The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-11-18
LETTER FROM MANILA.

We are permitted to publish this
week letter from Manila from Frank
Lockridge Shorty MARTINI to Mr.. Web
Travis of this city, which we think
will be quite interesting:
MANILA, p. l., Oct. 7, 1898.
FRIEND TRAVIS: - Your welcome
letter Of August 10th at hand. 1t ar
rived here on the U. S. transport
steamer Arizona which brought mail
for both the army and navy.
Well, Web, l was delighted to hear
from you so soon again, for | must
say all my correspondents are very
slow in answering, especially Sullivan;
he forgets sometimes that there is
person by my name, and ] would be
very much pleased, Web, IT, you would
remind him that he owes me letter.
And SO you say that you are thank
full to hear that l came out of the
naval engagement all right. Well, |
am thankful myself, but must say l
had no idea of coming out Of it alive,
for where / was stationed was about
the most dangerous plac- on the ship,
but as luck would have it, the Dagoes
shot too high or too short, and we
came through with flying colors. We
got hit few times, but they didn't
amount to much. had a hotter time
on the 18th of August, when we took
the city, than 1 had the 1st Of May.
| am now on the tender Barcelloa.
a big tug we captured May 1st; in
| fact, | have been on her for the past
four months. The day we took the
city all the ships were in line OF bat
tie waiting for the flagship to open up
on the forts. There were the Olym-
pia, Raleigh, Baltimore, Bosto Con-
cord, Charleston, Petrol, Nom erey,
Monadnock, Calloa. Mccullough and
Manila, also the tug Barcvlloa. The
latter has revolving cannon mount
ed on the bow of her and we carry a
crew of eleven men. Well, the Olym-
pa took the lead that day, and the
Raleigh, Petrol, CallOa and Barcelloa
followed. The rest of the ships took
up their different stations. The Mon
terey steamed over in front of the
city and stopped just in front of one
Of the largest land batteries the Span
iardS had and trained her heavy guns
on it, awaiting the first shot that was
fred from any of the batteries en-
shore, then she was to open up on
them. The Baltimore, Boston and
Charleston were detailed to keep an
eye on the German and French ships,
and the rest Of our vessels were placed
at different points, the Concord watch
ing the mouth of the Pasig river so
nothing could get out. Well, the
Olympia opened the hall up by firing
her e-inch guns at the Malate fort at
$40 a. m. The first shot fell little
short on account of not getting the
proper range, for just before the order
came to fire rain squall came up and
we could not find the range then, but
just as soon as it cleared up, which it
did in about ten minutes, you ought
to have seen how the shots were
Olympia, and 6-inch from the Ra-
leigh, and 6-inch shots from the Pc
trel, together with the 3-inch and l.
Founders from the Callao and Rarcel-
loa. 1 tell you they made it kind O.
hot for the Spaniards. After firing
quite a number of rounds at the fort
and receiving no return fire, the Cal
lao and Barcelloa were sent in to
draw their fire if possible, for the
other ships drew too much water to
go in. We steamedin as close as we
could go and opened fire on the fort
and trenches, and just as soon as we
came in close the soldiers came out of
the trenches and made charre on
the Spanish trenches with us fling at
them and our boys making charge
and firing as they ran, and also the
heavy artillery on shore pumping it
into them. They were in hot hole,
so just got up and dusted-that is,
those who could get up. From what
the soldiers told me who were in the
front that day, there were many that
would never move again, and the |
Spaniards say they suffered more from
the fire of the Callao and Barcelloa
than they did from the soldiers on
shore. Our troops finally took Fort |
MalaJe and the man who raised the
flag over the fort was shot through |
the neck and lived only about four
days after. l would not have missed |
seeing that battle for $500, for it was
a grand sight to see tile boys charge |
the Spanish trenches. Our losses in |
men we're very few, but the enemy
lost heavily. We followed in line
with the soldiers as they marched in
to the city along the water front.
They had to fight their way in. the
Spaniards being hid in the houses,
and as our boys came in the Dagoes
fired into them from ambush. A few
of the American soldiers were killed
that way, but the Dons were soon
driven out.
We had steamed in shore pretty
close when all at once there was rain
of bullets all around US, and the
worst of it was we couldn't see where
they were coming from, for the Da-
goes used nothing but smokeless pow
der. Seeing that we were in tight
place we steamed out of range. Our
tug got hit number of times and a
few shots came singing dangerously
near us, when we turned in close to
the other ships. The Admiral com
the crew very highly for
their good work that day. l tell you,
Web, have quite war record and
I'm proud of it, too. Our little fleet
started the fighting and wound it up
by the taking of Manila. l am now
satisfied to return home.
We did not take the city of Manila