The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-02

quite an exciting time in the rowboats; one
OF the sailors in the stern Of one of the boats
could not steer, and, the sea being heavy, we
went smashing together until Il looked a.
though it was all over with us. However
We. landed without even getting wet, Two
boatloads were tipped and lost everything but
one gun. This is miserable country. It
rains hard for an hour and then the sun
comes out and boils the water out, and then
the rain comes again. The natives here are
the oirtlest dogs. They are all diseased and
covered with horrible sores. The ants here
are worse than Frisco feas. The natives are
not particular as to the sort or dress they
wear. me women wear no hat. shoes nor
stockings, the skirt comes to the knees, and
the waist is cut low in the neck and has no
sleeves. The men wear a hat handker-
chief and a smile.g We are camped about five
Rno~n s9 afa IN shelter tents better
furnished us with sort of cot made Of
bamboo and at night We crawl into our can
vas homes ana go to- sleep, with our feet
toes and clean feet are q necessity, not q
luxury. 1
Aug: 1.-The boys came in from the trench
es this morning and they are sights. The
brown uniforms are soaked with mud and
rain, for some Of the men stood in water
and mud up to their knees during the entire
nlght. Inc regiment has been quite healthy;
there are few mem in the hospital but
most OF them will get well. A member of
company II Will die, and one of Company e 8
men dled the day after he landed. He was
from Inconsistencies. While he was out of his
head he was asking for Ave cents for Car
fare, and just before he died he sang Nearer
MY God to Thee
Manila. Aug. 1--we came to this place
on the 18th of this @onth and we had hot
time getting here. 1t looked for while as
tnough we could never make 1t, but we
did after an hour of hard fighting by the
Astor battery and Companies E and H. Of
some OF the boys seemed to enjoy themselves
and ike to hear the bullets go singing
by, but could not get used to it. The fight
TOOK place on road which was wooded on
warehouse. The road is not thlrty-five feet
WIDE at this place. The Spaniards were be-
nina me fortlhcations, made of bags filled
with SAND one Of these lines of bags was
about 800 yards behind the first, so the
enemy could retreat gracefully. If necessary.
The Astor battery was within 800 yards of
the firing line and these boys showed true
bravery. The first sergeant was shot dead.
The second sergeant stepped into the fallen
mans place only to be also killed. Six others
went out to the fatal shot to be wounded one
after the other. -@A-shell tore part Of the leg
Off of one Of the men and he died two
days later. When the battery boys were COM
PEELED to desert their guns, they drew their
Company E, charged upon the enemy. Capt
b1ornstad was one Of the few officers who
came out ald showed themselves. and
think he showed more nerve than any Of
them At one time the bullets fell like rain
ana 1t looked as II the men would retreat
when Capt. Bjornstad pulled his revolver and
threatened to blow out the brains of any
soldier who started for the rear. The captain
Of Company q was shot through the body
He will recover. I saw no towards, although
a lot Of the boys, myself included, wished
the thing was over with. Manila is a very
dirty city. Yours, Lloyd Smith.