards, but, as far as the Americans could see, they had not yet been crippled to any great extent. Matters were not particularly cheerful on board the Olympia. Many of our projectiles had seemed to go too high or too low, as had those of the Spaniards, and several times the Admiral had expressed dissatisfaction. He now gave the order to haul off into the open bay, in order to take stock of ammunition, which was in danger of running short, and to plan a new attack. It would never have done to admit this state of affairs to the men, so the scheme was devised of making break fast the cause of the cessation of hostilities, THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. 4T Prefer Fighting to Breakfast. The interruption was not welcomed joyfully, however. As the ships drew away, the temper of the men was well shown by the almost tearful appeal of one gun captain to Commander Lamberton: "For God's sake, Captain," he cried, "don't stop now! Let's finish 'em up right off. As the action ceased the other ships passed the flagship and cheered lustily. The fight had now lasted about two hours and a half, when for about four hours hostilities were suspended and the fleet lay inactive in the center of the bay. During this time it was found that there re mained in the magazines of the Olympia only 85 rounds of 5-inch am munition, and that the stock of 8-inch charges was sufficiently depleted to make another two hours' fighting impossible. The Baltimore was discovered to have the best supply, so when, at 10:50 o'clock, the signal for close action went up again, she was given the place of honor in the lead, the Olympia following and the other ships as before. As the Baltimore began firing at the Spaniards at 11:16 o'clock she made a series of hits as if at target practice. In this second attack the Spaniards replied very slowly, chiefly from their shore guns. The Americans now recognized the results of their morning's work, for the Spanish flagship and the Castilla were burning fiercely, and we had heard the explosion of the magazines on board the Reina Cristina. For some reason the Castilla did not blow up, although she burned fiercely as late as Monday night. This was undoubtedly due to the fact that her magazines had been flooded before she was aban doned by her crew. Commodore Dewey now signalled the Raleigh, the Boston, the Concord and the Petrel to go into the inner harbor and destroy all the enemy's ships. t Notable Work of the Petrel. The work of the little Petrel, Commander E. P. Wood, commanding, is worthy of special mention. Her draught was so light that she was able to approach within 1,000 yards. From this close range she com manded everything flying the Spanish flag and fired with the greatest accuracy. Lieutenant E, M, Hughes, with an armed boat's crew, set fine 48 THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. to the Don Juan de Austria, the Marques del Duero and the Isla de Cuba. The large transport Manila and many tug boats and small craft were also captured. The other ships did their duty as well, and soon not a red and yellow ensign remained aloft, except one fluttering from a battery far up the coast. The Don Antonio de Ulloa was the last ves sel to be abandoned. She at last lurched over and sank. The Spanish flag on the arsenal was hauled down at 12:30, the white flag was hoisted in its place, and the power of the Spanish Dons in the Philippines was at an end. Commodore Dewey closed the day by anchoring off the City of Manila, and sending word to the Governor-General that the port was blockaded and that if a shot was fired at the American fleet from Manila, the city would be laid in ashes. He also sent word that he wished to use the cable to Hong Kong, but no reply to this demand was ever received. The Commodore had been ordered to capture or destroy the Spanish squadron, and instructions were never more effectively carried out. Within seven hours after arriving on the scene of action nothing re mained to be done. Humorous Incidents of the Battle. Some of the incidents that came under my notice before and after tn«s battle had features of humor as well as of interest. One man named Purdy, a privileged character, because he had served in the navy forty or fifty years, was noticed by Commodore Dewey on Saturday to be making a pretense of finding something to do on the port side of the upper deck, where his duties did not call him. As the Commodore was familiar with the ways of old seamen, he saw that Purdy had something on his mind, and said: "Well, Purdy, what is it?" "I hope, sir," said Purdy, saluting, "that ye don't intend to fight on the 3d of May." "And why not?" asked the Commodore. "Ye see, sir," said the old man, seriously, "I got licked the last time I fought on the 3d of May." Purdy had gone to defeat at Chancellorsville under "Fighting Joe" Hooker. ' / 1 / Sm / gjf. « f *¦•¦' C* Copyrighted, 1S99, by Joseph L. Stickney. THE SPANISH CRUISER ISLA DE-LUZON This view of the forward part shows the 'bridge and a 4.7- inch rapid-fire rifle and a small Nordenfeldt machine-gun over turned by the American shell fire. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. THE OLYMPIA AT ANCHOR This is a good view of the Olympia at anchor off the City of Manila the morning after the battle. The men had a large wash hung out to dry, as can be seen with no stretch of the imagination. Calle — Street. Paseo— Promenade. Calzada — Avenue. Estero— Tide> Water Creek Plaza — Square. 1. Captain General's Offices 2. Office of Military Governor. 3. Barracks of Artillery. 4. Barracks of Cavalry. 5. Malate Barracks. 6. Infantry Barracks. 7. Military Hospital. 8. Fortin Barracks. 9. Treasury. 10. Custom House. 11. Hospital of San Juan de Dios 12. Penetentiary and Public Jail. 13. Road to Caloocan. 14. Observatory. 15. Telegraph Station. 16. Mint. 17. Cathedral. 18. Church and Convent of San Augustin. 19. Church of San Domingo. 20. University. 21. General Cemetery. ¦jHbj^Bj^HIbSI . f i T ¦ '¦ IB-, v . rZmkwkw Copyrighted, 1899 by Joseph L. Stickney. THE BALTIMORE GOING INTO THE SECOND FIGHT Her men are at the guns and her battle flags are flying. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L, Stickney. A VIEW OF A CORNER OF THE CAVITE ARSENAL The above picture shows a number of emplacements for guns, almost medieval in character. THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. 53 "All right, Purdy," said the Commodore, "we won't fight on the 3d; but when we do fight, you'll have another kind of May anniversary to think about; remember that, my man." The Commodore knew positively when his attack would be made; for he had resolved to allow nothing to delay him. He knew the exact distance to Manila and the speed his squadron would make; hence, on the afternoon of our sailing from Mirs Bay, he told me that the battle would take place on Sunday, May 1st. How the Admiral Appointed His Aide As a non-combatant, I felt that I had a right to no privileges except those granted me by the Admiral. On Saturday I asked him if I might be allowed a position on the forward bridge, if a battle should be fought. He answered: "I think you'll be satisfied." After the council of war, when the officers had returned to their respective ships, he sent for me to come to the quarter deck, and said: "Mr. Stickney, Mr. Caldwell [his naval secretary] has volunteered for duty at the guns, and I have decided to appoint you my aide. You will take station with me on the forward bridge." He paused and then added with a quizzical twinkle in his eye: "Satisfied?" During the first hour of the fight, as I stood near him on the bridge, I saw a torpedo boat come creeping out from behind Sangley Point and called his attention to her. "You look after her," he answered; "I have no time to bother with torpedo boats. Let me know when you've finished her." Her commander must have been ignorant of modern guns or utterly indifferent to death, for not till twice hit by the secondary battery, did this daring craft turn back and reach the beach just in time to save her crew from drowning. In a case where every vessel was as efficient as were the American ships during the battle of Manila, it is difficult to draw distinctions, but when they passed each other close aboard, after the action, the heartiest cheers, after those for the Commodore, were those given for the little Petrel, 54 THE BATTLE OP MANILA BAY. Casualties of the Battle. The only Americans wounded were on board the Baltimore — eight in number, all slightly, except two men, each of whom had a leg broken. As each captain reported on the flagship, he was eagerly asked: "How many killed?" And while each man could not conceal his satisfaction at the condition of his ship and crew, he was also desirous that this should be understood to be no proof that he had not been in danger. It was feared that some casualties might have taken place on the Boston, as she had been on fire, but her report was equally satisfactory, and the men on the Olympia cheered loudly. Nevertheless, there was great suffering among our men during the fight, owing to the terrific heat, and some of those shut up below would undoubtedly have succumbed had it not been for the excitement of battle. In the arsenal grounds a number of bodies of Spaniards were found unburied on Monday morning. A Roman Catholic priest was called in to read the burial service. The bodies presented a horrible sight. The head of one had been almost wholly carried away by a shell. Another had been struck in the stomach by a large projectile which had cut everything away to the backbone. One very large man, apparently an officer, was not only mangled but swollen out of all proportion to his real size. To add to the horror several lean, wolf-like dogs had already visited the scene. The victory in Manila Bay was one of the most remarkable in the history of the world. Not an American was killed, and at night, after the battle, every American ship was fit to go into a similar action on the succeeding day. The result was almost incomprehensible, but it is probably what may be expected in all the affairs of life, where coolness and wisdom hold the balance against bravado and inefficiency. Admiral Dewey's Official Report. The following is the account of the battle of Manila sent by Admiral Dewey to the navy department at Washington. It was not made public until June 14th*- "Flagship Olympia, Cavite, May 4, 1898. "The squadron left Mirs Bay on April 27th. Arrived off Bolinao on the morning of April 30th, and, finding no vessels there, proceeded down THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. 55 v the coast and arrived off the entrance to Manila Bay on the same after noon. The Boston and. Concord were sent to reconnoitre Port Subig. A thorough search of the port was made by the Boston and the Con cord, but the Spanish fleet was not found. "Entered the south channel at half -past eleven p. m., steaming in column at eight knots. After half the squadron had passed, a battery on the south side of the channel opened fire, none of the shots taking effect. The Boston and the Concord returned the fire. The squadron proceeded across the bay at slow speed, arrived off Manila at daybreak, and was fired upon at a quarter past five a. m. by three batteries at Manila and two near Cavite, also by the Spanish fleet anchored in an approximately east and west line across the mouth of Bakor Bay, with their left in shoal water in Canacao Bay. "The squadron then proceeded to the attack, the flagship Olympia, under my personal direction, leading, followed at a distance by the Baltimore, the Raleigh, the Petrel, the Concord and the Boston, in the order named, which formation was maintained throughout the action. The squadron opened fire at nineteen minutes of six a. m. While ad vancing to the attack two mines exploded ahead of the flagship too far to be effective. "The squadron maintained a continuous and precise fire, at ranges varying from 5,000 to 2,000 yards approximately parallel to that of the Spanish fleet. The enemy's fire was vigorous but generally ineffective. "Early in the engagement, two launches put out toward the Olympia with the apparent intention of using torpedoes. One was sunk and the other disabled by our fire and beached before an opportunity occurred to fire torpedoes. Driving the Reina Cristina Back. "At seven a. m. the Spanish flagship, Reina Cristina, made a des perate attempt to leave the line and come out to engage at short range, but was received with such galling fire, the entire battery of the Olympia being concentrated upon her, that she was barely able to return to the shelter of the point. Fires started in her by our shells at this time were not extinguished until she sank. "The three batteries at Manila had kept up a continuous fire from the beginning of the engagement, which fire was not returned by this 56 THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. squadron. The first of these batteries was situated on the south mole head, at the entrance to the Pasig River; the second, on the south bastion of the walled city of Manila, and the third at Malate, about one- half mile further south. "At this point I sent a message to the Governor-General to the effect that if the batteries did not cease firing the city would be shelled. This had the effect of silencing them. "At twenty-five minutes to eight a» m. I ceased firing and withdrew the squadron for breakfast. At sixteen minutes past eleven a. m. re turned to the attack. By this time, the Spanish flagship and almost the entire Spanish fleet were in flames. "At half -past twelve p. m. the squadron ceased firing, the batteries being silenced and the ships sunk, burnt and deserted. At twenty min utes to one p. m. the squadron returned and anchored off Manila, the Petrel being left behind to complete the destruction of the smaller gun boats, which were behind the point of Cavite. This duty was per formed by Commander E. P. Wood in the most expeditious and com plete manner possible. Vessels Lost by the Enemy. "The Spanish lost the following vessels: Sunk, Reina Cristina, Cas> tilla, Don Antonio de Ulloa. Burnt, Don Juan de Austria, Isla de Luzon, Isla de Cuba, General Lezo, Marques del Duero, El Correo, Velasco and Isla de Mindanao (transport). Captured, Rapido and Her cules (tugs) and several small launches. "I am unable to obtain complete accounts of the enemy's killed and wounded, but believe their losses to be very heavy. The Reina Cristina alone had 150 killed — including the captain — and ninety wounded. "I am happy to report that the damage done to the squadron under my command was inconsiderable. There were none killed, and only seven men in the squadron very slightly wounded. "Several of the vessels were struck, and even penetrated, but the damage was of the slightest, and the squadron is in as good condition now as before the battle. "I beg to state to the department that I doubt if any commander- in-chief was ever served by more loyal, efficient and gallant captains than those of the squadron now under my command. THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. 57 "Captain Frank Wildes, commanding the Boston, volunteered to re main in command of his vessel, although his relief arrived before leaving Hong Kong. Assistant Surgeon Kindleberger, of the Olympia, and Gunner J. C. Evans, of the Boston, also volunteered to remain after orders detaching them had arrived. The Commodore's Staff. "The conduct of my personal staff was excellent. Commander B. P. Lamberton, chief of staff, was a volunteer for that position, and gave me most excellent assistance, and Lieutenant Brumby, flag lieutenant, and Ensign W. P. Scott, aide, performed their duties as signal officers in a highly creditable manner. "The Olympia being short of officers for the battery, Ensign H. H. Caldwell, flag secretary, volunteered for and was assigned to a sub division of the 5-inch battery. "Mr. J. L. Stickney, formerly an officer in the United States navy, and now correspondent for the New York Herald, volunteered for duty as my aide and rendered valuable services. "I desire specially to mention the coolness of Lieutenant C. G. Calkins, the navigator of the Olympia, who came under my personal observation, being on the bridge with me throughout the entire action, and giving the ranges to the guns with an accuracy that was proven by the excellency of the firing. "On May 2, the day following the engagement, the squadron again went to Cavite, where it remains. "On the 3d the military forces evacuated the Cavite arsenal, which was taken possession of by a landing party. On the same day the Ra leigh and Baltimore secured the surrender of the batteries on Corregidor Island, paroling the garrison and destroying the guns. On the morning of May 4 the transport Manila, which had been aground in Bakor Bay, was towed off and made a prize." Captain Gridley's Account of the Battle. Below is a short account of the Battle of Manila, given by Captain Gridley of the flagship Olympia, who bore a conspicuous part in the battle, and died about a month afterward. 