“This I take great pleasure in doing, and join most heartily on behalf of the Navy Department, as well as personally, in the commendation of the Secretary of State. Very respectfully, “JOHN D. LONG, _Secretary_. “_Rear-Admiral George Dewey, U. S. N., Commander-in-Chief U. S. Naval Force, Asiatic Station._” _July 29._ The transport steamer _St. Paul_, bearing the first battalion of North Dakota volunteers, the Minnesota and Colorado recruits, sailed from San Francisco for Manila. _July 31._ The transports _Indiana_, _Ohio_, _Valencia_, _Para_, and _Morgan City_ arrived at Cavite with American troops. At 11.30, on the last night of July, the Spanish forces in Manila attacked the American lines. A typhoon had set in, rain was falling in torrents, and the blackness of the night was almost palpable. Three thousand Spaniards made a descent upon an entrenched line of not more than nine hundred Americans. The Tenth Pennsylvania bore the brunt of the attack, and checked the Spanish advance until the Utah battery, the First California Volunteers, and two companies of the Third Artillery, fighting as infantry, could get up to strengthen the right of the line. The Spaniards had, by a rush, gone 150 yards through and beyond the American right flank, when the regulars of the Third Artillery, armed as infantrymen, pushed them back in confusion, the Pennsylvanians and Utah battery aiding gallantly in the work. _August 1._ After the attack on the right wing had been repulsed, the second Spanish attack at two in the morning was directed against the American left wing. After thirty minutes of fighting the enemy was again beaten off, and the rain seemed to be so heavy as to make further attack impossible. But at 3.50 A. M. the battle was resumed at longer range, Spanish sharpshooters firing from the trees, and the batteries working constantly, using brass-coated bullets. The Americans, smoked and powder-stained, stuck to their guns for fourteen hours without relief, and shortly after sunrise the Spanish retreated. The American loss was eight killed, ten seriously and thirty-eight slightly wounded. _August 4._ The monitor _Monterey_ and the convoyed collier _Brutus_ arrived at Cavite. _August 7._ Admiral Dewey demanded the surrender of Manila within forty-eight hours. The Spanish commander replied that, the insurgents being outside the walls, he had no safe place for the women and children who were in the city, and asked for twenty-four hours additional delay. This Admiral Dewey granted. At the expiration of the specified time Admiral Dewey and General Merritt consulted and decided to postpone the attack.