La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1898-10-08
THE WAR IN MANILA.
Utah Boy Writes Of Mis- Experience
in the Philippines.

IRON Will F. Aldrach, a nephew
of II. o. Van Inwagen, OF this city,
appeared in recent issue of the
Salt Lake Tribune:
Camp Dewey. Near Manila, Aug.
3, Is9S.--I received eight letters
from home yesterday, and though
over a month old, they were very
welcome; keep writing them.
Long before this letter reaches you,
news OF our battle with the
Spaniards will be old, but a blief
account of the fight as saw it
may interest you.
On Sunday night the Pennsyl-
vania boys were in the intrench
ments which had been thrown up
that we might he able to hold all
the country outside of Manila then
in our possession. Shortly after
IL O'Clock the boom OF cannon and
rattle of small arms warned us that
they were attacked. The battle
ragged furiously for an hour, when
the Pennsylvanians were relieved
by the California regiment, who
continued the fight tor two hours,
the fire being terrific, and right
here let me say that the Utah boys
were there, too, and fought like
devils, three times repulsing the
enemy when they tried to capture
the battery. Only two Of the boys
We're wounded, and they but slight
ly. The Colorado regiment were
advanced. but did no fighting Sun
day night, being held as reserves.
Monday morning when we finished
the search Tor the dead and wound
ed, we found that th" dead num-
bered eight, and the wounded
thirty, two OF whom died from
their wounds.
The Spanish loss is variously
estimated at from 600 to 400 killed,
and 1000 wounded. Monday came
our turn. We relieved the Cali
iornia regiment, but did no fight
ing except that done by the sharp
shooters. AT this pastine our
boys proved themselves far super
ior to the Dons.
Dewey all this time had been
watching the maneuvers and may
ut any moment lombard Manila,
and when he does, that will settle
the whole business as far as the
war with the Spaniards is concern
ed here, but we expect to be oblig-
ed to fight the insurgents, for they
are figuring on great time plum
dering Manila when we have open
ed the way for them, and any such
attempt on their part will at once
lead to hostilities.
Thank God, we are at last al
Manila, and will give you briei
description OF its capture. On
Friday night, the I2th inst, we
were lined up and told that the
next morning we would attemp,
the capture of Manila.
Saturday morning at 6:3o we
left camp three miles from Manila
and went into our intrenchments
about three-fourths OF a mile from
the wall which surrounds the city.
The boats of Dewey's fleet opened
fire on the Spanish trenches,
which are only about 200 yards
from ours. Our regiment and the
Utah batteries also opened FIRE,
soon driving the enemy out and
back into port, where they con-
tinued to fire on us, but as soon as
they left for trenches, we jumped
over the works, our band in the
lead playing "Star-Spangled Ban.
rner," "Dixie'' and ga Hot Time.
We continued the charge, our
band still leading, and the Colora-
do regiment the first to enter the
city. Old Glory was hoisted,
amid the cheering Of the men and
the playing Of the "Star-Spangled
Banner" but the fight was not
yet over, for the Spanish flag still
fioated over the CITY and the Span
ish fort. We soon, however, made