Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1898-09-30


to say that they did remarkably
we'll; there was not a murmur.
They yer all eager to see a Span
lard. After dark some of them
thought every bush was Il soldier,
and they kept me running back
and forth at a lively rate. Some
times / would get into a hole with
the water up to my neck, but the
night wore away and not a shot
was fired on either side. BY
morning my feet YER SO sore that
I could hardly stand. If you
think standing in water for "a
hours is fun just go and try
it. We were relieved by the 18th
Minnesota regiment. On the af-
ternoon of the 18th, all company
commanders were ordered to re-
port at headquarters, where we
were informed that on tomorrow
the city of Manila would be at
tackled by land and water. Each
man was furnished with one hun
dred and fifty rounds Of ammuni-
ton and "a hours rations. Every
one got their arms and accoutre-
ments in the best possible shape
and all that could possibly gel
time wrote letters to friends and
loved ones. Few slept much thai
night, everyone was eager for day
light. / went to bed about mid
night and had hardly gotter
asleep when the bugle sounded. i
was pitch dark. We got oul
breakfast and waited for the SUI
to rise. Light came at last, bu
no sun. Before we left camp i
began to rain and before we wer
half a mile away we were soaked
to the skin. The water came dow
by the barrel, but we didn't min,
it. We marched to within on
hundred yards of the first ~intrench
ment, where we formed line of bat
tie. Our ba ttalion was in tn
lead and we were jubilant owe
the fight. We thought we woul
be in the thick of it, and determir
ed to show what the boys frol
Idaho could do; but we got fooled
for just before the battle con
menced the 18th Minnesota marcel
ed through our lines and took
position in front of us. The boy
, were awfully disappointed. TIL
put us in the second line-the SUI
. ports. At $50 a.. IN. Dewey opel
: ed the ball with two S-inch shell
!, and the bombardment BEGAN
general. The fleet was placed
such a position that we could he;
the shells whistle as they went
!, us on their mission of death al
l destruction. The firing Taste
g exactly 81 minutes. The SPANS
batteries replied very feebl
Every little while we could he;
g one of the big shells from o,
! w~arships strike and explode al
2 then the boys would cheer. II
! mediately after the FREEING ceas,
: the line advanced. After goir
+ about a quarter of "a mile the Mi
! nesotas opened fire. They ga,
. the enemy volley after ,volley al
q chased them out of their entrenc
ments. In less than Is minut
they had them on the run, al
u you "a bet your last dollar tn,
? kept them running. When til,
= finally got to their last ditch thu
u made a last stand, but it did N
last long, they had to give ava
u our boys were too much for thei
. Old Glory was being raised ov
u one trench after another, one bio,
/ house after another, until final
) about 3 p. m, the red and yello
rag of Spain could not be seer an
where. The stars and strip
q fioated over every public buildin
| never again expect to experien
the feeling of pride and exultati,
y as l saw Il beautiful flag beil
II raised over one place after anotho
y We, that is Company &C." got
{ Manila about 4 p. m. | march'
v the Company to a vacant lot whe
u arms we're stacked and the DO
d took a rest. One of them came
me and said: Well, l be damne
" here we are and no scrap W
What in HI will we do now
y make these suckers fight II
y man did not zen to know that ,
had been under fire for sever
= hours. Because men did not +;