It was on the nights of the 22nd and 23d of February that an effort was made by the Filipinos to burn Manila.  The attempt to destroy property closely resembled in the stealthy preliminaries, and desperate strife to burn the city, the cunningly prepared first attack upon the American army, repulsed with a slaughter that has moved deeply the sympathies of our statesmen opposed to the administration of our Government the growth of the country and the public honor.  The fact is they are sentimentalists in decay or degenerates running for a decline and fall.

There was some fighting in the streets during the night, but the Americans quickly quelled the uprising.  A number of the insurgents were killed and several American soldiers severely wounded.  A large market place was the first to burn.  Between six and seven hundred residences and business houses were destroyed.  Fires started at several points simultaneously, and, spreading with great rapidity, resisted efforts to control them.  Hundreds of homeless natives were huddled in the streets, making the patrol duty of the Americans difficult.  The fire was started in three places.  Native sharpshooters were concealed behind corner buildings.  They shot at every American in sight.  Flames burst forth simultaneously from Santa Cruz, San Nicolas and Tondo.  From these points the fire spread.  In a short time a great part of the city was burning.  Notwithstanding the continual activity of the hidden sharpshooters the American garrison turned out and fought the fire.  In many cases they had first to drive away the lurking assassins.

No one of our troops was killed, but seven members of the Minnesota regiment ere wounded making a rush into the burning Tondo quarter.  Captain C. Robinson of Company C was one of the wounded.  The troops were rallied from some of the outlying encampments, quickly spread through all parts of the city and subdued what was evidently planned for a general uprising and massacre.

The fire lasted all night.  The native rebels in the city have been completely checked by the prompt work of General Otis and the other commanders.  It is evident that the incendiaries and assassins believed that the entire town would be destroyed and with it the foreign residents and the American soldiers.

General Otis telegraphed Adjutant-General Corbin February 23d: 

“Determined endeavors to burn city last night.  Buildings fired in three different sections of city.  Fires controlled by troops, after severe labor.

“A considerable number of incendiaries shot and a few soldiers wounded.

“Early this morning a large body of insurgents made a demonstration off MacArthur’s front, near Caloocan, and were repulsed.  Loss of property by fire last night probably $500,000.”

February 21st, 9:35 P. M.—­“The natives of the village of Paco made a bold attempt last night to burn the quarters of the First Washington Volunteers by setting fire to the huts adjoining their quarters in the rear.