58 THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. "My Dear Mother: "Excuse pencil, but I am writing on the deck aft, under the awning, and ink is not handy. Well, we have won a splendid victory over the Spaniards. We left Hong Kong on April 25, Mirs Bay, April 27, and arrived off Manila Bay at midnight on April 30. We steamed in with our lights all out, and by daylight we were off Manila, where we found the Spanish fleet, or rather, at Cavite, seven miles from Manila. We attacked them at once, the Olympia leading, and, being flagship, she was of course the principal target, but we (our fleet) were too much for them, and after fighting two and a half hours, hauled off for breakfast, giving them another hour of it afterward. We succeeded in burning, sinking and destroying their entire force. They were also assisted by shore batteries. Their loss was very heavy, one ship, the Castilla, losing 130 killed, including the captain. "And now as to ourselves. We did not lose a man in our whole fleet, and had only six wounded, and none of them seriously. It seems a miracle. Everybody fought like heroes, as they are. The Olympia was struck seven or eight times, but only slightly injured, hardly worth speaking of. "Stickney, New York Herald correspondent, and a former naval officer, was on board by permission of the department and acted during the battle as Dewey's secretary. His account in the Herald will be full and complete, so you had better get it. His reports will go in the same mail as this. 'We have cut the cable and can only communicate via Hong Kong. The McCulloch will go over in a day or two, carrying Commodore Dewey's dispatches and this mail and bringing our mail I hope. I am truly thankful to our Heavenly Father for His protection during our battle, and shall give Him daily thanks. Manila, of course, we have blockaded. We can't take the city, as we have no troops to hold it. "Give my love to all and accept a large share for yourself. "Your loving son, "CHARLEY." Captain Gridley did not mention his own part in the great battle, an indication of modesty characteristic of this brave officer and most lovable man THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. 59 From the Spanish Point of View. The following is the story of the Battle of Manila from the Spanish standpoint. It was published in the Diario de Manila, the leading news paper of the city, on May 4, the first time it was issued after the de struction of the Spanish fleet: "When the enemy's squadron was sighted in perfect line of battle through the clouds of the misty dawn on the morning of May 1, gloom and surprise were general among the people of Manila. "At last these ships had strained their boldness to the point of ap pearing on our coasts and defying our batteries, which showed more courage and valor than effect when they opened fire upon the squadron. "It needs something more than courage to make projectiles pene trate, indeed it does. The inequality of our batteries, compared with those of the American squadron which alarmed the inhabitants of Manila at five o'clock in the morning, was enough to transform the tran quil character of our tropical temperament. "While ladies and children in carriages or on foot fled in fright to seek refuge in the outlying suburbs and adjacent villages around the capital from the dangers multiplied by their imaginations, every man, from the most stately personage to the most humble workman, mer chants, mechanics, Spaniards, natives, soldiers, civilians, all, we repeat, sought their stations and put on their arms, confident that never should the enemy land at Manila unless he passed over their corpses. Superior Strength of Americans. "Although from the first moment the strength of the enemy's armor and the power of his guns demonstrated that his ships were invulner able to our energies and our armaments, the hostile squadron would never have entered our bay had not its safety been guaranteed by its manifest superiority. "The city walls, the church towers, the tops of the high buildings and all the high places convenient for observation, were occupied by those who were not retained by their military duties within the walls, on the bridges or at the advanced posts. 60 THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. "The slightest details of the enemy's ships were eagerly noted as they advanced toward Cavite, in a line parallel with the beaches of Manila, as though they had just come out of Pasig River. "There were no gaps in the line, but the curious public hardly realized the disparity between their great guns and the pieces mounted on our fortifications. Some had glasses and others were without, but all seemed to discern with their eyes these strangers, who, while brave, were not called upon to show their courage, since the range of their guns and the weakness of our batteries enabled them to preserve immunity while doing us as much harm as they pleased. "All who appreciated the impunity with which the hostile ships man- oeuvered, as if on a harmless parade, were full of such rage and desper ation as belong to a brave man who can make no use of his courage and to whom there remains no remedy except an honorable death rather than cowardly inactivity. Wishing for a Fight Ashore. "A soldier of the first battalion of Cazadores gazed at the squadron sweeping over the waters out of reach of the fire of our batteries and then turned toward Heaven saying: 'If the Holy Mary would turn that sea into land the Yankees would find out how we can charge in double time.' And a crouching native, staring at the ships, said: 'Just let them come ashore and give us a whack at them.' "On they stood at full speed, in column of battle, heading for Cavite, with a decision due to a sense of safety and a firm assurance of success. For more than an hour and a half the bombardment held'in suspense those whose souls followed the unequal struggle in which a Spanish ship went down with glorious banners flying. "What was going on in the waters of Cavite? From Manila we saw through glasses two squadrons almost mingled in clouds of smoke. This was not a triumph for our side, considering the weakness of our batteries, for once alongside the enemy the cry of 'boarders away' and the flash of cold steel might have enabled our devoted seamen to disturb the calmness in which the watches and instruments were re^ulatm"1 and directing those engines of destruction. "In the blindness of our rage how can we paint the heroic deeds of prowess or the wave of valor which burst forth from the men of -war? i GRIDLEY LAMBERTON REES Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L Stickney. THREE ACTIVE MEN Mr. Stickney was successful in getting good pictures of Captain Gridley, Commander Lamberton and Lieutenant Rees on the upper deck of the Olympia just after the battle. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. THE OLYMPIA'S MEN CHEERING THE BALTIMORE DURING THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY View taken from the bridge of the Olympia looking aft and showing the splintered netting covering the boats. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. CAVITE ARSENAL GATE This picture with the marine guard detailed from the Balti more, was taken the day after the battle. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. THE WRECK OF THE CASTILLA This is a good photograph of the smoldering remains of the cruiser Castilla taken the day after the battle. THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. 6& Those who fought beneath the Spanish flag bore themselves like men, ' as the chosen sons of our native land who dare measure forces and not yield to a superior force in the hands of the enemy, who rather die with out ships than live in ships which have surrendered. "To name those who distinguished themselves in the battle would require the publication of the entire muster rolls of our ships from captain to cabin boy. To these victorious seamen of ours we offer our congratulations; laurels for the living and prayers for the dead, and for all our deepest gratitude. Enthusiastic Spectators. 'When the hostile squadron turned toward Cavite the crew of the steamer Mindanao heard drums beating to quarters and answered with enthusiasm with three rounds of cheers for the King, for the Queen Regent, and for Spain, which was echoed along our line. "Later and until a quarter to five o'clock absolute silence reigned. Everything was ready. The idea of death was lost in the ardor for the fray, and every eye was fixed on the battle flags waving at our mast heads in perfect and majestic order. Why should we deny this? "The nine Yankee ships advanced in battle array. The Olympia, bearing the Admiral's flag, led the column, followed by the other ships, steering at full speed toward Cavite. "The Olympia opened-fire, and an instant reply came from the bat tery on the mole, which kept on firing at five-minute intervals, while the ironclad shaped her course for the Cristina and the Castilla. Into both of these she poured a steady and rapid fire, seconded by the ships which followed in her wake. "Another ship which directed a heavy fire on our line was the Balti more, and so the cannonade went on until a quarter to eight. "At that moment the Juan de Austria advanced against the enemy intending to board the Olympia, and if a tremendous broadside had not stopped her self -devoted charge both ships might perhaps have sunk to the bottom. "The captain of the Cristina, seeing that the resolute attempt of his consort had failed, advanced at full speed until within about two hun dred yards of the Olympia, aiming to ram her. 64 THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. Did Not Like Our Shells. "Then a shower of projectiles swept over the bridge and decks, filling the ship with dead and wounded. A dense column of smoke from the bow compartment showed that incendiary projectiles, such as the law of God and man prohibits, had set fire to the cruiser. "The ship, still keeping up her fire on the enemy, withdrew toward the arsenal, where she was sunk to keep her from falling into the hands of the Yankees. The desperation of the men of the Cristina was aggravated by the sight of the Castilla, which was also in a blaze from the similar use of incendiary projectiles. "The principal ships of our little squadron having thus been put out of action, the Yankee vessels, some of them badly crippled by the fire of our ships and the batteries of Point Sangley, stood out toward the entrance of the bay, ceasing their fire and occupying themselves with re pairing their injuries until ten o'clock, when they began a second attack to complete their work of destruction. "In this second assault the fire at the arsenal was extinguished, and they continued to cannonade the blazing gunboats. One gunboat, which seemed to have nothing more venturesome to undertake, detached herself from the squadron and set herself to riddle the mail steamer Mindanao. "Now that his ships were in flames Admiral Montojo, who had shown his flag as long as there was a vessel afloat, landed, and the hostilities ceased. "The only Spanish ship which had not been destroyed by fire or by the enemy's projectiles sank herself so that she could in no wise be taken. "The killed are: The captain, chaplain, clerk and boatswain of the Cristina, the captains of the Castilla and the Ulloa, the executive officer and chief engineer and second surgeon of the Cristina, a lieutenant of the Juan de Austria, the paymaster of the Ulloa and the chief engineer of the Juan de Austria. "That battery that did most harm to the enemy was one on Sangley Point, made up of Hontoria guns. From one of these came a shot which the Boston received, while four ships, which had altogether sixty-five guns, were pouring their fire on this battery to reduce it to silence. THE BATTLE OF MANILA BAY. 65 Praise for Spanish Gunners. "One gun having been crippled, the other kept on playing, firing whenever damage could be done and avoiding waste of ammunition. To one of its shots must be attributed the hurt which turned the Baltimore from the fight. This gun must have greatly annoyed the Yankees, to judge by the efforts they made to silence its fire, following it up till six gunners had been killed and four wounded. "On this account it is proposed to demand the bestowal of laurel wreathed crosses of San Fernando on the valiant gunners who served this battery. "The Luneta battery at Manila, which assailed the Yankee ships with much vigor, was the object of the enemy's special attention, as he stood past the fortifications of Manila, heading for Cavite. Guns were also mounted at the entrance to the bay, on Corregidor and Caballo Islands, on El Fraile Rock, on the south shore at Point Restigua, and at Mari- veles, Punta Gorda and Point Gasisi, on the north shore. "The guns on Corregidor Island were about six inches in caliber, sim ilar to the guns mounted on the rock and on Point Restigua. Other batteries had guns of smaller caliber and of short range. "Doubtless the civil commission arranged to obtain supplies for the city, but it is certain that since Sunday there has been a great scarcity of everything, and speculators have got what prices they cared to ask for articles of prime necessity. "The great masses of the rural population of the Philippines, as well as the leaders of the nation, have responded like loyal sons of Spain, sharing our pains and assisting our labors. "Admiral Montojo has received a telegram of congratulation from the Minister of Marine, who in his own name, and in the name of the Queen Regent of Spain, felicitates the navy of this archipelago for its gallant behavior on the day of the Cavite battle in these terms : 'Honor and glory to the Spanish fleet which fought so heroically on that day!' " CHAPTER IIL AFTER THE BATTLE. Receiving the Surrender of Cavite Arsenal — Quibbles and Evasions to Meet — A Case for Haste — Journey to Hong Kong to Send Dispatches — Cap ture of the Callao — Boutine of Blockade Duty in Manila Bay — Arrival of Aguinaldo from Hong Kong — Establishing a Government at Cavite — Three Important Proclamations — Filipino Victories over the Spanish — Their Treatment of Spanish Prisoners — Insurgents Invest Manila. Early on the morning after the battle Commodore Dewey ordered Commander Lamberton and myself to go to Cavite arsenal and take pos session. As the white flag had been hoisted the day before, in token of complete surrender, this should have been a mere formality; but it was soon proved to us that no dependence can be placed in the Spaniard. Aware of the treacherous character of the Spanish people, Commander Lamberton, before leaving the Petrel, which had brought us over from the Olympia, ordered Commander Wood to keep his men at the guns, and to open fire upon the arsenal if we should not return within an hour. It was then exactly nine o'clock. When we had approached within five hundred yards we discovered that the arsenal was still occupied by about eight hundred Spanish infanteria de marina (corresponding to our marines), all armed with Mauser magazine rifles. Admiral Montojo, having been wounded, had been carried to Manila, and Captain Sostoa of the Spanish navy, next in rank to the Ad miral, was in command. This gentleman met us at the wharf and took us to the arsenal headquarters, together with Lieutenant A. N. Wood, of the Petrel, who had accompanied us. We had no sooner reached the place, than it was surrounded by an armed guard. Dealing with Spanish Officers. "Why," asked Captain Lamberton, "do we find the arsenal filled with armed men, when the white flag was run up yesterday, in token of com plete surrender?" 66 AFTER THE BATTLE. 67 With much suavity and the manner of a man whose actions have been completely misunderstood, Captain Sostoa replied in Spanish: "We hoisted the white flag yesterday only that we might have time to remove the women and children to a place of safety." Commander Lamberton answered: "That is not the construction we Americans put upon an action of that kind. When the Spanish colors were lowered, and the white flag raised in their place, we under stood it to mean but one thing — unconditional surrender. Moreover, the women and children should not have been here anyhow. They should have been removed to a place of safety before the fight began." "But," replied Captain Sostoa, "we did not have time to do that. If the Americans had not come so early in the morning affairs could have been arranged differently." Commander Lamberton reminded him that the Spaniards had fired the first shot. "However," he continued, "we are not here to waste time in discuss ing past events. I come as Admiral Dewey's representative, to take possession of the arsenal. The Spaniards here must surrender as prisoners of war, or our ships will again open fire." "But I am not at liberty to submit to these terms," said Captain Sostoa. "Such an act is not in, my power, and I must consult my superior officers before I take so important a step." Commander Lamberton, comprehending the subterfuge, answered: 'We refuse to recognize any authority other than that of the senior officer stationed at this post. You are that man and must immediately comply with Admiral Dewey's conditions." The Conditions of Surrender. Seeing that further delay was useless, Captain Sostoa requested that the terms of surrender might be put down in writing. Accordingly I wrote the following: "Without further delay all Spanish officers and men must be with drawn and no buildings nor stores must be injured. Admiral Dewey does not wish to continue hostilities with the Spanish naval forces. The Spanish officers will be paroled, and the forces at the arsenal must deliver up all their small arms." Again Captain Sostoa pleaded for delay. We had been so absorbed 68 AFTEE THE BATTLE. in the discussion that we had not noted the amount of time we had already spent at the arsenal, but I suddenly remembered the orders that had been left with the Petrel to fire in an hour if before that we had not returned to the wharf. As it was within only a few minutes of the limit it is needless to say that we considered it advisable to cut the dis cussion short and get away before we should be exposed to the Petrel's shells. Commander Lamberton then gave Captain Sostoa two hours in which to act, but said: "If the white flag of unconditional surrender is not again hoisted before noon, hostilities will be reopened." We then hurried back to the Petrel and started across the bay to give our report to the Commodore. The white flag was raised at 10:45 o'clock, but the Spaniards did not carry out their agreement to the letter. When we went in the after noon to take possession, we found that every seaman and marine had been marched off the Cavite peninsula to the mainland and had carried his Mauser rifle with him. During the evening of the same day in which we made our trip to the Spanish arsenal Admiral Dewey sent the merchantship Zafiro a short distance down the bay to cut the cable. We were not able to use it, as we had no instruments with which to work it, and the Governor would not permit the cable company to transmit our messages from the regular station in Manila. After the destruction of the Spanish fleet, Commodore Dewey moored his squadron in the bay just off the end of Sangley Point, near Cavite. On May 5th he sent the dispatch boat McCulloch to Hong Kong with dis patches for the government, and I took passage in her in order to send my cable' messages to the newspaper with which I was then Connected. The Callao Runs into a Hot Place. A few days later the little Spanish gunboat Callao came into Manila Bay flying the Spanish flag in the face of our whole fleet, and, when two or three of our vessels began popping away at her with their 6-pounders, she paid no attention to this unusual reception but steamed right on toward the Olympia as though indifferent to results. But when one of our shells ripped her awning clear across from one side of the little craft to the other, Lieutenant Pau, who commanded the AFTER THE BATTLE. 