The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-09

First Sergeant Christiau's Expert
ence at Manila August II

Another intere sting letter descriptive of
the lighting al Manila, August 49, Was re-
from First Sergeant W. +. Christian, of
Company |. Thirteenth Minnesota infantry.
The Thirteenth Minnesota was the resl-
ment TO which the late Corporal W. "
Ray, son of j. Z. Ray, belonged, VINO died
in the hospital at san Francisco and whose
remains were taken TO Minneapolis ana
laid in state and then buried al the family
home at NayZata in Minnesota.
Christian in his letter to Nj. Ray. dated
Police headquarters. Old Manila. Philip
pine islands, August 20. 1885, says:
We were up AZ i:lo Saturday morning.
August Is and after getting our held rations
OF twenty-four hardiacks, some canned
and at $50 We arrived AZ the position OF
reserve, which We were TO take at about y
O'clock and began 10 strengthen the breast
works by plng up logs and throwing up
dirt or mud, for the trenches were very
muddy
AT about GAO Dewey began the lombard
ment and work on he trenches ceased and
We sat behind the breastWo;ks for an hour.
Then our firing line began and the First
and Second battaiions of our regiment were
ordered to reinforce the Inc and shortly
after the Third NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. COM
mand of capt. Corriston. acting major, was
ordered to The front anu went double
quick time. After going about two blocks
We came to where the old Spanish block
house stood ana there We touu4 Ola Glory
flying over E-ihe work of the Astor bat
terry ard our First and Second olttal!ons.
t.t bfGN- n mouse N4S ilt4tiisG ana the span
iar,is had retrea;ed to their next line Of en-
trenchnents OF which they mad L great
number.
The bullets here were flying fast, but a
little h. eh. We could hear the report from
the tnemy's guns ami then h AZ the bullets
go Whlai.jnc over cur heads. 80 We We're
ord, red 10 get down and a little later re-
treated 10 "A ditch fifteen feet back uf Us
where stayed about twenty minutes.
An order then came down the line for us
TO reinforce the firing line and again We
were eff. double time, and Just as our COM
pany u had turned a bend il the road and
the bend, the bugler. Patterson, of our
company. and two Company r men were
shot Patterson dying shortly afterw ards.
our battalion got Il wrong order, or III
rectiOn and turned the wrong way. g0iDg
10 the left instead Of 10 the right. al just
tn. critical moment. so We did not get 10
the line until he enemy had retreatei
double sine and IN disorder. II was not the
fault o. our captain or officer that We went
the wrong way As The country vas woody
and the roads narr0w and muddy and there
Was tiring loiG on our ght and left 'front.'
we caugh. The TWO other 3attalious and
marched towafd Manila through the suburbs
ard stopped FOR the night near the east
est batteries where the TWO ten-inch kTuup
guns are and there We did outpost duiy
all nigat In the rain 10 keep out the IN
surgents-
S. r,er ioo rounds. today il y ils for S63n.
in Mexican money Beef and 1roV-s ons
x,rt VERY scarce ana nigh and even tea X
high and very hard 20 get Ne get sos
in Mexican money for s. IT, American gold