The National tribune., 1898-10-20

ment taking its turn for "a hours. Gu
regiment was more of reserve. Two
companies were stationed where tha
circle Is to hold town. there. and ac
as support. and L were there.
company was up further on tho road thort
running toward Manila.
One Sunday night the Bons tried to Gu
that post Off. They are anxious to eeI
prisoners, so VIC can't lombard the town
and some of the most desperate fighting
was done there. The post would have
been taken if the Utah battery and the
Colorado regiment hadn't arrived lust in
time Our boys lay behind houses and
trenches, and lust moved down the Dons
while we had only one man killed and q
number wounded. eI'he SpanlardS had to
charge right through the open, so they
lost over 200 men. You bet they have net
tried that since, and we had quiet night.
All the fighting is done at night.
1t is three miles from our camp out tC
the trenches, and mud up TO your ankles
for it rains about every half hour for two
hours. Coming back we were tired and
sleepy, and it Just poured rain during the
whole march. When we got back to
camp we were soaked through. | took
off all my clothes and rolled up in my
blanket and went to sleep. | don't know
whether told you that we had been issued
white suits on the boat or not. Well
anyway, we were issued white duck
suits on the boat, and all put these on
when we woke up, and it was funny
sight to see US walking around in that
mud in our white suits.
Manila, Aug. 49,
VIII write a long letter when | get time.
/ am all right. Lieut.. Bunker wounded
and Private Tetzlaff wounded out of our
company. Two killed and IL wounded ot
our regiment. ii.
Manila, Aug. %.
OF course, you have heard the news
about the taking OF Manila. IT was done
on the 18th. and we had 13 men killed and
wounded-two killed, and the Captain OF
the Red Wing company will probably die.
Lieut.. Bunker was shot through the wrist
and Private Tetzlan, Of our company, in
the hand. Several of the boys had mar
row escapes; one had furrow plowed in
his cheek. lam going 10 try to explain it
/ mean the fight.
Early Saturday morning (the 13th) we
started from camp for the trenches. Our
column consisted Of the 23d. 18th and 18th
Regulars and the 18th Mimi. Another
column went up the beach, consisting OF
the 1st Colo, 10Th Pa, two battalionS of
Idaho and the 9th Cal. This column had
no fighting at all. They stayed in the
trenches until Dewey got through bonn
harding then the city surrendered The
center of the city that they did not get
news Of the surrender soon enough, and
our whole trouble came off after the city
had surrendered.
Dewey, the Utahs and Astors started
the ball at little before 10 a. m. Dewey
started in on the large water batteries Of
10-inch guns. These never fired a shot
but were dismounted in less than no
time by shells landing right in the middle
of the fort. The Utahs opened on the
biOc<h0Use and trenches marked "A'D.
The blockhouSe was full Of ammunition.
The battery set the blockhouse on fire
and started the ammunition off. This
forced the Spaniards back to the block
house and trenches (marked 81. These
were quite strong, especially the block
house. The Astor battery and the 23d
advanced on the trenches. Here ] am
not quite clear whether the Dons made
any stand at the breastworks or not. But
think not
All this time the eth was lying in
" L. ;. trenches, fat on the ground,
in six inches Of mud and water Just
about the time the Spar iardS left the "A"
intrcnchments the 18th was ordered up.
We-the second battaliOn-started up the
wrong way and lost about Is minutes but
finally struck the right road and went up
il on the double-quick. The "a trenches