69 Callao, began to think there was something dangerous in our vessels. Then the "stars and stripes" at the peak or flagstaff of each of our ships caught his eye, and he hauled down his colors to find out what it all meant. He said afterward that he supposed he had got in the range of some of his own vessels engaged in target practice. He had been cruising for several months in the southern part of the archipelago and had not known that there was even talk about the possibility of war between the United States and Spain. When the McCulloch arrived in Hong Kong, May 7th, and the news of Dewey's great victory was made public in the United States, the ex citement reached such a height that we who were so far away could not, until long afterward, comprehend why our people at home should have been so much moved. Immediately the President promoted Commodore Dewey to be a rear admiral, and when the McCulloch arrived in Manila Bay on Tuesday, May 10th, the broad blue flag bearing two white stars was hoisted at the Olympia's mainmast head, and a salute of thirteen guns was fired by every warship in the bay, including the French cruiser Bruix and the British cruiser Immortalite", which had arrived in the bay two or three days after the battle. Life During the Blockade. Admiral Dewey was now blockading the Bay of Manila, but was making no hostile demonstration against the city. In fact, there was an unexpressed understanding that, if the fleet did not fire at the city, the forts would not fire at the fleet. But there was no reason why this nominal armistice should continue any longer than it suited the con venience or the interests of either of the combatants, and therefore we had to be prepared to meet any form of attack at all hours of the «•-/ or night. Torpedoes might have been used with a considerable hope of success against our vessels if we had relaxed our vigilance in the least Consequently we were always on the alert. At this time I wrote the following account of the usual routine of each night aboard the ships of our squadron: "Dead calm is over the whole sheet of water that stretches between our squadron and the City of Manila. A humid heat has made the ships almost unbearably sultry all day. But now the sun is nearing the horizon, and a faint ripple on the water, two or three miles away, 70 AFTER THE BATTLE. shows that at last we are to have an at least temporary relief. Heavy clouds are banked up to the northward, and, as the sun drops out of sight, the exquisite colors of a Philippine sunset reach half way to the zenith before the quickly oncoming night cuts short the panorama. Widespread flashes of heat lightning, varied by the forked bolts of a distant thunder storm, keep the west aglow at intervals. Then all brightness dies out, and the impenetrable gloom of a tropical night closes down over the ships. What will it bring forth ? Ten miles away lie the forces of a defeated and sullen enemy. Since the battle of May 1st not a move against us has been made. All the bombast and bravado of the Governor-General has had no deed to back it up. There are, we1 are told, several thousand troops under the Spanish colors in Manila, besides a large body of seamen and marines, whom we drove out of Cavite. It cannot be possible that, among so many brave men — and they do not lack for daring when properly led — there are not a score or two capable of risking their lives to destroy our ships. At any rate, our admiral does not intend to take any chances; and, when night falls over the bay, the squadron prepares for its protection, exactly as though we were in the presence of an alert and determined foe. Night Scenes in Manila Bay. "Just before the last of daylight disappears, a swift steam launch or one of the captured tug-boats shoots away from the Olympia, passing around the squadron and giving the countersign for the night. By the time it has finished its circuit the deep darkness has fallen, and woe be to the boat that then ventures within gunshot of any of our vessels ! Even the picket-boat that we keep out for our own protection does not care to roam about too near the forbidden waters, for an over- hasty lookout might hail and then fire, without waiting for a reply. In the first few nights there were several such incidents to enliven the existence of the young officers on picket duty, but, fortunately, no one was hurt. "All the night one-half of each ship's company is on watch along side the guns of the secondary battery — that is, the 6-pounder, 3-pounder and 1-pounder rapid-firers and the automatic machine guns. At several points on each side of the ship are posted the keenest-eyed seamen of the watch. No glow of light is visible from any part of the vessel afteB AFTER THE BATTLE. 71 eight o'clock, but two or three men stand around each searchlight, ready, at a word from the officer of the deck, to turn a concentrated pencil of blinding electric rays upon any object within a range of 2,000 yards. Every few minutes these lights sweep the waters of the bay. The lights sometimes fall upon one of the remaining merchant vessels that have not yet succeeded in getting enough ballast aboard to enable them to go to sea, and the effect is magical. Under a sky of dense blue the horizon and the atmosphere just above the water seem of a Stygian blackness, when suddenly a pencil of brightness shoots out from the side of one of our vessels and falls upon a full rigged ship, bringing into fairy outlines all the hull, masts, spars and rigging of the craft, silhouetted against an inky . darkness, like a transformation scene in a spectacular play. This never occurs to a warship, as it is contrary to naval etiquette to throw a searchlight upon a man-of-war. Ready for Any Emergency. "The guns of the main battery are loaded with shrapnel and the smaller pieces with either shell or shrapnel. The 1-pounders and the automatic machine guns in the military tops are also manned, with an ample supply of ammunition at hand. "These precautions are taken nightly — not because there is a special alarm concerning torpedo attempts, but because it is the custom of American naval officers to take nothing for granted in war time. The men not stationed as lookouts are allowed to sleep beside their guns, and of the officers only the one in charge of the watch is required to be on deck."The moon is almost a negligible quantity. It is after three o'clock in the morning before it rises, so that the greater part of the night is as dark as Erebus. If ever the Spaniards intend to attack us they will do it before a new moon begins to rise early and light up the bay for a continually lengthening period of time. Every one on shipboard is a little more on the qui vive than has been deemed necessary before. More and more frequently the searchlights are swept over the face of the water, and the captain sleeps with an even greater readiness to waken than usual. "About ten minutes before the beginning of the first watch — that is, the time between eight o'clock and midnight — four red lights sud- 78 AFTER THE BATTLE. denly flash into being along the backstay of the flagship's mainmast. This is the general call, and every vessel replies by turning the same arrangement of lights upon her Ardois signal system. Rapidly the red and white lanterns are turned on and off aboard the Olympia, while the other vessels repeat each combination as it appears on the flag ship's mast, until we have read the message: 'Have reason to expect torpedo attack. Be ready.' As the message has been sent by the common 'wig-wag' code, with which most of the seamen and ap prentices are familiar, the whole squadron instantly knows its purport, and there is a little buzz of interest throughout the vessels. The effect is not noticeable except on close scrutiny, however. There is no excite ment, no noise, and, apparently, no change in the arrangements usually made. But a careful and experienced observer will see that the execu tive officer is going through the ship giving personal attention to the selection of lookouts at the more important posts ; that the navigator is inspecting each searchlight and battle lantern to be sure that the electric current is working satisfactorily; that each division officer is supervis ing the loading of his guns and the working of all the battery mechan ism; that a specially fast launch has been detailed for picket duty; that the men — without being so ordered— are grouping 'round their guns in fighting rig — a pair of trousers only — with no thought of sleeping until the other watch comes on at midnight; and, finally, that the captain is pacing the bridge in cool contemplation of all the work, giving frequent orders in low tones, showing that nothing has escaped his ceaseless vigil ance. Watching for Spanish Torpedoes. "In the dense darkness the Concord and the Callao get underway— as we learn next day — but no one knows of this manceuver at the time, f6r no light betrays their movement, either from within or without. It is not necessary nor proper to say where they go or what they do, for there is no telling of war secrets countenanced in this command. It is enough to say that it would have been a very sad night for any Spanish torpedero who had tried to get within range of our ships that ni°-ht— or any other night, for that matter. "The ship is as dark and as silent as the grave. The night wears on with no sign that there is anything on foot out of the usual run of blockade routine, except that the searchlights are ceaselessly active, AFTER THE BATTLE. 73 sweeping the sea in every direction. The clouds pile up heavier and denser, and the heat grows more and more oppressive, until the accumu lating storm bursts in tropical fury directly over the squadron. Vivid flashes of lightning so dazzle the eye that the arc rays seem like mere tallow candles. Accompanied by terrific thunder and a deluge of rain the storm hangs close above our mastheads, as though resolved to give our enemy every chance that he could wish for a favorable moment in which to steal upon us unawares. "Through the masses of rain, now driven fiercely in our faces by the squall attending the cloud storm, it is impossible for the searchlights to penetrate far. The light is so diffused and refracted by the rain drops that its rays are stopped at a distance of 500 or 600 yards. Now, if ever, is the time for a watchful and vindictive foe to come at us. Search Lights Ineffective During the Storm. "Suddenly the forward searchlight falls upon something on the port bow. In this work it is not necessary to differentiate between objects and determine what they are. It is enough if the light touches some thing that forms a contrast with the sullen, greenish grey of the water. A dozen eyes are following the sweep of the light. Half a dozen guns swing quickly around till they bear on the point where the rays touch the water. The captain speaks a word in a voice-tube, and away aft on the poop deck the officer in command at that place gives a low order to the men at the after light, which quickly veers around till it, too, is focused on the spot where the forward one is pointed. It is nothing — merely the wreck of an old boat that has been floating about the bay ever since May 1st. Other similarly unimportant discoveries are made, but they bear witness to the watchfulness of our seamen, and are, therefore, not as unimportant as they may seem. Nearly every man is wet all over, and the breeze — now fresh and cool — makes the remainder of the watch anything but comfortable; but there is no relaxation of the vigil. "And so wears the night away. Dawn comes upon a calm sea, blue sky and zephyrlike airs off the land. No enemy has appeared, and no disturbance has made an even temporary excitement. The ships' com panies take up the customary work of the morning without a murmur, 74 AFTER THE BATTLE. apparently indifferent to the strain and hardship of a whole night of waiting for the. torpedo that never came." A Voyage with Aguinaldo. On May 17th the McCulloch, having returned to Hong Kong with dis patches, again sailed for Manila Bay, having on board as passengers, with the consent of Admiral Dewey, Emilio Aguinaldo and about forty of his subordinate followers, who had begged permission to come to Cavite and resume their insurrection against the Spaniards. I re turned to the fleet myself in the McCulloch on this trip, and was thus able to make Aguinaldo's acquaintance under very favorable circum stances. General Aguinaldo landed in Cavite May 19th and issued three proclamations on May 24th. In the first, he gave as the reason for his return to Luzon the fact that the Spaniards seemed powerless in the hands of the priests, who constantly placed obstacles in the way of progress. None of the promised reforms in the government had been carried out. He also stated that he had" surrendered his arms and handed over a strong army believing it would be more beneficial to the country than carrying on an insurrection with poor resources. Now, he said, as the great and powerful United States had come forward to offer disinterested protection that the natives might gain liberty for their country, he had returned to command the army, and proposed to estab lish a dictatorship, with an advisory council, until the islands were com pletely independent. In the second proclamation he forbade all negotiations for peace be tween the rebels and the. Spaniards, in view of the failure, both civil and military, of all previous negotiations. He also announced that all Spaniards coming to parley without credentials and a flag of truce would be shot as spies. If a Filipino undertook such' a commission he would be condemned to be hanged with the placard "Traitor to his country" attached to his body. Aguinaldo's Proclamation to the Filipinos. The third and most important proclamation, because of its humane intentions, addressed directly to the Filipinos, read as follows; AFTER THE BATTLE. 75 "The great North American nation, a lover of true liberty, and there fore desirous of liberating our country from the tyranny and despotism to which it has been subjected by its rulers, has decided to give us disin terested protection, considering us sufficiently able and civilized to gov ern ourselves. "In order to retain this high opinion of the*never to be too highly praised and great nation of North America, we should abominate such acts as pillage and robbery of every description, and acts of violence against persons and property. "To avoid international complications during the campaign, I decree: "1. Lives and property of all foreigners are to be respected, includ ing Chinese and those Spaniards who neither directly nor indirectly have taken up arms against us. "2. The lives and property of our enemies who lay down their arms are to be equally respected. "3. In the same way, all hospitals and all ambulances, together with the persons and effects therein, as well as their staffs, are to be respected, unless they show themselves hostile. "4. Those who disobey what is set forth in the three former articles shall be tried by summary courtmartial and shot, if by such disobedi ence there has been caused assassination, fires, robbery, or violence." Aguinaldo's Movements against the Spanish. As the prospects for fighting between the United States naval forces and the Spanish troops on shore were now practically nil, I devoted my time to watching the proceedings of the Filipinos under Aguinaldo. Within a week after his arrival in Cavite he had about 1,000 men under arms. Admiral Dewey gave him a large number of Mauser rifles and a considerable quantity of ammunition, captured frofn the Spaniards, and in a day or two a small steamer called the Faon — an assumed name, by the way — came into port from Canton, bringing about 3,000 stand of Remington breechloading rifles and a large stock of cartridges for these pieces. On the night of May 26th Aguinaldo sent 600 men across Bakor Bay to land between the . detachment of Spaniards who were holding Ca vite Viejo (Old Cavite) and the detachment quartered in the powder magazine, a little to the east of Cavite Viejo. The garrison in each 76 AFTER THE BATTLE. of these strong positions was about 300 men, so that the insurgents' were represented by a force equal to that of their enemy. But, while the Spaniards had fully 1,000 men and several pieces of artillery within easy call of both these positions, the natives had no artillery and no possibility of getting reinforcements. Once landed on the Old Cavite side of Bakor Bay, they must fight it out for themselves. On the morning of May 28th a detachment of Spaniards attacked the insurgents and were not only repulsed but forced to surrender, the insurgents capturing in two skirmishes 418 Spaniards, including fifteen officers. The country where these affairs took place was covered with a thick tropical undergrowth, while numerous streams and swamps per mitted no military order to be maintained. Watching a Battle from the Bay. On May 29th, before the sun had yet risen, General Aguinaldo rein forced his troops on the mainland with about one thousand men. I ex pected to witness a charge over the narrow neck of land that connects Cavite peninsula with the mainland, where the Spaniards were known to have at least one field gun and the bulk of their troops. Before noon, however, General Aguinaldo told me he had changed his plan, because the Spaniards held the peninsula with such a large force that he feared an assault would not be successful. If he failed he would not be able to reinforce his men on the other side of the bay without taking great chances from the Mausers of the Spaniards stationed at the Bakor magazine and at Old Cavite. Also, in case the Spaniards should bring heavy reinforcements from Manila, his men would be caught between two fires, where they might all be captured or killed. As this was the situation he refused to give me any assistance to get to the front, and would not even give me a guide to show me where to land my boat on the other side. I then tried to cross the neck of land leading from the peninsula to the mainland, but having drawn the fire of the Spaniards as soon as I came out from the cover, of the trees, where I was wholly exposed on a narrow sandy beach, I returned to Cavite to ask Aguinaldo again for a boat and guide. As nothing could persuade him to alter his decision I hired a native canoe and started to cross the bay without a guide. When nearing the shore between Old Cavite and Bakor, zip! the Mauser AFTER THE BATTLE. 77 bullets gave warning that the Spaniards were watching for the approach of boats from the rebel side. Filipinos against Spanish. Suddenly a sharp pattering fire, followed by the continuous rattle of a machine gun, broke out on the extreme right of the Spanish posi tion. It was evident that the Spanish trobps from Manila were coming down the road well back from the bay. As I was only about a mile from the magazine on the beach I could hear the cheers of the Spanish soldiers stationed there, and see them waving their hats wildly in the air in ex pectation of the reinforcements from Manila. The steady rattle of the machine gun continued for twenty minutes and showed that a hot action was in progress. Then it stopped as suddenly as it had be,gun. Present ly a slender column of smoke rose in the air near the scene of the fight. It was evidently a signal to Aguinaldo in Cavite. As I was intently watching the events on shore I did not notice what was 'happening behind me and was suddenly surpriced to hear the roar of a heavy gun. I could tell by the scream of the projectile as it passed over me that it came from a rifled gun of large calibre, and for a moment I thought the Petrel must have entered into the fight. I could not discover where the shot struck; but looking back to Cavite, I distinguished a group of rebels surrounding four muzzle-loading wfles that pointed toward the Spaniards from the Cavite wall. In front of the guns a long stovepipe was throwing out a column of signal smoke like the one on the beach near me. This was the plan Aguinaldo had been keeping in reserve, and he was now letting his men at the front know he was ready to take part in the fight. With the aid of strong glasses, I was able to watch the movements of both parties far better than from any point on shore. For two miles along the water I could see brown-skinned men, wearing very few clothes, running toward the Spanish positions. The rebels took ad vantage of every point of cover, and in groups of ten or twenty they would make short rushes. Victory for the Insurgents. The shots from Mauser rifles that came skipping into the water in large numbers told me that there must be many Spaniards out of sight 78 AFTER THE BATTLE. inland, whose firing was more commendable for its rapidity than for its accuracy. Once in a while a man would fall on the beach. Some times he would lie motionless and again he would crawl painfully to cover. Unfortunately the sky was so overcast that I was unable to take any photographs. Meantime the Spaniards had stopped cheering, but I could see that at all their posts they were keeping more tenaciously under cover than were the insurgents and were thus saving themselves from many casualties. All this time a field piece at Bakor Church was firing frequently and trying to sweep the beach to the westward. At ten minutes past two o'clock one of the heavy guns of the Cavite battery roared out again, and this time the shot struck the water close to the magazine. Its effect was positively ludicrous. Twenty men seized a flagstaff about thirty feet long, bearing a large, white flag, and raised it to' a standing position. They were in such haste that they lost their hold and it fell to the ground. A second time they lifted it, and a second time it. fell. But finally with a third attempt it was elevated in plain sight of the Cavite guns. The Spanish garrison, however, tried to escape to Bakor with all their arms and a quantity of stores that they took from the magazine buildings, but they were captured and forced to surrender. Like ants now, the little brown men swarmed along the beach toward Bakor Church. This was the only place where the Spaniards seemed to be strong except at Old Cavite. It was evident that the rebels were pressing upon them harder from the land side than from the beach ; for, while the field piece fired a few shots and reports of rifles were frequent, fewer bullets came in my direction. Bakor Church Carried by Assault. On an arched stone bridge near Old Cavite the rebels raised their flag, and presently another rebel force was seen pursuing about fifty Spaniards along the beach. These men surrendered far to the left of the general fighting ground, and were marched back toward Bakor. On toward Manila a great column of smoke rose in the air to the height of a'thousand feet, showing that the Spaniards retreating in that direction had fired the town of Las Piiias. Upon the Spanish position at Bakor Church frequent charges were Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. AFTER THE BATTLE In this picture, photographed by Mr. Stickney, we see remains of the gunboat Marques del Duero burning on the morning after the battle. Copyrighted, IS99, by Joseph L. Stickney. BOATS OF THE CRUISER BOSTON The above is a view of the boats of the cruiser Boston shattered during the battle of Manila Bay, as photographed by Mr. Stickney. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. THE CONCORD This is a side view of cruiser Concord, showing shattered boat. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. DAMAGE TO THE BOSTON In the above picture we see the foremast of the Boston and the hole made by Spanish shell. Also the captured bell of the Spanish cruiser Don Antonio de Ulloa. AFTER THE BATTLE. 81 made, and I saw many men fall either dead or wounded. Some of the latter would drag themselves down to the water's edge to bathe their wounds. At last a savage assault was made upon the church. Once, twice, the field piece spoke, and then was silent. The rattle of the rifles, which had been more rapid for a time, stopped simultaneously, and suddenly all was quiet. No one remained on the beach but the dead and wounded Filipinos. In a few moments two or three wounded men staggered to their feet, waved their hats in the air, and then sank down, exhausted but vic torious. Presently the rebel flag — a band of red above and blue below, with half a white diamond near the flagstaff — fluttered from the roof of Bakor Church. Everything on the beach had been captured except Old Cavite. As night was coming on and as there were indications of a typhoon, which rapidly passed over Luzon within the next thirty-six hours, I reluctantly returned to the fleet. Later, when I visited some of the Spanish officers who had been captured in previous skirmishes, I found that the rebels treated their prisoners with consideration and gave them comfortable quarters. Allowed to Go to the Front. On June 2 Aguinaldo gave me a pass through all his lines, and that day I took a native canoe and crossed the bay to the rebel camp near Old Cavite. There I sought out Brigadier-General Tomas Mascado, who was in command of the troops. A guide to the front was provided for me, and when I reached the bridge where the rebel flag had been hoisted a few days before I found that it had been barricaded with large stones taken from the coping on the rebel side. The insurgents had wholly surrounded the solid stone church at Old Cavite and had pre pared to starve out the garrison. The country about here was most difficult to cross on account of the thick tropical growth with which it was covered. There were few roads penetrating this dense mass of vegetation, and the water was every where covered with heavy green slime. As I passed through several villages I saw many natives idling about the low thatched houses, and all looked half starved. The young men, however, who formed the bulk of the rebel fighting material, were enthusiastic and brave. 82 AFTER THE BATTLE. Being an American and having no right to take any part in the operations of the natives against the Spaniards, I was interested in mere ly the news features of the campaign that was then going on in Cavite Province. While I expected to go wherever it might be necessary or desirable for me to go, in order to witness the fighting, I had promised Aguinaldo, when he gave me my pass, that I would not run any un necessary risks and particularly that I would not go to the Old Cavite bridge; because, he said, the fighting at that point was likely to be very hot, and, if I should be killed, my death might have a bad influence upon the Filipino cause. When, therefore, my pony stopped at the in cline to a bridge about noon, I walked forward to the stone barricade that was built across the bridge at the highest point of its arch. I had crossed several bridges en route to this one, and therefore I did not connect this particular bridge with the warning Aguinaldo had given me. The heat was intense and the stillness of the tropical noon per vaded everything. Perhaps a dozen natives were in the barricade, look ing through the portholes that had been left between the large stones, and near a road-side house there were many Filipino soldiers loung ing in the shade of bamboo sheds covered with coarse straw mats. In front of the house was a new Krupp field-piece, unlimbered. Within Short Range of the Enemy. I noticed that the soldiers were greatly interested in me, and as I went up the incline of the bridge they all stood up and saluted, while one or two said they would call an officer. I was accustomed to receiv ing the salutes of the Filipino soldiers, as they knew me to be an American serving with our fleet, and it was natural that they should suppose me to be an officer of our navy. But on this occasion they ¦howed a great deal more curiosity and respect combined than I had ever before noticed. On looking through the loop-holes in the stone barricade. I saw that I had, unintentionally, broken my promise to Aguinaldo and that I was on the crest of the bridge where I had seen such a hot fight in progress only a few hours before, when I was watch ing the shore from the poop-deck of the Petrel. About 200 yards away was the church of Old Cavite, and I could easily distinguish the features of the Spanish marines who were watching the rebel barricade over the top of the church parapet. I had walked "into the lion's den" without AFTER THE BATTLE. 83 the slightest suspicion that I was approaching the advance posts of the insurgent position. As the distance was an easy point-blank range for the Mauser rifle, I felt that, as a non-combatant, I had no business there. But, of course, I was anxious to see what was going on; and, besides, it would have been impossible for me to withdraw until I had done what I came to do — namely, learn the situation and get what information the Filipinos in the fighting line were able to give me. Looted Articles from Cavite. So I unslung my camera and asked the soldiers to group themselves in rear of the barricade so that I could take their pictures. Only one or two of them spoke Spanish, and they not fluently, so that I had some difficulty in getting matters arranged to suit me. But they brought me from the house near the bridge a black walnut table and a very com fortable bent-wood Vienna chair, and one of the older men held over my head, to shield me from the almost intolerable rays of the sun, a fine silk umbrella. All of these articles were a part of the "loot" taken out of Cavite and San Roque. A great number of the natives crowded into the narrow space on the bridge, anxious to see what the "Americanong" was going to do. I may here remark that my photograph was a failure, because my films had been spoiled by the climate. However, after getting a large amount of interesting information from Captain Sallafranca, who was in command of the post, temporarily, and after attempting to get a photo of the bridge barricade, I was ready to continue my trip through the rebel lines around the Spanish posi tion in Old Cavite. As I rose from my comfortable chair and turned my eyes toward the bay, I saw the Petrel about a mile and a half away, lying off Cavite. As I mentioned before, I had been aboard the Petrel earlier in the day, watching the fierce fighting that had then been going on at this bridge; and, thinking that perhaps some of the Petrel's officers might have their glasses still turned on the bridge, it occurred to me that I would let them see that I was there. Accordingly, as I stood up, I waved my white helmet two or three times toward the Petrei. It must be remembered that it was as peaceful and quiet in that neighborhood as a country church-yard on Sunday. Not a shot had been fired since I arrived at the bridge, and momentarily I had forgotten that I was within point-blank range of 250 Mauser rifles. 84 AFTER THE BATTLE. This was one of the usual conditions at that time of year, for the heat was so overpowering that there was seldom any fighting between ten o'clock in the forenoon and sunset. The Spaniards Open Fire. But the Spaniards in Old Cavite church had, evidently, become dis turbed at the unusual gathering of men behind the Filipino barricade, for they had massed nearly their whole force opposite our position, probably fearing a sudden charge. When, therefore, they saw my hel met waved three times, they felt sure the rush was about to begin; and bang! br-r-r-r started off the rolling fire of their Mausers; and ping! ping! ping! came the shower of their bullets on the rocks around us. The air seemed full of little whirring scorpions, and as I sat down again in my chair to chronicle the incidents passing before me — and, incidentally, of course, not to expose myself any more than was neces sary to the swarm of projectiles whistling close about me — it seemed impossible that any of us in that redoubt would ever come out of it unhurt. For, although the barricade gave considerable protection, the port-holes were six inches high by three inches wide, and one side of the bridge was wholly unprotected because, the stones had been removed to make a place for the field gun, which had been used to shell the church earlier in the day. The Filipinos returned the Spanish fire promptly, and their men flocked into the redoubt in such numbers that they soon silenced the Spaniards. And, except for one man, who went by picking a lot of loose teeth out of his mouth, where a bullet had raked his jaw, and another, who was shot in the leg, there were no casualties on our side. Having waited till the firing had wholly ceased, I moved away to the left of the rebel lines to see General Mascado, kindly but firmly declining the invitation of Captain Sallafranca to train the field-piece on the church and show his men how to aim it. He told me that they had fired twelve shots at the church at that short range and had hit it only three times. As the piece had been captured from the Spaniards at Imus only that morning, it was not strange that they should have been unfamiliar with its use. This little experience gave me a good idea of the inefficiency of the Spanish force, for at the distance of 200 yards they ou°-ht to have killed and wounded a large number of the natives, in spite of the pro tection afforded by the stones. AFTER THE BATTLE. 