August 1. After the attack on the right wing had been repulsed, the second Spanish attack at two in the morning was directed against the American left wing.
After thirty minutes of fighting the enemy was again beaten off, and the rain seemed to be so heavy as to make further attack impossible.
But at 3.50 A. M. the battle was resumed at longer [pg 340]range, Spanish sharpshooters firing from the trees, and the batteries working constantly, using brass-coated bullets. The Americans, smoked and powder-stained, stuck to their guns for fourteen hours without relief, and shortly after sunrise the Spanish retreated. The American loss was eight killed, ten seriously and thirty-eight slightly wounded.
August 4. The monitor Monterey and the convoyed collier Brutus arrived at Cavite.
August 7. Admiral Dewey demanded the surrender of Manila within forty-eight hours. The Spanish commander replied that, the insurgents being outside the walls, he had no safe place for the women and children who were in the city, and asked for twenty-four hours additional delay. This Admiral Dewey granted.
At the expiration of the specified time Admiral Dewey and General Merritt consulted and decided to postpone the attack.
August 13. The American commanders decided to begin hostilities on the thirteenth of August, and the navy began the action at 9.30 A. M., the Olympia opening fire, followed by the Raleigh, Petrel, and Callao. The latter showed great daring, approaching within eight hundred yards of the Malate forts and trenches, doing grand work and driving back the Spanish forces.
The firing from the fleet continued for one hour, the Spanish then retreating from Malate, where the fire was centred, and the American land forces stormed the trenches, sweeping all before them. The First Colo[pg 341]rado Volunteers drove the Spaniards into the second line of defence. Then the troops swept on, driving all the Spaniards into the inner fortification.
The fighting in the trenches was most fierce. Fifteen minutes after the Spaniards were driven to the second line of defences, they were forced to retreat to the walled city, where, seeing the uselessness of resistance, they surrendered, and soon afterward a white flag was hoisted over Manila.
The total number of killed on the American side was forty-five, and wounded about one hundred. The Spanish losses were two hundred killed and four hundred wounded.