Various other orders for the poisoning of soldiers or the use of poisoned arrows or spears were issued.[51] Furthermore, they were faithfully carried out,[52] and the results were duly reported.
Mayon Volcano.
This beautiful volcano, which in the recent past has destroyed many lives and much property, has now been quiescent for some ten years.
The murder of sentries and of soldiers who straggled was often ordered, practised and reported.[53]
As damnable as any of these horrible documents was the order of General Antonio Luna for the massacre of all Americans, foreigners and “disloyal” Filipinos in Manila.
Blount has alleged that Taylor “obtained no evidence convincing to him,” relative to the authorship of this order[54] and that “a like investigation by General MacArthur in 1901 had a like result.” Whether he is ignorant of the facts as to the authentication of the authorship of this very important document, or chooses to ignore them, I do not know. Taylor in the end conclusively settled the matter, and so reported. Luna’s order,[55] which was issued on February 7, 1899, provided for the massacre of all Americans and foreigners in Manila. The lives of Filipinos only were to be respected. All others, of whatsoever race, were to be given no quarter, but were to be exterminated, “thus proving to foreign countries that America is not capable of maintaining order or defending any of the interests which she has undertaken to defend.”
This effort to massacre all white persons in the city fell through, partly because the plan leaked out, and partly because Cavite Insurgent soldiers did not obey orders.
I consider it important that the authenticity of this much-discussed order should be placed beyond reasonable doubt, and so give Taylor’s findings in full. He says:—