circle
around the city, and were prepared to advance from three sides when the
roar of one of the big guns gave the signal to move. When the light came
it brought into bright relief the heavy earthworks of the enemy, and a
body of soldiers was observed standing idly on the railroad track about
ten hundred yards away. Suddenly the yawning big guns roared over the
plain and a shell burst over the Filipino intrenchments. There was a
brief response. The vigorous click-click of the automatic joined in with
the roar of the big guns. Within an hour the infantrymen were advancing
upon the outer works of the city from three sides, and the Filipinos
could be seen fleeing down the railroad grade. They were followed by
bullets from rapid-fire guns and several shells were sent into the
insurgents city at a range of four kilometers. Afterwards it was learned
that the natives had been driven from their two lines of intrenchments,
which were 1000 yards apart, a fact which clearly indicated the accuracy
of the firing. As soon as the enemy was dispersed the pieces were
limbered and while one section took the winding course of the Malolos
road into the city the other went by way of the railroad. For several
thousands yards in front of Malolos the track had been torn up by the
insurgents and the gun which went up the track had great difficulty in
passing. At one place where the bridge had been destroyed it was
necessary to replace a large number of ties which had been hurriedly
thrown into a body of water near by.

All morning a long curling line of smoke could be seen from the distance
arising from the heart of the city. When the artillery swept into the
city side by side with the rigid column of infantry they found half the
place in ruins; the great church which had been used as a congressional
hall was fading in the flame. The American had found the city a burning
Moscow and the people, like the patriotic Russians, had applied the
torch to the capital upon which they had centered their fondest dreams.
The soldiers trooped into city, mud-bespattered and weary, and commented
in loud tones of surprise on their peaceful entry into a city where they
had looked for the bloodiest strife of the insurrection. The artillery
made a striking appearance as the big mules galloped over the evacuated
town. The guns were parked in the plaza before the Hall of Congress of
the insurgent capital, and Major MacArthur accorded to Major Young the
honor of rai