the whole camp cheered, and the men
were delighted at the idea of meeting the enemy. Over a flat ground
the American troops advanced under a heavy Spanish fire of shell and
Maueser rifles, but they were steady and checked the Spaniards' attack.

General Greene went forward to the trenches, firing was exchanged, and
the wounded were being brought back from the front in _carromatas_. The
contending parties were separated by bamboo thickets and swamp. The
Americans lost that night 10 killed and 30 wounded. The Spanish
loss was much heavier. Most of the Americans killed were shot in the
head. The Maueser bullet has great penetrating power, but does not kill
well; in fact it often makes a small wound which hardly bleeds. As
pointed out at p. 369, four Maueser bullets passed right through Sancho
Valenzuela at his execution and left him still alive. Captain Hobbs,
of the 3rd Artillery, was shot through the thigh at night, and only
the next morning saw the nature of the wound.

During the following week the Spaniards made three more night-attacks,
the total killed and wounded Americans amounting to 10 men. The
American soldiers were not allowed to return the fire, unless the
Spaniards were evidently about to rush the breastworks. There was
some grumbling in the camp. The Spaniards, however, got tired of
firing to so little purpose, and after the third night there was
silence. Meanwhile, in the daytime the Americans went on strengthening
their line without being molested.

On August 7 Admiral Dewey and General Merritt sent a joint note
to the Captain-General in Manila, giving him 48 hours to remove
women and children, as, at any time after that, the city might be
bombarded. The Captain-General replied thanking the Admiral and
General for their kind consideration, but pointed out that he had no
ships, and to send the women and children inland would be to place
them at the mercy of the rebels. On the expiration of the 48 hours'
notice, i.e., at noon on August 9, another joint note was addressed
to General Augusti, pointing out the hopelessness of his holding out
and formally demanding the surrender of the city, so that life and
property of defenceless persons might be spared. The Captain-General
replied requesting the American commanders to apply to Madrid; but
this proposal being rejected, the correspondence ceased.

On August 11 a Council of War was held between Generals Merritt,
Anderson, McArthur, and Greene, and the plan