85 All the Spaniards Surrender. Five days later the garrison in Old Cavite church surrendered un conditionally, and by that time not one Spaniard was left uncaptured in Cavite Province. Aguinaldo's men had taken them in one detach ment after another, and the net result was that about 1,600 Spaniards became the prisoners of an equal number of Filipinos. It is easy to see how these victories encouraged the natives and made them imagine that they were irresistible. Thousands of rein forcements flocked to Aguinaldo, and he was able to arm them partly with the rifles he had captured from the Spaniards and partly with Remingtons, bought in Hong Kong and shipped to him in chartered craft from Canton or Amoy. From this time until the arrival of the first detachment of United States troops, on the 30th of June, Aguinaldo maintained his head quarters in Cavite, but his troops were continually pressing the Span iards back upon Manila. Every night fierce musketry fire was heard along the road that ran around the bay from Cavite to Manila, and every fight showed that the native troops had made considerable ad vance in their position beyond that of the preceding night. It was not long before they reached the fort near the beach at Malate, one of Manila's suburbs, and then they continued their movement for invest ing the city to the east and north. CHAPTER IV. PREPARING TO TAKE MANILA. The American People Rise to an Emergency — General Merritt Chosen to Command an Expedition to the Philippines — Gathering an Army at San Francisco — Complications with the Germans in Manila Bay— Another Spanish Gunboat Captured — Prisoners Become a Nuisance — Arrival of Transports and Troops — First Battle Ashore — Ready to Take Manila. . By Dewey's victory in Manila Bay, there were suddenly created obli gations to be met by the United States such as had never been con templated by the people, and hardly by the administration. The coun try rose to meet them with notable enthusiasm and promptitude. Con sidered in its influence upon our national standing among the Euro pean powers, perhaps no feature of the year's history was of greater importance than this. It was accepted instantly that a military expe dition was demanded in order to follow up the advantages gained in the naval victory. Without delay, Major-General Wesley Merritt was appointed to the command of the proposed expedition and the details of the plans involved were formulated as rapidly as possible. San Francisco was made the port where this army was to be mobil ized and whence it should sail on the long voyage across the Pacific ocean. General Merritt desired that as large a part as possible of his force be made up of regulars, as it was known that the Spanish soldiers in the Philippines were the pick of the Castilian army. Nevertheless, the need of picked men of our regiments for the Cuban campaign was equally imperative, so in the end volunteers predominated among those who were sent to San Francisco. Mobilization at San Francisco. In the city by the Golden Gate thousands of men gathered during May and June, encamping in the beautiful military reservation known 86 PREPARING TO TAKE MANILA. 8V as the Presidio, where they were drilled energetically and instructed in all details possible of the service that was to be required of them. Most of the volunteers assigned to the Philippine expedition were those in the regiments from the western states, in order to shorten the rail way journey necessary to bring them to the port of embarkation. The Pacific ports were ransacked by quartermasters-general in order to find transports for the long voyage; but at last all preparations were complete and the expedition began to sail. During the period of waiting, while the army was mobilizing in San Francisco and while it was making the journey in the troopships, the navy had to wait, inactive so far as visible progress was concerned, sometimes impatient at the tedium of the service, but always perform ing duties hardly less essential than the more spectacular ones of early May. The complications with the Germans in Manila Bay at one time threatened to take a serious form and Admiral Dewey had another opportunity to demonstrate his readiness to meet any emergency. Peculiar Actions of the Germans. Within a few days after the battle of May 1, German men-of-war began to arrive, until finally seven warships out of the eight which Germany had in the far east were there. Vice- Admiral Von Diederichs, who commanded the Asiatic squadron, was with his flagship among the number. The significance of this demonstration created much specula tion and concern. When it is considered that Germany, Austria and Portugal delayed their expressions of neutrality to an alarming limit, the massing of German ships at this critical time was regarded as significant. Ac cording to an unwritten law of international courtesy it is unusual for more than two or three ships of a foreign power to gather in a block aded port. The German interests in Manila were not so extensive as to require a great force to protect them. It was equally improbable that the Germans were there merely to witness the last act of Admiral Dewey's brilliant tragedy. The theory of curiosity could hardly justify them in leaving Kiau-Chou at a time when the Russian and English relations are so strained. Vice-Admiral Von Diederichs said that Germany was making a dem onstration in Manila bay for the purpose of benefiting the trade rela- 88 PREPARING TO TAKE MANILA. tions between Manila and his own country. The exact connection be tween cause and effect in this instance was somewhat obscure. The Spaniards in Manila, according to the Diario de Manila, looked on the Germans as being their friends and sympathizers, and the advent of Germany's fleet as encouragement to Spanish interests. The Ger mans saluted the Spanish flag on several occasions after Admiral Dewey established his blockade. This was apparently intended as evidence of special friendliness to Spain. Neither the English nor French saluted the Spanish flag, and only in one instance did the Japan ese salute it. Finally, after a series of annoyances from the Germans, Admiral Dewey requested from Admiral Diederichs an explanation of Germany's position in the Philippines. He also protested against the German admiral's disregard of the American blockade of Manila. Admiral Dewey Asks an Explanation. The German naval officers had taken pains to show particular friend liness toward the \ Spaniards. The German officers had visited the Spanish fortifications and trenches and the Manila newspapers had asserted that the presence before the city of so many German ships enabled the Spanish authorities and the people of Manila to regard the American fleet with complacency. Finally the German admiral told Admiral Dewey that three of his ships were to depart, but they went only as far as Mariveles, Subig bay and Cebu. On June 27 the McCulloch met the Irene, one of the German fleet, at Corregidor island, preparing to enter the bay, and signaled to her: "We wish to communicate with you." The Irene paid no attention to the signal, and proceeded on her way until a small boat was sent out to her from the McCulloch. The captain of the Irene explained the matter by saying that he had misunderstood the signal. The action of the Irene in interfering with an attack by the insur gent vessel, Filipinas, on the Spanish garrison at Isla Grande, in Subig bay, was in line with the attitude adopted by the German naval officers. As soon as the insurgents reported the matter to Admiral Dewey he dispatched the Raleigh and Concord to Subig bay and captured the Spanish garrison, the Irene departing hastily on the arrival of the American warships. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. THE BRIDGE UPON WHICH DEWEY STOOD DURING THAT FAMOUS BATTLE Forward turret of the Olympia and the bridge upon which Commodore Dewey stood during the whole of the battle of Manila Bay. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. JOSEPH L. STICKNEY DELIVERING AN ORDER FROM DEWEY Starboard side of the Olympia quarterdeck, opposite the after turret ; the picture shows the after 5 -inch gun and the author. Joseph L. Stickney, hurrying to deliver an order from Com modore Dewey to the officer commanding in the turret Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. S ickney. HEADQUARTERS OF THE CAVITE ARSENAL This is the building in which Captain Lamberton and Commodore Dewey's aide, Mr. Stickney, arranged the terms of surrender with Captain Bostoa of the Spanish navy the morning after the battle. The statue on the right is that of the celebrated Spanish explorer, Elcano. JhtessJS* ^:!^^^P^ Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. WHERE THE WHITE FLAG WAS HOISTED We have here a view of the Cavite arsenal, showing the sheers upon which the Spanish flag was hoisted and upon which the white flag was raised when the Spanish ensign was hauled down. £53 x Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. LOOTING CAVITE Here is a picture of the Filipinos carrying away the spoils in their pirogues. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. BURYING SPANISH DEAD AFTER THE BATTLE Owing to the delay in finding the bodies of the Spaniards they were all in a state of decomposition and our men were obliged to wear handkerchiefs saturated with disinfectants over their faces. Copyrighted. 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. PROTECTING THE AMMUNITION This view of the forward turret and bridge of the Olympia shows the arrangement of chain cable in front of an ammuni tion hoist. As the Olympia had no armor except on the turrets themselves, the elevator which brought up the ammunition to the guns could be penetrated by very small projectiles. This chain was hung in this manner to keep out moderate sized shells. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. THE FORWARD TURRET AND BRIDGE This picture of the Olympia shows the full extent of 'Com modore Dewey's promenade during the battle. The small square object supported on a trestle-work above the bridge contains the standard compass, where Lieutenant Calkins stood and directed the movements of the flagship, and where at times Commodore Dewey joined him. PREPARING TO TAKE MANILA. S3 At last Admiral Dewey sent an officer to the German flagship with a request that Admiral Diederichs make a statement of the German atti tude in the matter of the blockade of Manila. At the same time he delivered a protest against various actions by German officers, sucji as have been mentioned here. The German admiral sent an immediate explanation. Two days later, however, he sent a protest to Admiral Dewey against the action of American officers in boarding German ships coming to Manila from Mariveles. He cited the incident of the Mc Culloch and the Irene at Corregidor. Admiral Dewey replied to this very courteously but firmly. He pointed out to the German admiral that international law gave to the commander of a blockading fleet authority to communicate with all the ships entering a blockaded port. As international law permitted warships to fly any flag they chose in order to deceive an enemy, the nationality of vessels entering the bay could not be determined abso lutely without communicating with them. He announced his intention to communicate with all ships entering the bay. For the German admiral's further information Admiral Dewey told him that if Germany was at peace with the United States the German naval officers would have to change their methods, and that if Germany was at war with his nation he desired to know it at once in order that he might act accordingly. With little delay the German changed his point of view and manner of conduct, and harmony once more ruled when Dewey said the word. Capture of the Gunboat Leyte. One of the most interesting events of the period of waiting was the capture of the Spanish gunboat Leyte which came to Manila bay and chanced capture, because that was the only escape that offered from an exceedingly dangerous position elsewhere. About 4:30 o'clock on the afternoon of June 29 the Boston sighted smoke near the northern shore of Manila bay. She signaled the flag ship, and in a few minutes the order was signaled to the McCulloch to get under way and communicate with a Spanish steamer bearing north by west. The McCulloch's anchor was hastily hove up and the vessel steamed out toward the distant cloud of smoke. The stranger was heading for Manila, but when she approached the foreign man-of-war 94 PREPARING TO TAKE MANILA. anchorage she slowed down. On the McCulloch there was great ex citement. This move was interpreted to mean that the Spaniard was going to stand and fight instead of attempting to run into the Manila harbor. General quarters was sounded, guns were manned, ammunition was hurriedly got up and everything was ready for the battle that all felt sure was to follow. The Spanish flag by this time could be made out flying from the staff of the stranger. Over on one side, just beyond the foreign ship, were the Manila batteries of 8- inch and 6-inch Krupp guns, and the distance was very short for guns of their caliber and range. It was felt that an attempt to take a Spanish prize under the Spanish forts would precipitate an indignant fire from shore. The Spaniard lay waiting, and the yellow and red ensign flaunted impudently from her stern. As the McCulloch bore down on her a white flag appeared at the Spaniard's foremast. A half-mile away the officers and crews of the German and other foreign ships were looking on as at a drama. The officers of the American ship prepared to send a boat off to communicate with the Spanish ship, but a pulling boat in the meantime had left the gangway ladder of the latter. A Spanish officer sat in the stern, and when he reached the McCulloch there was a reception waiting him that was quite Chesterfieldian. Two side boys were at the gangway and every courtesy due to the rank of a captain was given him. He was very nervous and perhaps did not ex pect the kindly greetings that awaited him. His name was Emmanuel Peral, and his vessel was the gunboat Leyte, and there were 183 Spaniards on her. The Spaniards were from Pampanga province, and as the rebels had become more active and ag gressive they had been forced to leave the town of San Fernando and attempt an escape down the Pampanga river, with three rafts, or cascos, in tow, and 800 fugitives on board of them. Since June 14 they had been trying to reach the bay, but the rebels had harassed and obstructed them until nearly all of the fugitives were suffering from sickness and hunger. They were driven to desperation when they succeeded in reaching the mouth of the river. The three cas cos, with 800 people on board, were left behind, and the Leyte steamed across, hoping to land the sick in Manila. As they drew up toward the harbor the McCulloch was seen to be bearing down on them. So they decided to surrender and make no further attempt to reach the Pasig, although they easily had time to do it. Their cannon were PREPARING TO TAKE MANILA. 95 thrown overboard, so that no suspicion of hostility could be directed toward them, and a white flag was run up at the fore. Prisoners Were Not "Wanted. Admiral Dewey offered to liberate the Spaniards on parole and send them into Manila, but this was refused on account of the disinclination of the Spanish authorities in Manila to take paroled prisoners. Admiral Dewey did not want to keep them as American prisoners, and the Span iards expressed a hope that if they were kept it would be as prisoners of the admiral and not of the insurgents. They did not want to be turned over to Aguinaldo. Finally it was determined to defer action until the next morning. The Leyte lay a short distance astern of the Olympia, where Admiral Dewey, in walking the quarterdeck, could study his latest capture. The Spaniards, with hardly any food remain ing, were obliged to pass the night on their ship. When asked if they needed food they said that the very last morsel would be gone by morn ing. Lieutenant Ridgely and Captain Peral gave them two bottles of wine, some cheese and biscuits and a few packages of cigarettes. The next day the Leyte was taken to Cavite and the prisoners disembarked. Sick, hungry and barefooted soldiers, mingled with hand some officers and a number of children and women, made up the discon solate, disheartened and discouraged passengers of the little gunboat. The governor of Pampangas, De Marcelina de la Mote Velarde, with fine, clear features and a uniform that showed how much it had been worn during the last few days, was one of the prisoners. There were over twenty officers, and every one carried his sword and small arms. There were between fifteen and twenty women and a few children, the rest of the great passenger list being made up of soldiers and sailors. When the ship steamed alongside the wharf near the arsenal twelve marines under Captain Williams were landed. These men were marched out on the dock and lined up in two parallel columns, six in each, about twenty feet apart. The Spanish soldiers, lugging their heavy knap sacks and rifles, were drawn up in line between the American marines. The officers were allowed to stand in a group near the water end of the landing dock. The hold of the ship was searched and all the stragglers broueht out. Then the men were marched a few hundred feet onward and the women and children, the sick and the native sailors were taken 96 PREPARING TO TAKE MANILA. off the vessel. Great piles of trunks were removed and two heavy strong boxes of silver coin. The amount in these boxes was said to be about $10,000, and the officers claimed that it was personal property. This was hardly believed, however. Another quantity of money was found, and this was given to the crew in payment of back wages by order of Admiral Dewey. These were the first prisoners taken and held by the admiral. The officers expressed themselves as preferring to be American prisoners with something to eat than to be over in Manila. They knew that the fact of their having surrendered their ship and money unnecessarily was seen in Manila and that they would be shot if they entered the city. Arrival of First Troopships. It was on June 30 that the first of the transports reached Manila bay. On that day the troopships City of Peking, City of Sydney and Australia arrived from San Francisco under the convoy of the Charleston, which had made the trans-Pacific voyage with them, and the Baltimore which had been sent to the north of the island of Luzon to meet them. After calling at Honolulu they had touched at Guam in the Ladrone islands. Here the captain-general had surrendered to the Charleston, and the officers and soldiers of the Spanish garrison there had been taken aboard one of the transports as prisoners. The arrival of the troopships brought great rejoicing to the Ameri can fleet and dismay to the people of Manila, who believed that an immediate attack would be made on the city, which probably was to be destroyed by bombardment. The transports named brought General Thomas M. Anderson of the United States army, who had with him four companies of the 14th infantry of the regular army and the 1st California and 1st Oregon regiments of volunteers. The next troop ships, under General Frank V. Greene, arrived July 17; General Merritt himself came on July 25, and when General MacArthur's quota arrived on July 30 the force was considered complete, though it has been re- enforced often since that time. Disembarkation was hastened as rapidly as possible and Cavite be came an exceedingly busy place. Drills were kept up faithfully and the men were prepared for whatever emergency might arise. General Anderson requested Aguinaldo to evacuate Cavite, as there was not PREPARING TO TAKE MANILA. 