The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-16

things were beginning to get close ana
warm in the Spanish trenches.
AS soon as the bombardment had be-
come general and the boys had grown
a little accustomed to the Whizzing ana
whirring of the great shells over their
heads they began to recover from
their awe and to show up in their nat
ural cOlorS. Some continued to listen III
strained attitudes with tense nerves
which would jump at each explosion;
some kept very quiet, as though thlnk-
ing deeply on what was in store Tor
them; a few attempted to joke, but
their humor was not appreciated ana
their unechoed laughter seemed
strange and lacking the quality OF
mirth. Men would reach for their
rifles and then withdraw their hand,
would suddenly get on their feet, look
around in an aimleSS manner, ana
then as suddenly settle down in their
former positions. Small things, when
under ordinary circumstances would
attract no attention, suddenly became
matters of absorbing interest. re-
member l became more interested IN
a small dog just behind me which was
diligently hunting for f1eaS than nave
been in anything for a long time, ana
my anxiety as to the final outcome OF
his explorations was hardly less than
his own. l also noticed that no one
belt seemed to hang properly, nor old
any ones clothes set comfortably on
him. They both needed constant ana
oft-repeated adjustment. lnane re-
marks and queries were common ana
excited no comment Every man at the
time considered himself perfectly cool,
yet every action was eloquent OF the
strain and excitement under which he
was Iaboring.
Suddenly the firing from the ships
ceased as abruptly as 1t commenced.
al rid inc
our lines out of the fringe of trees along
the beach With his horse prancing
under him, while he smiled and waved
his sword above his head, he mace the
first and only martial picture, OF the
kind one reads about, l have seen since
the beginning of the campaign he
came straight toward us on the gallop,
but there was no need to tell US the
order he was about to give. 1t was
forward" Every man could see that
written all over his features, and quick
ly as he came the boys were stu
quicker and were on their feet, rifles
in hand, cheering wildly ere he had
reached the nearest files. The order
came. Battalion, forward com
manded Major Sine. Company, for
ward!" re-echoed the captains and
lieutenants of the different companies
and the Second Battalion moved on
ward toward the firing line, following
them, in regimental formation. the
First Battalion and being followed In
turn by the Third Battalion in its
proper place. On we pressed, passing
the troops we had seen and envied ear
lier in the morning as they passed out
of the encampment before US. We now
took the lead of them Coming TO
thick line of brush and trees the COM
panies split up into squad formation
and pressing onward through the
brush, mud and water passed beyond
the support in the second line of
trenches, and kept on until they stood
in the first line of American trenches
facing the Spanish breastworks half
mile away, on one portion of which the
American flag was now floating. But
the order was still Forward" and the
Californians, marching by the left.
with the Second Battalion under COM
mand of Major Slime in the lead,
started out over the trenches and along
the beach, marching in column Of fours
toward the outskirts of Manila, while
Mauser bullets sang and Whistled about
their ears and spat into the sands at
their feet. On toward the Stars and
Stripes, waving over what had once
been Fort Malate, they went A river
flows into the bay a short distance in
front of the fort. Into this we plunged
up to our shoulders and waded across.
while the Spaniards away to our right
splattered the water into our faces with
their badly aimed bullets Crouching
amid the ruins of Fort Malate we found
a body of regular troops sheltering
themselves and awaiting orders We
lay down beside them for a few mo-
ments to catch our breath, and here
occurred the second inspiring sight OF
the day. One of the regtmental bands,
the one belonging to the Minnesotas
l think, though l am not sure, came
marching up to US, every man stand
ing erect and paying absolutely no heed
to the bullets which fairly rained about
them, while they played for dear life.
The tune was Dixie" At the head,
straight as an ash and as unconcerned
as though on parade, marched their
drum major, showing them the way.
How the boys cheered them. And they
deserved it, for their action was as gal
liant a one as has been performed dur
ing the whole campaign.
But Fort Malate was merely the edge
of the Spaniards' outermost works,
which had been reduced to a pile Of
crumbling ruins by the guns of the
fleet. Manila was our objective point,
and again came the command For
ward" The regiment sprang to it's feet.
The Second Battalion, with Company
L. Captain Eggert commanding, in the
lead, started onward and entered the
outskirts of the city with a rush. From
that moment until the fighting was all
over l saw no more Of the rest of the
army The Second Battalion followed
it's gallant colonel and major wherever
they led, and their course, which was
ever forward, was so rapid that even
the scouts were passed and the balance
of the army and regiment was left far
in the rear.
Captain Eggert, Lieutenant Curzons
and Lieutenant Adler of L Company
exhibited the highest gallantry. and the
manner in which these gentlemen led
their men along the shot-plowed streets
right up to the very walls of old Ma
Mia is still the talk of the city. Friend
and enemy alike join in praising them
and their little band of followers, while
Major Hugh Slime, who alone and far
ahead, led them all, is the hero of the
hour.
We entered the suburbs over walls
and fences and through gardens. We
fought our way up streets, through
houses and over barricades under a
continual rain of rifle fire. Not a man
in the entire company fiinched for q
minute Not one weakened. You may
criticize the San Francisco youth as
you please. He has many faults, but
cowardice is not among them. He is
dead game