ran ashore at Cavite Viejo. The three shore-batteries of Fort
Santiago, the Luneta battlement, and Fort San Antonio Abad (Malate)
respectively continued ineffectual firing towards the American fleet
until the Commodore sent a message telling them to cease fire or he
would shell the city. At 11 a.m. the Americans returned in line of
battle, and opened fire on the Spanish ships which still had their
flags flying, and cannonaded and silenced the forts at Punta Sangley
and Canacao. These operations lasted about one hour. Of the Spanish
ships the _Castillo_, and _Reina Cristina_ were burnt; the _Don Juan
de Austria_ was blown up, and the _Don Antonio de Ulloa_, pierced all
over with shot, sank after the action, and about half of her crew
which had survived the battle were drowned. Only the two cruisers
_Isla de Cuba_ and _Isla de Luzon_ remained in fighting condition,
but the position was so hopeless that Admiral Montojo ordered them
to run aground in the Bay of Bacoor.
The Americans then opened fire on the Arsenal and Fort of Cavite,
which had not a single gun left in place. Soon a Spanish officer,
named Lostoa, signalled for a truce to save the women, children, and
wounded. An American officer met him and replied that having destroyed
the fleet the American mission was ended for the present, and agreed
to suspend firing provided the shore-batteries at the river-mouth
were silent. General Augusti was consulted as to this condition, and
agreed to it. The mail-steamer _Isla de Mindanao_ was aground off Las
Pinas, and being armed as a cruiser the Americans fired on her and
she was soon ablaze. There was still another parley with reference
to Cavite. The Americans demanded the surrender of the Arsenal, the
Admiral, and the surviving crews of the destroyed fleet. As General
Pena declined to surrender Cavite, the Americans gave the Spaniards
two hours to evacuate, under the threat of bombarding Manila if the
demand were not complied with. Again the answer was negative, and
five hours were allowed so that General Pena could consult with the
Captain-General. General Augusti having authorized the evacuation, in
less than two hours Cavite and the whole isthmus, including San Roque,
Caridad, Estanzuela, and Dalahican, were under American control. All
the Spanish families returned to Manila by land. The next day (May 2)
the _debris_was cleared away from Cavite and the environs, and the
dwellings were cleansed and put in order for inde
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