“Admiral Dewey. And he wanted me to assist him. He wanted me to tow one of his guns up into position. I knew he could not take the city; of course he could not.
“Senator Patterson. Did you urge that he should not make the attack?
“Admiral Dewey. I do not remember that; very likely I did.
“Senator Patterson. And was he not persuaded or restrained by you from doing so?
“Admiral Dewey. I do not remember; but it is very likely. I did not want to see a lot of them killed unnecessarily, because I knew they could not take that walled city. They had no artillery, and they could not take it, I knew very well, and I wanted the situation to remain as it was until our troops came to occupy it.
“Senator Patterson. But you found that whenever you expressed a strong objection to anything being done at that time that Aguinaldo yielded to your request?
“Admiral Dewey. Up to the time the army came he did everything I requested. I had not much to do with him after the army came.”[30]
But Dewey’s influence over Aguinaldo was not sufficient to prevent his looting, as the following extracts from his testimony show:—
“Senator Patterson. Is that what you mean when you say he looted—that he made reprisals for his army, took provisions and whatever was necessary? That is what you meant?
“Admiral Dewey. That is one part of it.