THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR. 420 getting some cover in flooded depressions of the swampy ground and keeping up a heavy fire on the Spanish lines. The other brigade, under McArthur,swung round against theland front. The fleet ceased firing on seeing the infantry advance. The Spaniards made very little resistance,falling back after awhileintothe city. A barricade in one of the main streets was stormed, and the men of the Astor battery rushed a blockhouse,pistol inhand,but thechief part of the fighting was irregular firing in the streets and from the houses as the Spaniards shot of the engagement. It came from one of her bow barbette guns, and was aimed at the fort at the south end of Malate. It fell short, the rangehavingbeen misjudged, in the driving tropical rain that made it hard even to distinguish the target. The cruiser Raleigh, the gunboats Petrel and Callao,and the armed steam launch Barcelo,joined in the bombardment of the Spanish works. The shooting soonbecame more accurate, and on the land side the two Utah batteries and the Astor quick-firers joined in the cannonade,to which the Spaniards replied for a whilewith a slowill-aimedfire. withdrew. Some of the American regiments came in with their bands playing,marching not in fighting formation,but in columnof fours. The American infantry had been under arms sincehalf-past six. They had paraded with 200 rounds of ammunition, and two days' rations for At eleven the Malate fort and suburb were GENERAL MERRITT.

each man. General Anderson, now acting as Merritt's second in command, formed them in two strongbrigadesin front of Malate. General McArthur was on theright,witheightbattalions in the first line, and three in reserve. General Greene was on the left, with seven battalions in front, and three more in reserve. Towards half-past tenAnderson decided to attack. The original idea was that the troops should not advance till the bombardment had ceased, but for some reason this plan was changed at the last moment. Anderson tried to signal his intentions to the fleet, but the " flag-wagging" was not noticed in the rain, so, while the Spanish works were still being shelled, he set his brigades in motion against the land side of the Malate suburb.

occupied. At twelve the whiteflag was flying from the walls of the old city. The Americans had lost only eight killed and forty wounded, and these figures are proof enough that there was no real defence of the works by the Spaniards, and no street fighting of any importance.

The insurgent forces had been forbidden by the Americans to take any part in the assault, or to enter the city with arms in their hands even after the surrender. It was feared that if they came in the result wouldbe bloodshed and outrage; so, as in the case of Santiago, they werecompelled to look on as idle spectators of the triumph of their allies, who, it was quite clear, meant also to be their masters. At halfpast one the capitulation of the city and fortress was signed. The Spanish officers were to retain their swords, the men were to lay down their Greene's brigade pushed forward along the beach and the low ground to the east of it.