9? sufficient room in the town for our own troops, and the Filipino dic tator, removed his headquarters to Bakor, just across the bay of Bakor. At this place Aguinaldo called together a number of natives upon whose loyalty to himself he could depend and organized a provisional gov ernment. He ceased to sign himself "dictator," and appointed a "cabi net." These men assumed the executive authority of the Filipino re public, but Aguinaldo remained, as before, the sole power in the Filipino camp. Manila was finally fully surrounded by the rebel troops, and fighting at long range and without much effect went on every night. It was impossible for the insurgents to take the city either by siege or by assault, and so during the month of July the Spaniards were on the defensive against the natives. The troops of the United States were advanced from Cavite to Paranaque, only a short distance from the walls of Manila, and preparations were made by the United States forces for compelling the surrender of the city to General Merritt. First Engagement of American Troops. The first clash of arms between Spanish and American land forces in the Philippines resulted in the killing of ten Americans and the wounding of forty-three. The Spanish loss was not known. The con flict occurred late in the night of July 31. It was the result of a reported effort on the part of the enemy. to flank the American trenches near Malate, an effort which failed, if, indeed, it was ever intended. The fight was a vicious one, but the men who were having their baptism of fire never flinched. They showed the stuff of which they were made, as truly as they did two weeks later when Manila was the objective point. The engagement occurred in the midst of a driving rain, ac companying a furious typhoon which had been raging for sevefa~l days and the conditions were peculiarly trying. When finally the men of the three fleets of troopships were disem barked and placed in position, General Merritt calculated that the time had come for final action. He had about 8,500 men ready to attack the city of Manila. He and Admiral Dewey united in a joint letter to the Spanish commander-in-chief, under date of August 7, notifying him that operations might begin at any time after forty-eight hours, or 98 PREPARING TO TAKE MANILA sooner if made necessary by an attack on his part, and that all non- combatants should therefore be removed from the city. In replying, Governor-General Jaudenes said in part: "As your notice is sent for the purpose of providing for the safety of non-com batants, I give thanks to your excellencies for the humane sentiment you have shown, and state that, finding myself surrounded by insur rectionary forces, I am without places of refuge for the increased num. ber of wounded, sick, women and children who are now lodged within the walls." Dewey and Merritt Demand Surrender. Two days later a second letter was sent to the captain-general by Admiral Dewey and General Merritt, reading as follows: "The Governor-General and Captain-General of the Philippines. "Sir: The inevitable suffering in store for the wounded, sick, women and children, in the event that it becomes our duty to reduce the defenses of the walled town in which they are gathered, will, we feel assured, appeal successfully to the sympathies of a general capable of making the determined and prolonged resistance which your excel lency has exhibited after the loss of your naval forces and without hope of succor. "We therefore submit, without prejudice to the high sentiments of honor and duty which your excellency entertains, that, surrounded on every side as you are by a constantly increasing force, with a powerful fleet in your front and deprived of all prospect of reinforcement and assistance, a most useless sacrifice of life would result in the event of an attack, and therefore every consideration of humanity makes it imperative that you should not subject your city to the horrors of a bombardment. Accordingly, we demand the surrender of the city of Manila and the Spanish forces under your command." As the time approached marking the expiration of the forty-eight- hour respite granted to Manila by General Merritt and Admiral Dewey before the attack the enthusiasm on the ships was tremendous. Men on the sick list begged to be taken off and those who were unfit for heavy work asked to be assigned to lighter duties. Men who would have been PREPARING TO TAKE MANILA. 99 hopelessly ill if the ship was to be coaled now developed wonderful vitality and convalescence. A few thoughtful veterans got their fare well letters written, but the great majority prepared for a picnic. , When the Battle Was Expected. It was announced that the navy and army would get under head way Wednesday noon, August 10. General orders were issued and the refuge ships and foreign war vessels anchored off the city began to move away to positions of safety. Ten or twelve refuge ships thronged with women and children from Manila were taken down to Mariveles bay. The foreign war vessels moved out of range. The German admiral sent word asking Admiral Dewey where he should anchor, and was told that he might anchor any place he chose so long as he was not in range. Then came a curious thing. The English ships — the Immortalite", Iphigenia, Pygmy and Plover — and the Japanese ship, the Naniwa, steamed over and joined the American ships at their anchorage off Cavite. The German and French warships withdrew in an opposite direction until they were well out of range. There could hardly have been a more eloquent exposition of the sympathetic lean ings of the different nations, and the English, American and Japanese alliance which had been so frequently mentioned seemed a reality in Manila bay. At 9 o'clock on the morning of August 10 all was suppressed excite ment. The ships were stripped and only the work of taking down the awnings remained. This was soon done and full steam pressure was raised for the work of turning the heavy screws. Shortly before 10 o'clock General Merritt came aboard and asked for a delay, stating that the army was not ready. The disappointment that this caused was extreme and the line drawn between the navy and army was never more sharp and vivid. The last dispatches had indi cated that peace was so imminent that already every ship that came into the bay was apprehensively regarded as a probable bearer of the unwelcome news that hostilities should cease. To those who had lived on shipboard for months just in sight of the city lights the thought, of being denied the pleasure of riding up and down the Luneta was something Arery trying. The fleet was signaled to bank fires and the commanders and cap- 100 PREPARING TO TAKE MANILA. tains were told that twenty-four hours' notice would be given before a general movement would be made. The Baltimore then began coaling from the Cyrus, and the situation seemed to have relaxed from the critical to the commonplace routine of the old blockading days. On Friday, August 12, orders were sent out for all ships to pre pare to get under way at 9 o'clock the following morning. The army was ready. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. THE RALEIGH This picture was taken during the battle and shows the Raleigh hurrying to get into closer range with the batteries. CHAPTER V. MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. Approach of the Time when Waiting Was to End — Efforts to Obtain a Sur render Without an Engagement Fail — Story of the Battle of August 13 — Dramatic and Picturesque Features of the Assault on the Forti fications — Taking Possession of the City — The Part Played by the Navy — Captured Spanish Gunboats Distinguish Themselves — Organ izing the "N^w Regime in Manila — Waiting for the Declaration of Peace. The most concise story of the taking of Manila is that included in the official report cabled by General Merritt to the war department at Washington. It read as follows: "Hong Kong, August 18. — Adjutant-General, Washington: Manila, August 13. — On the 7th inst. Admiral Dewey joined me in a forty-eight- hour notification to the Spanish commander to remove non-combatants from the city. On the same date a reply was received expressing thanks for the humane sentiments, and stating that the Spanish were without places of refuge for non-combatants now within the walled town. On the 9th inst. we sent a joint note inviting attention to suffering in store for the sick and non-combatants in case it became our duty to reduce the defenses, also setting forth the hopeless condition of the Spanish forces, surrounded on all sides, with a fleet in front and no prospect of re-enforcements, and demanded surrender as due to every consideration of humanity. On the same date we received a reply admitting their situation, but stating the council of defense declared the request for surrender could not be granted, but offered to consult the government if time was granted necessary for communication via Hong Kong. A joint note was sent in reply declining. On the 13th joined with the navy in attack, with the following result: After about half an hour's accu rate shelling of the Spanish lines, MacArthur's brigade, on the right, and Greene's on the left, under Anderson, made a vigorous attack and car ried the Spanish works. Loss not accurately known — about fifty in all. 103 304 MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. Behavior of troops excellent; co-operation of the navy most valuable. Troops advanced rapidly on walled city, upon which a white flag was shown, and the town capitulated. Troops occupy Malate, Binondo and the walled city of San Miguel. All important centers protected. Insur- gents kept out. No disorder nor pillage. "MERRITT." Just Before the Capture of the City. The facts are there but the details are not. The details themselves were highly interesting. The Spaniards knew they were whipped weeks before the battle. There was nothing to be expected from their long and stubborn obstinacy except the possibility that peace might be declared before the Americans had captured the city. They were hemmed in on the south and the sea by the American troops and by the insurgents on the east and north. For more than three months little food had been received, and they had been gradually reduced to tinned meats and then to rice and grain. Business was choked to a standstill and one by one the shops were closed. The only places that thrived were the cafe's, which daily held their throngs of Spanish officers cursing their misfor tune and heaping their wrath on the Americans and the natives for obvious reasons; on the English because of the latter's sympathy with the United States; on the Germans because no help was given and on Spain because she had apparently deserted them. The water works then fell into the hands of Aguinaldo's men and no water came to rid the town of its stenches and bring relief to the sick. Sickness came on quickly with the stopping of the water supply, the hospitals were filled and then the churches, and finally other public buildings. Over 3,000 sick and wounded soldiers were in the walled city when it fell. The sanitation was wretched, and the prolonged diet of rice and coarse foods told fearfully on the delicate stomachs of the sick. A sentiment in favor of surrender sprang up. Captain-General Augustin was convinced of the folly of further resistance. The archbishop, who had always been regarded as the most bitterly opposed to submission, was said to have favored it from the first. Madrid routed Augustin and appointed Gen eral Jaudenes his military successor because the latter was understood to favor fighting for his beloved flag and mother country as long as a drop of blood flowed in his subordinates' veins. The newspapers printed MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. 105 fearful things about the Americans and rioted in the most shameless fabrication of official telegrams. The soldiers had been deceived into believing that a fleet from Spain was expected for over a month, and each detachment of American troopships was heralded as the long- expected relief expedition until they were seen to join the ships of the admiral's fleet. Negotiations for Surrender. A feeling of discontent spread among the soldiers, and Admiral Dewey, acting through the Belgian consul, Mr. Edward Andr6, as in termediary, began a series of communications with Governor Augustin which promised to result in the peaceful transfer of the Philippines without bloodshed. The admiral believed that such a transfer could be accomplished, and he hoped that by delaying until an overwhelming force arrived the Spaniards would submit and the American forces es cape without losing a single man. At any time he could have taken the city. Had it been necessary to make a move it may be certain that he would have made it without waiting a moment. But acting on the belief that the same result could be obtained by diplomacy and patience, and feeling that there was no immediate hurry before the Monterey arrived, he was gradually reaching a satisfactory understand ing with the Spanish authorities. General Greene, at this nervous crisis, when the scales were waver ing, crowded his lines up against the Spanish works at Malate and pre cipitated the general night fight of July 31, in which the ultimate death list reached a dozen, with a long roll of wounded. At that time it seemed that the admiral would be forced to act with sledge-hammer aggressiveness, but he still clung to the hope that the city could be taken by diplomatic negotiations and a general attack avoided. On the night of August 1 another American was killed in the trenches and two more were wounded. The American troops were ordered not to answer the Spanish firing unless the Spaniards came out to storm the trenches, which to any one familiar with the conditions was very improbable. There was a general feeling that the advancing of our troops had been an unwise move, because nothing was gained by it which could not have been easily gained at any later time should the necessity arise. Night after night the killing continued — one or 106 MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. two or three a night, until the little bamboo and acacia and mango trees in the convent yard at Maricaban waved over nearly a score of new-made graves. Then began the exchange of correspondence between the American and Spanish commanders, ending with the demand for surrender which was made and refused. Saturday, August 13, was the day of the taking of Manila. Plan of the Day's Fighting. The army was divided into two brigades. General Greene had the 2d brigade and his men were strung along on the extreme right extend ing to the beach. As his advance fighting line he had the Utah light artillery, with Captains Grant and Young; the 1st Colorado, under Colonel Irving Hale, and a battalion of the 3d artillery. The last- named, although in the firing line, was not under fire. Back of the firing line, in immediate support, was the 2d battalion of the 1st Cal ifornia, under Colonel Smith and Major Sime. As reserves there were the 18th United States infantry, 1st California, 1st Nebraska, 10th Pennsylvania and a battalion of United States engineers. The 1st brigade, under General MacArthur, further inland, was distributed in a similar manner as firing line and reserves. The Astor battery, 13th Minnesota and 23d infantry were in front, with one battalion of the 14th infantry, two battalions of the 1st North Dakota, two battalions of the 1st Idaho and one battalion of the 1st Wyoming as reserves and support. The Spanish line of defenses consisted of a continuous intrench- ment, broken by three strongholds — the fort at Malate, blockhouse 14 and the fortified English cemetery. General Greene's brigade was to attack and take the first and strongest, while General MacArthur's brigade was to attack the blockhouse and cemetery. The entire field of operations covered little more than a square mile, but the Amer icans had a fearful country to fight in. Barb-wire fences, bamboo jungles, paddy fields, swamps, streams and sharpened pickets had to be passed before reaching the Spanish line. The taking of the trenches and fort at Malate by the 1st Colorado was the most brilliant and spectacular act of the day, but a savage ambuscade over at Singalon, near blockhouse 14, was the most deadly, for four men were killed in the Astor battery and 13th Minnesota and 23d infantry, while nearly MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. 