The Story of the Philippines Part 15

You are a.s.sembled upon foreign soil situated within the western confines of a vast ocean separating you from your native land. You have come not as despoilers and oppressors, but simply as the instruments of a strong free government, whose purposes are beneficent and which has declared itself in this war, the champion of those oppressed by Spanish misrule.

It is therefore the intention of this order to appeal directly to your pride in your position as representatives of a high civilization, in the hope and with the firm conviction that you will so conduct yourselves in your relations with the inhabitants of these islands, as to convince them of the lofty nature of the mission which you come to execute.

It is not believed that any acts of pillage, rapine, or violence will be committed by soldiers or other in the employ of the United States, but should there be persons with this command who prove themselves unworthy of this confidence, their acts will be considered not only as crimes against the sufferers, but as direct insults to the United States flag, and they will be punished on the spot with the maximum penalties known to military law.

By Command of Major-General Merritt: _J.B. Babc.o.c.k_, Adjutant-General.

Official: _Bentley Mott_, Aid.

_Headquarters Department of the Pacific and Eighth Army Corps._

Manila, P. I., August 15th, 1898.

_General Orders_, No. 4.

1. In addition to his duties as Division Commander, Brigadier-General T.M. Anderson, U. S. Vols., is hereby a.s.signed to the command of the District of Cavite and will remove his headquarters to that point. The garrison of the District of Cavite will be augmented upon the arrival of the next transports containing troops for this command.

2. In addition to his duties as Brigade Commander, Brigadier-General Arthur MacArthur, U. S. Vols., is hereby appointed Military Commandant of the walled city of Manila, and Provost-Marshal-General of the City of Manila, including all the outlying districts within the munic.i.p.al jurisdiction. General MacArthur will remove his headquarters within the walled city and will bring with him one strong regiment of his command to take station within the walled town. The Commanding Officer of the 2nd Oregon Vol. Inf., now stationed in the walled city, will report to General MacArthur, and the Companies of the 2nd Oregon Vol. Inf., now at Cavite, will, upon being relieved by other troops, be sent to Manila to join the regiment. General MacArthur will relieve the Civil Governor of his functions, and take possession of the offices, clerks and all machinery of administration of that office, retaining and employing the present subordinate officers of civil administration until, in his judgment, it is desirable to replace them by other appointments.

3. Colonel James S. Smith, 1st California Vol. Inf., in addition to his duties as Regimental Commander, is appointed Deputy Provost-Marshal for the Districts of the city north of the Pasig River, and will report to General MacArthur. Colonel S. Ovens.h.i.+ne, 23rd U. S. Inf., is appointed Deputy Provost-Marshal for the districts of the city, including Ermita and Malate, outside of the walled town and south of the Pasig River, and will report to General MacArthur.

4. Under paragraphs "3" and "4" of the terms of capitulation, full lists of public property and stores, and returns in duplicate of the men by organizations, are to be rendered to the United States within ten days, and public horses and public property of all kinds are to be turned over to the staff officers of the United States designated to receive them. Under these paragraphs the Chief of Artillery at these headquarters, and the Chiefs of the Staff Departments, will take possession of the public property turned over as above, pertaining to their respective departments.

The returns of the prisoners will be submitted to the Military Commandant of the City, who will a.s.sign the men for quarters in such public buildings and barracks as are not required for the use of United States troops. The horses and private property of the officers of the Spanish forces are not to be disturbed. The Chief Paymaster at these headquarters will turn over such portion of the Spanish public funds received by him, by virtue of this order, to the administration of his office.

5. All removals and appointments of subordinate officers of civil administration, and transfers of funds authorized by this order, must receive the approval of the Commanding General, before action is taken.

6. The Chief Quartermaster and Chief Commissary of Subsistence at these headquarters will establish depots of supply in Manila with as little delay as possible.

Quartermaster and Subsistence depots will also be retained at Cavite.

