Then, while the American troops were besieged with the mob, Saguanaldo attacked from the rear. As his troops charged on the American works, women from the rear threw stones at the American soldiers. The first line of defense was taken. Cavite was silent, having no part in this battle, and it was well for America it was so; for had the attack been more complicated, the issue might have been in doubt. Some said it had been arranged so in advance. As it was, the American army lay in the mud in its redoubts, with the rain drizzling on them, and the little pools of water that formed were stained with blood.
Somehow Saguanaldo and an aide penetrated to the convento and appeared unannounced before Judge Daft, dripping from the rain and sprinkled with mud.
“Have a seat, General,” said Judge Daft, affably. “You must be very cold. I will order hot coffee brought.”
“Thank you, but you need not,” Saguanaldo replied. “I am here on a mission of war, not of hospitality. You have wronged me, Governor, grievously wronged me.”
“War is not a pink tea affair,” returned the Judge. “It can not be prosecuted without individual harm being done.”
“I do not refer to that,” said the insurgent. “I shall not whimper over hardships and private losses or wounds that come from war. But you have wounded me in peace, while I was ally to you.”
“I do not see that you are acting as an ally today.”
“No, but I was when I went with the American troops to spy out and defeat the Spaniards. And at the very hour when I was serving you, and after I had voluntarily given you my office and surrendered the Philippine republic that we might come under the protection of the American republic, you set your soldiers to protecting the Spanish friars, in possession of property which Spanish soldiers had seized from us. Was that right?”
“It was a general order. Had the insurgents been in possession of the property, they would have been protected in it. It is not my fault if you were not able to hold this property.”
“But you occupy the conventos, on invitation of the friars. It puts you under obligation to them.”