107 thirty were wounded. Had it not been for the timely advance of the 13th Minnesota and 23d artillery the Astor battery would have been almost wiped out. Beginning the Advance on Manila. Early in the morning the two brigades began the advance from Camp Dewey. Every man carried rations for one day and went in light marching order. The story told by Major Bell of the bureau of in formation, who acted as one of General Greene's aids during the day, gives a good idea of the operations of the 2d brigade. The men in the camp were up at 5 o'clock, ready for the start. General Babcock arrived from the Newport soon after the main body of troops had advanced from the camp, and he and Major Bell followed on horseback, soon passing the troops. Major Bell, sheltered by clumps of bamboo, crept up from the farthest American trench, where the Utah artillery, the 1st Colorado and a battalion of the 3d artillery were waiting the order to attack, along the beach to a position barely 500 yards from the fort at Malate, to make a reconnoissance of the Spanish guns. Two days before he had done the same and had re ported that one of the Spanish guns had been removed. On this later reconnoissance it was his object to determine where that gun had been placed. Orders were then given for four companies of the 1st Colorado to begin an advance. Two companies, C and D, were sent out in front of the trenches, and two others, I and K, were sent along the beach under cover of the fire of Companies C and D. As C and D took their places out in a skirmish line in front of the trench, I and K, advanc ing from the rear of the trenches, proceeded along in the surf at the beach, wading an intervening stream and boldly entering the fort. Companies C and D fell in behind; then came the 2d battalion of the 1st California, under Colonel Smith and Major Sime, who were in reserve behind the firing line, but who advanced directly behind the Colorado troops. A Race for the Spanish Colors. Major Bell was ahead of the Colorado soldiers, bent On reaching the fort first to take down the Spanish flag, but, the Spanish opening 108 MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. fire from their intrenchments, he was called back to allow the Colo- rados to fire several volleys. This cost him the flag, for Colonel McCoy and Adjutant Brooks, in the van of their troops, reached the Spanish position, dashed over the trenches, followed by a rushing mass of Colo rado men, plunged into the old fort and took down the Spanish flag and hauled up the American. Just behind the Colorado men came the regimental band, wading the stream and playing their instruments with wonderful persistence and questionable harmony. The band made the hit of the day. The Colorado troops then began an advance toward the city, but the 1st California, by not stopping at the fort, had passed them and were carrying everything before them in a rush through Malate, with the Spaniards retreating in broken order and firing from dooryards and windows and from the protection of houses. A heavy fire met the 1st Colorados after passing the fort and seemed to come from the marshes over to the right of the road. It was in this fire that Charles Phoenix of Company I was killed and several others were wounded. Taking Care of the Insurgents. The four companies of the 1st California proceeded on through the Calle Real in Malate, Colonel Smith dropping guards at every house flying the English flag, to protect it from the insurgents, who were scrambling along in the wake of the Californians' victorious advance. The insurgents were firing as they came along. It was here that Major Jones of the transportation department and Interpreter Finlay distinguished themselves. The insurgent firing had become hot for even the Americans, and Major Jones took an American flag, planted himself in the middle of the road and with drawn revolver stopped the entire advance of the insurgents. Captain O'Connor, with a small guard, advanced to the very city walls in the face of large bodies of Spanish soldiers and posted himself on the Puente Espafia, the principal bridge of the city, leading from the business section to the walled city. The Californians advanced to the road leading around the walled city and intercepted the insurgents who were flocking in along the road from Santa ASa. The latter were firing on the retreating Spaniards, and the Californians came in direct line of the fire. The Spaniards were returning the insurgent fire, and the Americans were between MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. 109 the two forces. It was here that Private Dunmore of Company B, 1st California, was killed and H. Ammerson wounded. The California men held their fire, and by doing so avoided a general conflict which would have been as disastrous as it would have been useless. The in. surgent advance was stopped. Colonel Smith then advanced to the roads leading from Paco and stopped another troop of insurgents who were attempting to enter the walled city. One pompous insurgent in a gorgeous uniform announced that they were going on, but when Major Bell drew his revolver and threatened to kill any one attempting to pass, the insurgent officer became submissive and polite. The Ameri cans then formed in line and forced the insurgents up the street and into a side street. They next attempted to get in by another street, but were forestalled. General Greene Enters the City. General Greene came up under a scattering fire with his staff and met a Spanish official who awaited him at one of the gates of the city. The general entered the city alone with the Spaniards and the arrange ments for the occupation were. made. Over to the north of the city there was hot fighting between the insurgents and the Spaniards, but the latter held them back. The Spaniards in those trenches remained at their guns, resisting the insurgents, until 7 P. M. the following day, and were among the last who gave up their arms. They complained at being compelled to fight after the city had surrendered. General MacArthur's brigade was having a hot fight over in the Singalon district. The Spanish deserted their trenches at the advance of the Americans, but retreated to dense clumps of bamboos and am buscaded the Americans as the latter advanced. In was in this ambus cade that August Thollen of the 23d infantry, Sergeants Cremins and Holmes of the Astor battery and Archie Patterson of the 13th Min nesota were killed and a great number wounded. The Minnesota men, the Astor battery and the 23d infantry did brilliant work in this sec tion, and their record in the fight is the most brilliant of the day. As MacArthur's brigade in regular order swept the Spaniards out of blockhouse No. 14 and the English cemetery, driving them back, the brigade fell in behind General Greene's brigade and entered Malate from the east. 110 MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. The Battle as Seen from the Bay. At 9 o'clock sharp the Olympia's engines began to throb, a*id as the flagship moved slowly forward the national ensign floated from all mastheads. The Charleston, which had been lying near Malate for several days, steamed slowly over and joined the squadron, and a few minutes more saw the Olympia, Baltimore, Monterey, Charleston, Boston, Petrel, Raleigh, McCulloch, Callao, Barcelo, Zafiro and the.Kwonghoi bear ing off toward Malate. It was a magnificent sight. When the Olympia passed the Immortalite" the band on the latter struck up a few bars of "See, the Conquering Hero Comes," swung into the swell of "Star- . Spangled Banner" and then broke into the lively, inspiriting "El Capi tan." It was great. As the American ships left the ships in the Cavite anchorage the Immortality and Iphigenia got under way, and, steam ing swiftly across to the German and French ships, took up their sta tions directly between the German flagship and Admiral Dewey's ships. The German admiral as promptly got under way, and took a place in line with the Englishmen. It was only an incident, but the significance of the British move was tremendously apparent. Navy Begins Its Share of the Work. At 4,000 yards the order came to commence firing when ready, and at 9:35 o'clock the Olympia opened with a 6-pounder, and almost simultaneously one of the forward 8-inch guns crashed and every glass was turned toward the target. The shots fell short, due to a mistake in the range, which was caused by a miragic effect, making the shore line appear closer. The order was then given to get the 5-inch guns ready, and the range was made for 4,200 yards. Two 5-inch guns from Ensign Taylor's battery blazed out, then one of Stokely Morgan's 8-inch forward guns and then another 5-inch gun. Then came the order to cease firing. Up to this time— 9:50 o'clock— the Spaniards had not returned the fire, and it was suspected that they were reserving it for a closer range, or else, as appeared probable, the fort had been deserted. The Raleigh and Petrel had joined in, the Raleigh's magnificent battery of MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. Ill rapid fire 5-inch guns and the Petrel's 6-inch guns plowing holes in the landscape and altering the sky line of the fort. At 9:50 o'clock the army, which was advancing toward the fort, began firing, and the smoke from their volleys hung in white clouds over their position. Five minutes later there was almost incessant firing from the army, and masses of white smoke were seen leaping out from the fort and the Spanish trenches in answer. At 3,500 yards the order was given again on the Olympia to commence firing, and at 10 o'clock she opened again, but the shots fell short and to the right. The rain now began to fall in a steady drizzle, and the Admiral and Lieu tenant Brumby put on raincoats, the former changing his naval cap for a cloth traveling cap. "Work of the Captured Gunboats. At 10 o'clock the Callao, very close in shore moving along parallel with the army's advance, was raking the Spanish trenches with a deadly fire from the machine guns. Lieutenant Tappan was doing wonderful work with the little gunboat, and several Spanish volleys were fired on him as the vessel advanced. A number of bullets struck her, but no one was hurt, and she kept up a steady grind ing out from her Nordenfeldt and Hotchkiss. The little Barcelo, close behind, was pumping her machine guns in with magnificent effective ness. Like the little Petrel in the battle of May 1, the Callao and Barcelo seemed to be in the thickest of the fight, and on account of their nearness to shore to be most aggressive and daring. From the Olympia the movements of the land forces now became distinguishable. Where a few moments before their position was marked only by the smoke which rose above the trees from the bat teries and volley firing, now .'t was plainly seen that a great number of soldiers were boldly advancing up the open beach and straggling for ward in the heavy surf. It was a gallant sight to see the long line of brown uniforms streaming up the beach, some waist deep in the surf dashing out along the unprotected strip of sand which lay between them and the old fort, where the Spanish guns were expected to blaze out any minute in their faces. A scattering fire came from the Spanish trenches, and at 10:45 o'clock the troops on the beach stopped and answered with three volleys. 112 MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. Admiral Dewey Pays a Compliment. When they crossed the little stream about 200 yards in front of the fort, holding their guns high in the air to keep them from being soaked, with the regimental flag and national ensign flying bravely at the front, with their regimental band valiantly following and playing for dear life, there were thousands of eyes watching them from the ships with silent, almost breathless, anxiety. Slowly they drew nearer the fort, with the Mausers spattering along before them and the band playing. The Ad miral said that it was the most gallant advance he had ever seen. The Colorado regimental band was playing "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town To-night." Just before the troops reached the powder magazine there was a tremendous explosion and a dense column of black smoke sprang up behind the fort. It was thought that a mine concealed in the road had been exploded. The smoke hung in the air and it was seen that the explosion was followed by a fire. The fort was now deep in smoke from other explosions and the Spanish firing. As the troops advanced along the beach and approached nearer the fort the army signaled the fleet to cease firing. The fort was still silent. At 10:58 a storm of cheers broke out from the Olympia, for the soldiers had passed the zone of fire and were clambering over th.e Spanish trenches and "swarming into the fort. Hardly a moment passed before the yellow and red flag was seen to be coming down, and the next minute the American flag was raised in its place. Preparing for the Surrender. This was evidently the time agreed upon for the city to surrender, for an order was at once given by the Admiral to fly our international signal, "Do you surrender?" At 11 o'clock it was fluttering from the forward signal halyards of the flagship. With the hoisting of this sig nal came a general shifting of the positions of the fleet, and all the vessels, with the exception of the Callao, Concord and Barcelo, took their positions before the heavy batteries of Manila. The Monterey steamed to a very close range and waited. Every gun in the fleet that could be trained in that direction was pointed on the Manila guns. If MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. 113 any one of those four 9.2-inch Hontoria guns had let loose at least a hundred shells would have been launched in on them in less time than it takes to read about it. A huge Spanish flag was floating bravely over the city walls near one of the heavy batteries and it did not seem to come down with any particular haste. Nearly every one was watching that gorgeous piece of bunting and hoping that it would be lowered, but in its persistent waving there was certainly no indication of surrender or weakening. The Zafiro, with General Merritt, approached the Olympia, and as if by a preconcerted agreement the flagship signaled that Flag Lieutenant Brumby would report on board the Zafiro. At 11:45 the Admiral left the bridge to meet Consul Andr£, the Belgian representa tive, whose launch had just reached the flagship. Lieutenant Brumby took the largest American flag on the ship and went aboard the launch. General Whittier of General Merritt's staff came over from the Zafiro in a pulling boat, and also went aboard the launch Trueno. A few minutes later the launch steamed away toward Manila, 1,500 yards away. At 12 o'clock the international signal "C. F. L.," meaning "hold conference," was hoisted over the city walls. Then followed a long wait. The officers and men on the ships had dinner, the guns were kept trained on the Manila batteries, and the big Spanish flag still swung in the breezes above the beleaguered city. Soon after 2 o'clock the Belgian consul's boat, was seen to be re turning. This seemed to mean that an agreement had not been reached, for the presence of the Spanish colors ^ certainly did not look like capitulation. When the Good News Came. At 2:33 o'clock Lieutenant Brumby, climbing up the sea ladder to the Olympia's quarterdeck, called out to the Admiral: "Well, they've surrendered all right." The Admiral quickly answered, "Why don't they haul down that flag?" "They'll do that as soon as Merritt gets 600 or 700 men in there to protect them," explained Lieutenant Brumby. The Admiral then said: "Well, you go over and tell General Mer ritt that I agree to anything." 