as such, shot; if, on the contrary,
I fought against it, and the rebels proved victorious, I knew
Novales sufficiently well to be convinced that he would not spare
me. Nevertheless I could not hesitate: duty bound me to the Spanish
government, by which I had been so well treated. I left the barracks,
rambling where chance might lead me. I shortly found myself at the
head-quarters of the artillery; an officer behind the gate stood
observing me. I went up to him, and asked him whether he was for
Spain. Upon his answering me in the affirmative, I begged him to
open the gate, declaring that I wished to join his party, and would
willingly offer my services as surgeon to them. I went in, and took
the commander's orders, which soon showed me how matters stood. During
the night Ruiz went, in the name of Novales, to General Folgueras,
the commander during the absence of Governor Martines, who was
detained at his country house, a short distance from Manilla. He
took the guard unawares, and seized the keys of the town, after
having stabbed Folgueras; from thence he went to the prisons, set
the prisoners at liberty, and put in their places the principal men
of the public offices belonging to the colony. The 1st Regiment was
on Government Place, ready to engage in battle; twice it attempted
to fall unexpectedly upon the artillery and citadel, but was driven
back. Many expected assistance from without, and orders from General
Martines to attack the rebels. Very soon we heard a discharge of
artillery: it was General Martines, who, at the head of the Queen's
Regiment, broke open Saint Lucy's Gate, and advanced into the besieged
town. The body of the artillery joined the governor-general, and we
marched towards Government Place. The insurgents placed two cannons
at the corner of each street. Scarcely had we approached the palace,
than we were exposed to a violent discharge of loaded muskets. The
head chaplain of the regiment was the first victim. We were then
engaged in a street, by the side of the fortifications, and from
which it was impossible to attack the enemy with advantage. General
Martines changed the position of the attack, and in this condition we
came back by the street of Saint Isabelle. The troops in two lines
followed both sides of the street, and left the road free; in the
meantime the Panpangas regiment, crossing the bridge, reached us
by one of the opposite streets: the rebels were then exposed to the
opposite attacks