Terms of Surrender for the Spanish Forces at Manila, Philippine Islands
Contributed by Nick Mitiuckov
Contributed by Nick Mitiuckov
These are the final terms agreed to by the Spanish and American forces concerning the surrender of Spanish Forces in and about Manila.
The Agreement:
"MANILA, August l4th, 1898.
THE UNDERSIGNED, having been appointed a commission to determine the details of capitulation of the city and defenses of Manila and its suburbs, and the Spanish forces stationed therein, in accordance with the agreement entered into the previous day by Major-General Wesley Merritt, U. S. Army, American Commander-in-Chief in the Philippines, and His Excellency Don Fermin Jaudenes, Acting General-in-Chief of the Spanish Army in the Philippines, HAVE AGREED UPON THE FOLLOWING:
1. The Spanish troops, European and native, capitulate with the city and defenses, with all the honors of war, depositing their arms in the places designated by the authorities of the United States, and remain in the quarters designated and under the orders of their officers and subject to the control of the aforesaid United States authorities, until the conclusion of a treaty of peace between the two belligerent nations. All persons included in the capitulation remain at liberty and officers remaining in their respective homes, which shall be respected as long as they observe the regulations prescribed for their government and the laws in force.
2. Officers shall retain their side arms, horses, and private property.
3. All public horses and public property of all kinds shall be turned over to staff officers designated by the United States.
4. Complete returns in duplicate of men by organizations, and full lists of public property and stores, shall be rendered to the United States within ten days from this date.
5. All questions relating to the repatriation of officers and men of the Spanish forces and of their families and of the expenses which said repatriation may occasion, shall be referred to the Government of the United States at Washington. Spanish families may leave Manila at any time convenient to them.
6. Officers included in the capitulation shall be supplied by the United States, according to their rank, with rations and necessary aid, as though they were prisoners of war, until the conclusion of a treaty of peace between the United States and Spain. All the funds in the Spanish treasury and all other public funds shall be turned over to the authorities of the United States.
7. This city, its inhabitants, its churches and religious worship, its educational establishments, and its private property of all descriptions, are placed under the special safeguard of the faith and honor of the American army.
[signed]
F. V. GREENE, Brig. Gen. of Volunteers, U. S. Army.
B. P. LAMBERTON, Captain, U. S. Navy.
CHARLES A. WHITTIER, Lieut. Col. and Inspector General.
E. H. CROWDER, Lieut. Col. and Judge Advocate.
NICOLAS DE LA PENA, Auditor General Excmo.
CARLOS REYES, Coronet de Ingenieros,
JOSE MARIA OLAQUEN FELIN, Coronel de Estado Mayor.
(As a service to our readers, clicking on title in red will take you to that book on Amazon.com)
Dewey, George, Autobiography of George Dewey (Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1987, originally published in 1913 by Charles Scribner's Sons, New York) ISBN 0-87021-028-9 287-288.