114 MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. As the news passed that the city had surrendered, the rigging was manned and tremendous cheers broke out over the dull sea. All the ships of the fleet were cheering as the news was signaled. At 5:45 the Spanish flag in the city was seen slowly coming down. and a minute later the enormous American flag was hoisted in its place. Just as the huge flag went up, the sun, which through the greater por tion of the day had been obscured, now burst through the clouds hang ing over Manila and illuminated the banner with a blaze of light It was as opportune as the calcium light in the theater which falls on the center of the stage when the star enters. The ships of the fleet saluted the new flag with twenty-one guns each. In ten minutes 189 saluting charges were fired. At 6 o'clock the band on the flagship struck up "The Victory of Manila," and Manila was ours. American Soldiers in Manila. By 10 o'clock 10,000 soldiers were in the city. The 2d Oregon patrolled the walled city and guarded its nine entrances. General Greene marched his brigade around the walled city into Binondo. The 1st California was sent east to the fashionable official residence district of Malacanay, the 1st Colorado was sent into Tondo and the 1st Ne braska was established on the north shore of the Pasig river, Mac- Arthur's brigade patrolled Ermita and Malate. In the walled city the Spaniards had surrendered their arms at the governor's palace. By nightfall over 7,000 rifles had been surren dered, and by the following evening nearly 1,000 more were turned in. The big American flag was hoisted by Lieutenant Brumby, and as the Oregonians entered from the Kwonghoi the afternoon of the fight their band struck up "The Star-Spangled Banner." The women wept as the Spanish ensign went down, and the soldiers cheered as the American flag went up. The night of the battle was quiet. Except for a few cases reported of the insurgents looting the houses of Spaniards, there was no dis order. The American soldiers at once began to fraternize with the Spanish soldiers. Terms of capitulation were agreed upon promptly between American and Spanish commanders and the occupation of the Spanish capital of the Philippine^ was complete. General Merrittfs MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. 115 first great task after that of safely transporting an army across the Pacific was accomplished. His own report is but a just appreciation of the excellence of the work done by his men. Its expressions of ap proval are no warmer than those given to General Merritt himself by those who know his work. It closed as follows: General Merritt Praises the Army. "Immediately after the surrender the Spanish colors on the sea front were hauled down and the American flag displayed and saluted by the guns of the navy. The 2d Oregon Regiment, which had pro ceeded by sea from Cavite, was disembarked and entered the walled town as a provost guard, and the colonel was directed to receive the Spanish arms and deposit them in places of security. The town was filled with the troops of the enemy driven in from the entrenchments, regiments formed and standing in line in the streets, but the work of disarming proceeded quietly and nothing unpleasant occurred. "In leaving the subject of the operations of the 13th I desire here to record my appreciation of the admirable manner in which the orders for attack and the plan for occupation of the city were carried out by the troops exactly as contemplated. I submit that for troops to enter under fire a town covering a wide area, to rapidly deploy and guard all principal points in the extensive suburbs, to keep out the insurgent forces pressing for admission, to quietly disarm an army of Spaniards more than equal in numbers to the American troops, and finally by all this to prevent entirely all rapine, pillage, and disorder, and gain en tire and complete possession of a city of 300,000 people filled with na tives hostile to the European interests, and stirred up by the knowledge that their own people were fighting in the outside trenches, was an act which only the law-abiding, temperate, resolute American soldier, well and skillfully handled by his regimental and brigade commanders, could accomplish." President McKinley Sends Congratulations. As soon as possible for messages to pass by steamer between Manila and Hong Kong and by cable to and from Washington, the following were received from President McKinley: 116 MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. "Executive Mansion, Washington, D. CL, August 21.— Admiral Dewey, Manila: Receive for yourself and the officers, sailors and ma rines of your command my thanks and congratulations and those of the nation for the gallant conduct all have again so conspicuously dis played. "WILLIAM McKINLEY." "Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C, August 21. — Major-General Merritt, U. S. A., Manila: In my own behalf and for the nation I extend to you and the officers and men of your command sincere thanks and congratulations for the conspicuously gallant conduct displayed in your campaign. "WILLIAM McKINLEY." Formal Terms of Capitulation. The formal terms of capitulation signed by the American and Span ish officers designated for that purpose at Manila were as follows : The undersigned, having been appointed a commission to determine the details of the capitulation of the city and defenses of Manila and its suburbs and the Spanish forces stationed therein, in accordance with agreement entered into the previous day by Major-General Wesley Merritt, United States Army, American commander-in-chief in the Philippines, and his excellency Don Fermin Jaudenes, acting general- in-chief of the Spanish army in the Philippines, have agreed upon the following : 1. The Spanish troops, European and native, capitulate with the city and defenses with all honors of war, depositing their arms in the places designated by the authorities of the United States, and remain ing in the quarters designated and under the orders of their officers and subject to control of the aforesaid United States authorities, until the conclusion of a treaty of peace between the two belligerent nations. All persons included in the capitulation remain at liberty; the officers remaining in their respective homes, which shall be respected as long as they observe the regulations prescribed for their government and the laws in force. 2. Officers shall retain their side arms, horses and private Drop- MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. 117 erty. All public horses and public property of all kinds shall be turned over to the staff officers designated by the United States. 3. Complete returns in duplicate of men by organizations and full lists of public property and stores shall be rendered to the United States within ten days from this date. 4. All questions relating to the repatriation of officers and men of the Spanish forces and of their families and of the expenses which said repatriation may occasion shall be referred to the government of the United States at Washington. Spanish families may leave Manila at any time convenient to them. The return of the arms surrendered by the Spanish forces shall take place when they evacuate the city or when the American army evacuates. 5. Officers and men included in the capitulation shall be supplied by the United States according to their rank with rations and necessary aid, as though they were prisoners of war, until the conclusion of the treaty of peace between the United States and Spain. All the funds in the Spanish treasury and all other public funds shall be turned over to the authorities of the United States. 6. This city, its inhabitants, its churches and religious worship, its educational establishments and its private property of all descrip tions are placed under the safeguard of the faith and honor of the Amer ican army. F. W. GREENE, Brigadier-General of Volunteers, United States Army. B. P. LAMBERTON, Captain United States Navy. CHARLES A. WHITTIER, Lieutenant-Colonel and Inspector-General. E. H. CROWDER, Lieutenant-Colonel and Judge Advocate. NICHOLAS DE LA PENA, Auditor-General Excts. CARLOS REYES, Colonel de Ingineros. JOSE MARIA OLAQUEN, Felia de Estado Major. 118 MERRITT AND DEWEY CAPTURE MANILA. War with the Spanish Ended. The American army was encamped where most available for service in the event of any sort of an uprising or other emergency call. The commanding general assigned various officers of his staff to civic duties in the organization of a new regime. Spaniards, Americans and Filipinos dwelt side by side in a measure of peace and harmony. Major-General Merritt issued a proclamation to the people informing them that his intention was to protect them in all their rights. There remained only the necessity of waiting for peace to be declared to end all difficulties. But the Filipinos were yet to be reckoned with. Copyrighted, 1899, by Joseph L. Stickney. AFTER DEWEY'S GUNS FIRED. The face of the Malate battery, south of Manila, after the warships had fired upon it, August 13, 1898, the day Manila was taken. FILIPINO INTRENCHMENTS This picture shows a large, old-fashioned gun taken from Cavite arsenal before any difficulties arose between the United States and the Filipinos. A SPANISH BOMBARDMENT CHAPTER VI. ANCESTRY AND CHILDHOOD OF GEORGE DEWEY. "The Child Is the Father of the Man" — Origin of the Dewey Family — Nine Generations Born in America — The Grandfather of the Admiral — Dewey's Father and His Traits — Stories of the Home Life and the Youth of the Coming Hero — Boyish Pranks and Their Punishment — A Voyage in a Buggy — School Life and Schoolmates — Appointment to the Naval Academy at Annapolis. ' The greatest biographers of the greatest men have recognized al ways that there is a large element of wisdom and truth in the old adage, "The child is the father of the man." Every child contains within him in embryo the qualities that he displays in maturity. Environ ment and training will develop certain latent qualities beyond others according as the influences are directed, but it is to be doubted if they can ever create in the man any capacity which was not born in him. Any study of man which fails to take cognizance of both environment and heredity will fail in completeness. So it is that although in America we are proud to feel that ancestry has little influence in establishing a man's station among his fellow men, and that each must be judged for himself by his own works, it is impossible to ignore the factor of family in discovering the source of the qualities which gain any station for their possessor. The American Deweys came to the colonies from England, but they were immigrants to England as well some generations earlier, for the family was of French extraction. In its original form the name was spelled Deueua. Early records of the family show worthy service in many walks of life, one of the ancestors having been a successful general in the French armies. George Dewey a Real American. George Dewey is of the ninth generation from the first Dewey who came to America. This progenitor of the American branch of the family 131 122 ANCESTRY AND CHILDHOOD OF GEORGE DEWEY. emigrated from Sandwich in 1633, bearing his ancestral arms and motto, "To the conqueror a crown is due." He settled in Dorchester, in the Massachusetts Bay colony, and from there the family scattered, in later years one branch locating in New York and one in Vermont. It is from the latter that the great admiral is descended. One of the chief characteristics of these two elder branches of the family in America was their mathematical ability. They were keen business men as well, able to figure out the chances in enterprises involving great risk, and willing to take any risk necessary when the chances had been once satisfactorily calculated. Another character istic was their exceeding independence. They preferred to make their own calculation and accept the responsibility for their own actions, rather than seek advice. They were not even clannish with their rela tives, seeming to choose their friendships within or without the family, as was most congenial to them, irrespective of the degree of consan guinity and not assuming intimacy in the family if there happened to be none. Admiral Dewey's Immediate Ancestry. Simeon Dewey, the grandfather of George Dewey, was born in Hanover, New Hampshire, when the people of America were learning the value of freedom and realizing that they could never submit to government from over the sea. In early manhood he bought a farm in Berlin, Vermont, only four miles from Montpelier, the capital of the Green Mountain state, and there the admiral's father was born in 1801. This grandfather, Simeon Dewey, was one of the long-lived members of the long-lived family. One anecdote relates that Mr. Charles Dewey, the admiral's brother, when in England some time ago, happened to hear a British theory for American degeneracy. "Americans," said the critic, "are undersized and die early because they live upon pork and ice-water." Mr. Dewey hastened to thank his informant, replying that until then it had always been a mystery to him why his grandfather Simeon had been prematurely cut off at the early age of ninety-three. To him pork and ice-water were essentials. ANCESTRY AND CHILDHOOD OF GEORGE DEWEY. 123 Montpelier Becomes the Family Home. When the admiral's father, Julius Yemans Dewey, was twenty-one years old, in 1822, he left the farm and removed to Montpelier, settling there and marrying Miss Mary Perrin three years later. Of this union four children were born, Charles, Edward, George and Mary. The mother died when George was but five years old, but the father was married twice more before his own career on earth ended at the age of seventy-six years. Here in Montpelier, the capital of Vermont, George Dewey was born on December 26, 1837. # The house of his birth still stands almost as it was then, a modest, neat New England home like thousands of others out of which have come strong men and women to do their part in the battles of life. Characteristics of Dewey's Father. The father of the family was a man of the highest New England type, a man who must be credited with much of what his son became. He was worthy of observation for his sterling qualities. He had been a school-teacher in Montpelier and in that way had earned money which enabled him to study medicine and take his degree. It is still re membered that he was an early riser and that he taught his children to follow his example. He was a man of deep religious convictions and as active and energetic in the practical work of the church as he was in all other duties that rose before him. He was the founder of .Christ Episcopal church in Montpelier, where his children were baptized, con firmed and went to Sunday school, George with the others. Family prayers and grace before meals were the practice of the Dewey home. Hymns were sung on Sunday evenings, the doctor leading the singing. Dr. Dewey a Valued Neighbor. Dr. Dewey possessed exactly the characteristics that make men remembered and loved wherever they live. He loved not only his own children but all children and this trait the admiral inherited from him. He told stories and brought sunshine with him wherever he went, 124 ANCESTRY AND CHILDHOOD OF GEORGE DEWEY. so that all over the surrounding country he was a welcome visitor in spite of the fact that his visits signalled the presence of sickness in the house. He was fond of music and poetry, the works of Burns, Shakespeare and Cowper standing first in his literary choice. The doctor was a busy man all his life. When by his practice he had earned and by careful administration had saved a considerable sum of money, he was fifty years of age. Then he organized the Na tional life insurance company of Montpelier, which prospered under his direction until before his death he had seen it grow to be an institu tion of great prosperity and some financial magnitude. He was still in active labor when he died in 1877. The Little City of Montpelier. The Montpelier into which George Dewey was born on the day after Christmas, 1837, was not immensely different from the Montpelier of to-day. There were the same white cottages with green blinds, the same picket fences, the same river and the same New England hills. The people were prosperous and thrifty as they are now. Fine elms lined the streets as they do to-day, and the town was clean and well- kept. The Deweys always have been leading men in the place, at the head of movements for education and improvement of all sorts. The cottage which was the admiral's birthplace has been moved from its former site just opposite the capitol building, to another posi tion down the street. In former days the Onion river, now called the Winooski, ran just behind the house, and many of the tales of Dewey's childhood are connected with this river. One old friend in a reminiscent frame of mind recalls his first introduction to little George when he was brought from the river, a barefoot boy, to meet the stranger in the parlor. The boy was fortunate in having a loving sister Mary, two years younger than himself, who admired his prowess and impersonated whatever character was necessary to make his own play complete. They fished together and took mountain tramps together as other child ren do to-day. Childhood Books and Sports. George was not a great reader, but "Robinson Crusoe" won his favor and suggested new games. Then when he was ten, his big twelve-year- old brother Charles gave him a "Life of Hannibal." A big snow-drift ANCESTRY AND CHILDHOOD OF GEORGE DEWEY. 125 answered for the Alps, and the two younger children set to work to emulate the Carthaginian invader. Mary suffered a week's sickness in bed thereby, but George escaped unscathed from the adventure. By the older people of Montpelier, George Dewey is remembered as a good deal of a rogue. He was a harum-scarum lad, always iu mischief, and more than one of his pranks are remembered to this day. He was the best swimmer among all the boys of his age and nothing was too reckless for him to undertake. At winter sports he was re garded as on