k, extending in a
curved direction for about 1,200 yards and terminating in a fortified
blockhouse, known as No 14, beyond our right on the Pasay road. It
faced our front and enveloped our right flank."

General Greene, reporting the fighting on his front, says of the
Spanish position and first attack.

Mounted in and near the stone fort were seven guns in all, viz.,
three bronze field guns of 3.6 inches caliber, four bronze mountain
guns of 3.2 inches caliber, and in the vicinity of Blockhouse No. 14
were two steel mountain guns of 3.2 inches caliber. The line was
manned throughout its length by infantry, with strong reserves at
Malate and at the walled city in its rear.

Shortly before midnight of July 31-August 1 the Spaniards opened
a heavy and continuous fire with both artillery and infantry from
their entire line. Our trenches were occupied that day by the two
battalions of the Tenth Pennsylvania Infantry, one foot battery (H),
nearly 200 strong, of the Third Artillery, and four guns, two of
Battery A and two of Battery B, Utah Artillery. For about an hour
and a half the firing on both sides, with artillery and infantry,
was very heavy and continuous, our expenditure of ammunition being
160 rounds of artillery and about 60,000 rounds of infantry. That of
the Spaniards was nearly twice as much.

The American loss was ten killed and forty-three wounded.

General Greene says: "Major Cuthbertson, Tenth Pennsylvania, reports
that the Spaniards left their trenches in force and attempted to
turn our right flank, coming within 200 yards of his position. But as
the night was intensely dark, with incessant and heavy rain, and as
no dead or wounded were found in front of his position at daylight,
it is possible that he was mistaken and that the heavy fire to which
he was subjected came from the trenches near Block House 14, beyond
his right flank, at a distance of about 700 yards. The Spaniards
used smokeless powder, the thickets obscured the flash of their guns,
and the sound of the Mauser bullets penetrating a bamboo pole is very
similar to the crack of the rifle itself.

"This attack demonstrated the immediate necessity of extending our
intrenchments to the right and, although not covered by my instructions
(which were to occupy the trenches from the bay to Calle Real, and to
avoid precipitating an engagement), I ordered the First Colorado and
one battalion of the First California, which occupied the trenches at 9