" [222]
The Insurgents grew surer and surer that the Americans were cowards,
[223] and openly boasted that when the attack began they would drive
them into the sea.
On January 21 General Otis wrote to Admiral Dewey that:--
"The insurgents will not now permit us to cross their lines and
have been very insulting to our officers, calling to them that very
shortly they will give us battle. My best information is that they
have fully determined to attack both outside and within the city
before our additional troops arrive, and the least spark may start
a conflagration." [224]
As the date of the proposed attack drew near, the work of strengthening
the Insurgent positions around Manila was pushed with all possible
speed. [225]
About the middle of January General Otis stationed the First Nebraska
Regiment upon the high ground at Santa Mesa for sanitary reasons. Of
conditions at this time, and of the circumstances leading to the
actual outbreak of hostilities Taylor says:--
"During the latter part of January General Otis was informed on
good insurgent authority that the insurgents meditated an attack
upon those troops, and he was advised to remove them, as in their
exposed position they would kill them all. General MacArthur, under
whose command the regiment was, placed two guns in position there,
as it was fully expected that the insurgents would direct their attack
upon that point, as in fact they did.
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