The Dickinson press., 1898-10-08


county superintendent of schools.
MANILA CORRESPONDENCE.
4 GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF the MANILA
LAND BATTLE SHOWING WHAT
PART co. K TOOK.
Manila, Aug. 22nd, 'o8.
Dear Mr.. Ayers:-As you have proba-
bly, heard, Manila has surrendered. The
Americans are in the city and the Span
iards are our prisoners. We did not
have a very long fight, but it was hot
while it lasted, at least we thought SO,
though Co. X hasn't lost a man. In fact
the whole N. Oak. Reg't lost nc men, and
only one was wounded: a Co. A man.
shot through the leg.
But to 60 back a little. We were held
on the Valencia from the date Of our ar
rival July 31st, until Aug. 9Th, when we
were landed at Cavite, across the bay
from Manila. There we were stationed
in some old Spanish barracks. They
were not very fine quarters but a great
deal better than aboard ship. We re-
NAMED there three or four days, so did
not have time to look around much.
Cavite is a small place inhabited by
natives and soldiers. There are some
very old Spanish forts there; but outside
of these there is not much to see. The
place has a low situation. 1t rained all
the time we were there and it has rained
almost all the time since we have beeH
on the island. When it isn't raining the
sun shines down hotter than go. The
natives are people of small stature, they
are very dirty, and lazy. The men, wo-
men and children all smoke cigars and
cigarettes. The women chew betel nut,
which makes their teeth red. They are
the most repulsive set of human beings
ever saw OF course there are exceptions;
but some of them over at Cavite live in
places, which we, in America would con-
slider about fit for a hog.
The Catholic religion prevails and
there are several fine old churches, most
of them have been more or less destroyed
since the war began.
We left Cavite Aug. 9th and were fer
ried across the bay in a large Chinese
ferry-boat. She anchored about a mile
off the opposite shore and we were loaded
in junks and towed the rest of the way
by a little steam launch. Our junk
grounded a short distance from shore, so
we had to jump out and wade the rest of
the way; then We marched two miles
through mud and pitched camp, about 4
miles from the walls of Manila, we were
all very tired, it took US all day to move,
and we got no dinner. All u provi-
sions, ammunition and camp equipage
had to be carried or hauled by the men
and it was nc small job. We got some
natives with water bufaloes and carts
or ponies and little gigs to move the
heavy impediments from the boat to
camp. AS it is dangerous to sleep on
the ground, we procured bamboo beds
from the natives, these are frames made
of bamboo and about 10 inches high, over
these we pitched our shelter tents, SO we
had quite a camp-Io,ooo of us. The
camp was named after Admiral Dewey.
At 8 o'clock on the morning of Aug. I2th
we left Camp Dewey for the intrench-
ments. Each man carried 2 days provi-
sions, and a hundred and ten rounds of
ammunition. We marched about a mile
and a half through mud ankle and knee
deep. Cos. X and c were stationed in
an old Spanish house. From there we
threw out our outposts. Everything was
quiet all day. Towards evening we
heard that an attack was to be made on
Manila, either that night or the next
morning. We could see that something
was up. The natives were busting hith-
er and thither all night long.
On the morning Of the 18th at 6:I5 the
fight was opened by the insurgents. We
were moved from where we had been
and stationed behind a stone church.
Across the road were some regulars be-
hind a stone wall. The firing by the
Americans was begun abont o:3o. Dewey
with his battle ships and the Utah bate
ry with their field pieces. Col. Trueman
was ordered to report to Col Ovenshine
of the 23rd u. S. Infantry; who ordered
us to fall in behind him and support his
regiment. We left the church a little
before noon to proceed up in front. The
country is heavily timbered and there is
a thick growth of underbrush, so we had
to march in column of four and keep to
the road. We marched at a quick pace
through a mile and a half of mud, the
hot tropical sun beating down on us. We
commenced throwing away our KNAPP.
sacks in order to keep up. The firing
was very heavy on our left, but we could
see nothing IN account of the timber
We could hear the crack Of the Mausers
and then the roar of the Spring6elds
Our boys were doing good work and the
Spaniards were retreating at every volley
We were halted about $50 yards in real
of the firing line and ordered to lie down
which we did in spite of mud and water
We were not a moment too soon, for the
firing commenced heavily in our front
and showers of Mauser bullets wen,
whistling through the trees all around us
1t Va Ither a trying situation: We had
T a heavy fire and dare MOI
Ia return for fear of killing
Eont. The sun beating dowr
aay on the warm mudd,
de the heat unbearable. w,
lot have stood it long; as it wa
gVeral were overcome. At length Col
Trueman received orders to go forward
Co. X and Co. c were sent to the rea
to check the advance of the insurgents