a. m., August 1, to extend the line of trenches to the Pasay road. The
work was begun by these troops, and continued every day by the troops
occupying the trenches in turn, until a strong line was completed by
August 12, about 1,200 yards in length, extending from the bay to the
east side of the Pasay road. Its left rested on the bay and its right
on an extensive rice swamp, practically impassible. The right flank was
refused, because the only way to cross a smaller rice swamp, crossing
the line about 700 yards from the beach, was along a cross-road in
rear of the general line. As finally completed the works were very
strong in profile, being five to six feet in height and eight to ten
feet in thickness at the base, strengthened by bags filled with earth.

"The only material available was black soil saturated with water,
and without the bags this was washed down and ruined in a day by the
heavy and almost incessant rains. The construction of these trenches
was constantly interrupted by the enemy's fire. They were occupied
by the troops in succession, four battalions being usually sent out
for a service of twenty-four hours, and posted with three battalions
in the trenches, and one battalion in reserve along the crossroad
to Pasay; Cossack posts being sent out from the latter to guard the
camp against any possible surprise from the northeast and east. The
service in the trenches was of the most arduous character, the rain
being almost incessant, and the men having no protection against it;
they were wet during the entire twenty-four hours, and the mud was
so deep that the shoes were ruined and a considerable number of men
rendered barefooted. Until the notice of bombardment was given on
August 7, any exposure above or behind the trenches promptly brought
the enemy's fire, so that the men had to sit in the mud under cover
and keep awake, prepared to resist an attack, during the entire tour
of twenty-four hours.

"After one particularly heavy rain a portion of the trench contained
two feet of water, in which the men had to remain. It could not be
drained, as it was lower than an adjoining rice swamp, in which the
water had risen nearly two feet, the rainfall being more than four
inches in twenty-four hours. These hardships were all endured by
the men of the different regiments in turn, with the finest possible
spirit and without a murmur of complaint."

This is a vivid picture of hard service. General Greene continues: