The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-10-05
MI. Powell, Who Fought With
the Fourteenth.
BROTHER KILLED AT HIS SIDE
a Shell Did lt-Spanish Plans and
Operations Lines Within
Speaking Distance.


14th Regiment Infantry, L. 5. A. and
OF the service in Manila. is returning
TO the old home on the transport
Pennsylvania with vivid recol:sctions
and heavy heart. In the fighting
with Spaniards early in Angus. th's
Powell and his brother were side by
side. \ shell eploded in their position
one night and the brother was manslei
and killed y fragment OF lie shell
struck the heart, another piece toIe
away part OF the left arm and still an
other portion some of the shoulder,
while several bits OF the heated metal
entered the head. The brother fell dead
in heap without so much as a groan.
The traveller, who is the guest OF
i'll in Manila, but the climate is try
ing. the rain disheartening and the loss
of the brother was a severe blow In
consequence OF all this the young man
has worn look. 1t is easy to see that
ordinarily he would be of cheerful and
companionabie disposition. but the
campaign has had the result OF max
ing him somewhat listless. The meet
ing of friends in Honolulu is greatly
appreciated by Powell. He visited the
camps yesterday afternoon. and spoke
of the marked difference between being
on the field in Manila and in garrison
in Hawaii. I'VE were not so uncom-
Portable over there after. all, though"
says Powell. I'VE had the shelter tents
and We contrived hammocks. In the
cramped quarters we HAD raised floors
using the bamboo to- good advantage.
Shooting into the dry bamboo has a
curious effect The entrance of a bull
let releases air suddenly and there IS
always a slight explosion. But We be-
came accustomed to these we'll as
to the shells and showers OF Mausers.
Most OF the fighting was at night
and once the Spaniards determined TO
take us. TheyvmasSed. as we afterward
learned, no less. than 5000 men and
had ample artillery and plenty OF rifle
ammunition. Their plan was to drive
ack our light firing line and TO make a
charge right into the camps. But for
the determination OF sour line they
would have succeeded They prepared
well for this movement and 4 don't
think many OF the Americans realized
at the time how near it came to being
a success and how close a call our side
had. If the courage OF the Spaniards
had not given out at the last minute
they would have put us TO rOut for the
time being. At one time during that
night our firing lines were net more
than forty yards apart. The battle
lasted for nearly two hours. The only
thing that saved us was ruse adopted
by our officers. Reinforcements had
been sent for, but were slow in coming
up. We We're ordered to cease firing. 20
fill our magazines. fix bayCnets and
await orders. Ii was the purpose OF
our officers to- meet a charge. In the
heavy darkness that surrounded us so
completely. with not a star shining. we
could make out the enemy, so close
were they. Our silence mads them sus-
piciOus and they retired. We killed a
lot of them as they retreated.
"A big shell has flight that makes
YOU wonder. There does not seem to
be room enough for IL in the air and
It makes a movement OF the atmOs-
phere as it forces its passage. We could
feel them travelling. The night OF the
hottest fighting the Spanish had more
artillery than we did. else we would
have taken the aggressive Ny broth
or and myself and three or four other
men were beneath native Int and hasi
made a brsastworks of ssrtbS 4 shell
struck a piece OF the hard WOOD of the
cabin Just at our heads. Ny brother
was Killed instantly and all OF us were
knocked insensible. We did not get To
he ourselves for n couple OF minutes.
Soon after we were ordered to another
point in the trenches
"One night saw the order against
firing disobeyed. = Spanish sharp
shooter. in a tree. was banging away
q c Our squad one man was given a
flesh wound on the arm. = big Irish
man who had n night g'ass located the
sharpsh0oter 300 yards away and killei
him. We beard him falling cut Of the
tree and say his body next morning.
The Irishman was praised for his
craftsmanship. but wns tod 20 shoot
no more without permission. For ten
days the Spanish were moving on US
with their trenches and We We're doing
the same I'm their direction The lines