Within fifteen days of January 1 some 40,000 Filipinos left Manila.

Why?
On January 7, Aguinaldo wrote to Senor Benito Legarda at Manila, saying:-- "I beg you to leave Manila with your family and come here to Malolos, but not because I wish to frighten you--I merely wish to warn you for your satisfaction, although it is not yet the day or the week." [205] Many details of the plan of attack have come into our possession.

Doctor Manuel Xeres Burgos wrote Aguinaldo during January relative to a plan for an uprising of the prisoners in Bilibid Prison, saying that it should by all means come "before the movement is begun anywhere else," and calling attention to the necessity of stationing men to prevent the American soldiers near by in the Zorilla theatre from coming to the rescue.

On the back of this letter there is a sketch plan showing where bolo men were to be stationed, ready to attack these soldiers.

[206] In his message to Congress dated January 1, 1899, Aguinaldo said:-- "I consider arguments unnecessary in support of the proposed amendments, every one knows that our newborn Republic now has to fight for its existence against giants in ambition and in power." [207] An unsigned letter addressed to Apacible on January 4, 1899, contains the following statement:-- "It appears that conflict with the Americans is imminent and inevitable.