which followed, was more like the triumphal return of a home army than the entrance of a hostile one. General Miles' forces nevertheless did not find their advance toward San Juan entirely without opposition. At Guayama and again at Arecibo, Fajardo, and Aibonito, the Spaniards offered some resistance, but in all the skirmishes in the island the American losses were light. There were in all only three privates of General Miles' army killed in Porto Rico, while the wounded comprised four officers and thirtysix men. The signing of the peace protocol and the truce that followed found the forces of General Miles steadily advancing on San Juan from several different directions, and had hostilities lasted a few days longer there is little doubt that the city would have been forced to surrender. troops, represented by distinguished officers and commanded by the illustrious General Miles. "Citizens, long live the government of the United States of America! Hail to their valiant troops! Hail, Porto Rico, always American! "El Alcalde, FRANCISCO MAGIA, "YAUCO, PORTO RICO, United States of America." CHAPTER XLVII THE FALL OF MANILA AFFAIRS in the Philippines had meanwhile been rapidly approaching a crisis. Admiral Dewey, after the destruction of the Spanish fleet, held Manila Bay and Cavite, and awaited the arrival of land forces. An attempt on the part of some German war-ships to interfere with a party of the insurgents met with such a forcible protest from Admiral Dewey that the German fleet thereafter preserved strict neutrality. The German government promptly repudiated any intention to interfere with American affairs, and the incident was closed without serious result. Major-General Merritt, commanding the American forces in the Philippines, arrived at Merritt's Cavite, in Manila Bay, on July 25. Campaign The insurgents under Aguinaldo had been waging desultory warfare on the Spaniards, and had gradually driven them into the city of Manila. Aguinaldo, encouraged by his successes, had proclaimed himself president of the Filipinos, assuming the powers of "dictator." Although there had been some co-operation between the United States fleet and the insurgents, with the arrival of General Merritt it was practically ended. General Merritt promptly began pushing his troops forward toward Manila; and the Spaniards, noticing his active advance, on the night of July 31 attacked the American outposts with infantry and artillery, but were repulsed after some sharp fighting. The American advance was at this time commanded by General Greene. General MacArthur's brigade arrived on July 31, and these troops were at once hurried ashore to support General Greene. General Merritt now had 8,500 men in position for attack, and he decided that the time for final assault had come. On August 7 a joint note was sent by General Merritt and Admiral Dewey to the Captain-General of the Philippines, notifying him to remove all non-combatants in Manila to a place of safety within forty-eight hours, as operations against the defences of Manila were about to begin. General Augustin, who had been captaingeneral, when he found that the authorities in Augustin Madrid were not sending him any reinforcements, refused to be respon resigns |