The Inhabitants of the Philippines Part 65

April 1st. Troops resting at Malolos.

The ironclad Monadnock was fired on by Filipinos artillery at Paranaque (three miles from Manila), and replied silencing the guns on sh.o.r.e.

April 20th. A column of General Lawton's force, 140 strong, surrounded and captured by the Filipinos near Binangonan.

April 23rd. Fighting at Quingua. Col. Stotsenburg killed. This was a severe engagement.

April 26th. Americans capture Calumpit. Was.h.i.+ngton "profoundly relieved."

April 27th. Fighting near Apalit.

April 30th. General Otis believes that the Filipinos are tired of the war.

May 1st. Anniversary of the Battle of Cavite.

May 2nd. Conference between Filipino envoys and General Otis with the American Civil Commissioners.

General Lawton captures Baliuag.

May 12th. The Nebraska Regiment pet.i.tions General McArthur to relieve them from duty, being exhausted by the campaign. Since February 4th, the regiment has lost 225 killed and wounded, and 59 since the fight at Malolos.

May 18th. Filipino peace delegates enter General Lawton's lines at San Isidro.

May 20th. Admiral Dewey leaves Manila in the Olympia.

May 22nd. The U.S. Civil Commission received Aguinaldo's Peace Commissioners, and explained to them President McKinley's scheme of Government.

May 29th. Aguinaldo reported dead.

May 30th. The authorities at Was.h.i.+ngton admit that more troops are needed for Manila.

June 1st. Mr. Spencer Pratt obtains an interim injunction in the Supreme Court, Singapore, against the sale of Mr. Foreman's book, "The Philippine Islands."

June 5th. Skirmis.h.i.+ng in the Laguna district. An attempt by the Americans to surround Pio del Pilar fails.

June 13th. A Filipino battery at Las Pinas, between Manila and Cavite, consisting of an old smooth bore gun and two one-pounders open fire on the American lines. A battery of the 1st Artillery, the ironclad Monadnock, and the gunboat Helena directed their fire upon this antiquated battery, and kept it up all the morning.

A correspondent remarks, "This was the first real artillery duel of the war."

This developed into one of the hardest fights in the war, the Filipinos made a determined stand at the Zapote bridge.

Reports arrive that General Antonio Luna had been killed by some of General Aguinaldo's guards.

June 16th. The Filipinos attack the Americans at San Fernando and are repulsed with heavy loss.

Mr. Whitelaw Reid, addressing the Miami University of Ohio, denounces the President's policy, or want of policy, in the Philippines.

June 19th. American troops under General Wheaton march through Cavite Province.

June 21st. General Miles describes the situation at Manila as "very serious."

June 26th. Twelve per cent. of the American forces sick. Little can now be attempted as the rainy season is now on.

June 27th. General Otis reports that the Filipinos have no civil government.

June 28th. It is stated that General Otis will have 40,000 men available for active operations after the rainy season.

July 12th. General Otis asks for 2500 horses for the organisation of a brigade of cavalry after the rainy season.

The entire staff of correspondents of the American newspapers protest against the methods of General Otis in exercising too strict a censors.h.i.+p over telegrams and letters. They say, "We believe that, owing to the official despatches sent from Manilla and published in Was.h.i.+ngton, the people of the United States have received a false impression of the situation in the Philippines, and that these despatches present an ultra-optimistic view which is not shared by general officers in the field."

July 20th. The rainfall at Manila since 1st June has been 41 inches and the country is flooded.

July 23rd. Mr. Elihu Root nominated to succeed Mr. Alger as Secretary for War.

July 27th. General Hall's division captures Calamba on the lake.

August 1st. Mr. Root sworn in as Secretary for War. He contemplates increasing General Otis' available force to 40,000 men.

August 15th. General McArthur's force captures Angeles.

August 17th. Orders issued at Was.h.i.+ngton to form ten additional regiments to serve in the Philippines. General Otis to have 62,000 men under his command.

August 23rd. General Otis applies the Chinese Exclusion law to the Philippines.

August 24th. The Moros sign an agreement acknowledging the sovereignty of the United States over the entire Philippine Islands.

The Moros of Western Mindanao are asking for permission to drive out the insurgents.

August 28th. President McKinley makes a speech to the 10th Pennsylvanian Regiment lately arrived from Manila. See Chapter XII.

September 1st. Fighting in Negros, American successes.

September 14th. U.S. cruiser Charleston engages a gun mounted by the Filipinos at Olongapo, Subic Bay, and fired sixty-nine sh.e.l.ls from her 8-inch guns without silencing the gun, notwithstanding that the Filipinos used black powder.

September 18th. Some of the U.S. Civil Commission had already started to return; remainder leave.

September 23rd. A U.S. squadron, consisting of the Monterey, Charleston, Concord and Zafiro, bombarded the one-gun battery of the Filipinos at Olongapo for six hours, and then landed 250 men who captured and destroyed the gun which was 16-centimetre calibre.

General Otis, in an interview, is reported to have stated that "Things are going very satisfactorily."

September 28th. General McArthur captures Porac.

September 30th. General Aguinaldo releases fourteen American prisoners. They looked well and hearty, and it was evident that they had been well treated.

October 8th. General Schwan advanced against Noveleta and encountered a heavy resistance, but ultimately took the town and next day occupied Rosario.

October 18th. War now said to be beginning in its most serious phase. The American troops, men and officers, said to be thoroughly discouraged by the futility of the operations ordered by General Otis. They feel that their lives are being sacrificed without anything being accomplished.