the city of Manila under the government of the Americans, in many cases employed by the Americans, were to suddenly fall upon the barracks of the American soldiers and massacre the inmates; all Americans in the streets were to be killed, the city was to be fired and its loot was to be the reward of loyalty to Aguinaldo.  If this plan had been carried out no white man and no white woman would have escaped.  The reinforcements from the United States would have arrived to find only the smoking ruins of Manila.  Buencamino had warned General Augustin what the fate of Manila would be if taken by a horde of Indians drunk with victory.  That fate was now deliberately planned for the city.  Aguinaldo planned to occupy the capital not as it had been occupied by the Americans.  He planned to take it as Count Tilly took Magdeburg.

“The authors of this plan were not savages.  Mabini, Sandico, and Luna, Asiatics educated in European schools, were men of trained and subtle minds.  With them cruelty and assassination was not a matter of savage impulse but of deliberate calculation; with them assassination was employed as an effective addition to political propaganda, and murder as an ultimate resource in political manoeuvres.” [213]

Some portions of Aguinaldo’s instructions to the sandatahan are particularly worthy of perpetuation, as they illustrate his ideas as to the conduct which should be observed by cultured, patriotic, honourable and very humane men, who were not cruel:—­

“Art. 3.  The chief of those who go to attack the barracks should send in first four men with a good present for the American commander.  Immediately after will follow four others who will make a pretence of looking for the same officer for some reason and a larger group shall be concealed in the corners or houses in order to aid the other groups at the first signal.  This wherever it is possible at the moment of attack.

“Art. 4.  They should not, prior to the attack, look at the Americans in a threatening manner.  To the contrary, the attack on the barracks by the sandatahan should be a complete surprise and with decision and courage.  One should go alone in advance in order to kill the sentinel.  In order to deceive the sentinel one of them should dress as a woman and must take great care that the sentinel is not able to discharge his piece, thus calling the attention of those in the barracks.  This will enable his companions who are approaching to assist in the general attack.

“Art. 5.  At the moment of the attack the sandatahan should not attempt to secure rifles from their dead enemies, but shall pursue, slashing right and left with bolos until the Americans surrender, and after there remains no enemy who can injure them, they may take the rifles in one hand and the ammunition in the other.