By Command of Major-General Merritt: _J. B. Babc.o.c.k_, Adjutant-General.

Official: _Bentley Mott_, Aid.

_Headquarters Department of the Pacific and Eighth Army Corps._

Manila, P. I., August 17th, 1898.

_General Orders_ No. 5.

1. In addition to the command of his Brigade, Brigadier-General F. V. Greene, U. S. Vols., will perform the duties. .h.i.therto performed by the Intendente General de Hacienda, and will have charge, subject to instructions of the Major General Commanding, of all fiscal affairs of the Government of Manila.

2. Lieutenant-Colonel C. A. Whittier, U. S. Vols., is appointed Collector of Customs, and the Chief Paymaster, Department of the Pacific, will designate a bonded officer of the Pay Department as custodian of all public funds. Both of these officers will report to Brigadier-General Greene for instructions.

By Command of Major-General Merritt: _J. B. Babc.o.c.k_, Adjutant-General.

Official: _Bentley Mott_, Aid.

_Headquarters Department of the Pacific and Eighth Army Corps._

Manila, P. I., August 17th, 1898.

_General Orders_, No. 6.

The Major-General Commanding desires to congratulate the troops of this command upon their brilliant success in the capture, by a.s.sault, of the defenses of Manila, on Sat.u.r.day, August 13, a date hereafter to be memorable in the history of American victories.

After a journey of seven thousand miles by sea, the soldiers of the Philippine Expedition encountered most serious difficulties in landing, due to protracted storms raising high surf, through which it was necessary to pa.s.s the small boats which afforded the only means of disembarking the army and its supplies. This great task, and the privations and hards.h.i.+ps of a campaign during the rainy season in tropical lowlands, were accomplished and endured by all the troops, in a spirit of soldierly fort.i.tude, which has at all times during these days of trial, given the Commanding General the most heartfelt pride and confidence in his men. Nothing could be finer than the patient, uncomplaining devotion to duty which all have shown.

Now it is his pleasure to announce that within three weeks after the arrival in the Philippines of the greater portion of the forces, the capital city of the Spanish possessions in the East, held by Spanish veterans, has fallen into our hands, and he feels a.s.sured that all officers and men of this command have reason to be proud of the success of the expedition.

The Commanding General will hereafter take occasion to mention to the Home Government, the names of officers, men and organizations, to whom special credit is due.

By Command of Major-General Merritt: _J. B. Babc.o.c.k_, Adjutant-General

Official: _Bentley Mott_, Aid.

_Headquarters of the Provost-Marshal-General and Military Commandant._

City of Manila, P. I., August 18th, 1898.

_General Orders_, No. 1.

1. In obedience to the provisions of General Orders, No. 3, dated Headquarters Department of the Pacific and Eighth Army Corps, Manila, P. I., August l5th, 1898, the undersigned hereby a.s.sumes the office and duties of Military Commandant of the walled city of Manila; Provost-Marshal-General of the city of Manila, including the outlying districts within the munic.i.p.al jurisdiction, and also the functions of Civil Governor.

2. Until further orders the preservation of law and order throughout the city will be maintained according to the arrangements which now obtain.

3. The location of these Headquarters will be at the office of the Civil Governor, corner of San Juan de Letran and Anda Streets, and to the above address will be referred all papers requiring action by the undersigned. To insure prompt investigation, all claims, complaints, and pet.i.tions should be presented in the English language.

4. Major Harry C. Hale, a.s.sistant Adjutant-General U. S. Volunteers; aide de camp to the Commanding General, having been a.s.signed for temporary duty at these Headquarters, is hereby appointed Adjutant-General to the undersigned.

5. Colonel S. Overs.h.i.+ne having been appointed by proper authority Deputy Provost-Marshal of the districts of the city (including Ermita and Malate) outside of the walled town and south of the Pasig river, will organize and establish his office as soon as possible, and report the location thereof to these Headquarters.