The Boys of '98 Part 44

_July 19._ The work of surrounding Manila by American forces was begun by advancing the First California regiment to Jaubo, only two miles from the Spanish lines. The Colorado and Utah batteries were landed at Paranaque, directly from the transports. Over fifteen hundred men encamped between Manila and Cavite. The Tenth Pennsylvania, with the rest of the artillery, landed at Malabon, north of the besieged city.

_July 23._ The transport steamer _Rio Janeiro_, bearing two battalions of South Dakota volunteers, recruits for the Utah Light Artillery, and a detachment of the signal corps, sailed from San Francisco for Manila.

_July 25._ Major-General Merritt arrived at Cavite. Secretary Long forwarded to Admiral Dewey the joint resolution of Congress, extending the thanks of Congress for the victory achieved at Cavite. The resolution was beautifully engrossed, and prefaced by a formal attestation of its authenticity by Secretary of State Day, the whole being enclosed in richly ornamented Russia covers.

Secretary Long, in his letter of transmittal, makes reference to a letter from the Secretary of State complimenting Admiral Dewey upon his direction of affairs since the great naval victory, a formal evidence that the State Department is thoroughly well satisfied with the diplomatic qualities the admiral has exhibited. The letter of Secretary Long is as follows:

"NAVY DEPARTMENT, WAs.h.i.+NGTON, July 25, 1898.

"_Sir_:-The Department has received from the Secretary of State an engrossed and certified copy of a joint resolution of Congress, tendering the thanks of Congress to you, and the officers and men of the squadron under your command, for transmission to you, and herewith encloses the same.

"Accompanying the copy of the joint resolutions, the Department received a letter from the Secretary of State requesting that there be conveyed to you his high appreciation of your character as a naval officer, and of the good judgment and prudence you have shown in directing affairs since the date of your great achievement in destroying the Spanish fleet.

"This I take great pleasure in doing, and join most heartily on behalf of the Navy Department, as well as personally, in the commendation of the Secretary of State. Very respectfully,

"JOHN D. LONG, _Secretary_.

"_Rear-Admiral George Dewey, U. S. N., Commander-in-Chief U. S. Naval Force, Asiatic Station._"

_July 29._ The transport steamer _St. Paul_, bearing the first battalion of North Dakota volunteers, the Minnesota and Colorado recruits, sailed from San Francisco for Manila.

_July 31._ The transports _Indiana_, _Ohio_, _Valencia_, _Para_, and _Morgan City_ arrived at Cavite with American troops.

At 11.30, on the last night of July, the Spanish forces in Manila attacked the American lines. A typhoon had set in, rain was falling in torrents, and the blackness of the night was almost palpable. Three thousand Spaniards made a descent upon an entrenched line of not more than nine hundred Americans.

The Tenth Pennsylvania bore the brunt of the attack, and checked the Spanish advance until the Utah battery, the First California Volunteers, and two companies of the Third Artillery, fighting as infantry, could get up to strengthen the right of the line.

The Spaniards had, by a rush, gone 150 yards through and beyond the American right flank, when the regulars of the Third Artillery, armed as infantrymen, pushed them back in confusion, the Pennsylvanians and Utah battery aiding gallantly in the work.

_August 1._ After the attack on the right wing had been repulsed, the second Spanish attack at two in the morning was directed against the American left wing.

After thirty minutes of fighting the enemy was again beaten off, and the rain seemed to be so heavy as to make further attack impossible.

But at 3.50 A. M. the battle was resumed at longer range, Spanish sharpshooters firing from the trees, and the batteries working constantly, using bra.s.s-coated bullets. The Americans, smoked and powder-stained, stuck to their guns for fourteen hours without relief, and shortly after sunrise the Spanish retreated. The American loss was eight killed, ten seriously and thirty-eight slightly wounded.

_August 4._ The monitor _Monterey_ and the convoyed collier _Brutus_ arrived at Cavite.

_August 7._ Admiral Dewey demanded the surrender of Manila within forty-eight hours. The Spanish commander replied that, the insurgents being outside the walls, he had no safe place for the women and children who were in the city, and asked for twenty-four hours additional delay.

This Admiral Dewey granted.

At the expiration of the specified time Admiral Dewey and General Merritt consulted and decided to postpone the attack.

_August 13._ The American commanders decided to begin hostilities on the thirteenth of August, and the navy began the action at 9.30 A. M., the _Olympia_ opening fire, followed by the _Raleigh_, _Petrel_, and _Callao_.

The latter showed great daring, approaching within eight hundred yards of the Malate forts and trenches, doing grand work and driving back the Spanish forces.

The firing from the fleet continued for one hour, the Spanish then retreating from Malate, where the fire was centred, and the American land forces stormed the trenches, sweeping all before them. The First Colorado Volunteers drove the Spaniards into the second line of defence. Then the troops swept on, driving all the Spaniards into the inner fortification.

The fighting in the trenches was most fierce. Fifteen minutes after the Spaniards were driven to the second line of defences, they were forced to retreat to the walled city, where, seeing the uselessness of resistance, they surrendered, and soon afterward a white flag was hoisted over Manila.

The total number of killed on the American side was forty-five, and wounded about one hundred. The Spanish losses were two hundred killed and four hundred wounded.

Captain-General Augusti took refuge on board the German s.h.i.+p _Kaiserin Augusta_, and was conveyed to Hongkong.

The following official reports were made by cable:

"MANILA, August 13, 1898.

"_Secretary of Navy, Was.h.i.+ngton_:-Manila surrendered to-day to the American land and naval forces, after a combined attack.

"A division of the squadron sh.e.l.led the forts and entrenchments at Malate, on the south side of the city, driving back the enemy, our army advancing from that side at the same time.

"The city surrendered about five o'clock, the American flag being hoisted by Lieutenant Brumby.

"About seven thousand prisoners were taken.

"The squadron had no casualties, and none of the vessels were injured.

"August 7th, General Merritt and I formally demanded the surrender of the city, which the Spanish governor-general refused.

(Signed) "DEWEY."

"HONGKONG, August 20th.

"_Adjutant-General, Was.h.i.+ngton_:-The following are the terms of the capitulation:

"The undersigned, having been appointed a commission to determine the details of the capitulation of the city and defences of Manila and its suburbs and the Spanish forces stationed therein, in accordance with agreement entered into the previous day by Maj.-Gen. Wesley Merritt, U. S. A., 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:

"The Spanish troops, European and native, capitulate with the city and defences, with all honours of war, depositing their arms in the places designated by the authorities of the United States, remaining 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 enforced.