The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-16

slay any one. Yet 1 strongly desired
to kill that native who stood there I'M
armed, smiling, bowling and protesting
his friendship. / had never seen MN
before, nor do I ever expect to see MN
again. / felt no hatred or enmlty 1or
the man. Yet only the strong restraint
of discipline prevented me from send
ing bullet crashing into his brain.
spoke to two of my comrades after
the battle, and they told me they felt
exactly as 1 did. IT'S a good idea to
keep out of the way when troops take
a city.
But to return to the assault. We
continued I'D the street, Company
still far in the lead advancing almost
at a double quick despite the bullets
which the Spaniards sent down upon
our front and in on each flank from
every cross street we passed in vain
endeavor to check our progress.
Half way UP the thoroughfare on
which we were advancing we came
upon a small body of insurgents, who
and who had taken shelter in church,
the bell of which they were wildly
ringing, while they spasmodically shot
their guns out Of the doors and win
dows, pointing the muZzles carefully
into the air before pulling the triggers.
They greatly helped the confusion and
heightened the effect Of the scene,
though 1 am afraid they did but little
execution. Some Of our boys wanted to
fire upon them, but were restrained by
the officers.
When we had advanced a little far
Their we came across a peppery little
captain of regulars who had managed
to get a few of his own men up toward
the front. These he had pieced out
with the help of a few stragglers from
other regiments until the whole formed
small body of twenty or so, who were
frarr Tl1O
up to this gentleman and his hetero-
geneous command he turned to fellow
by the name of Campbell, who was the
first man in the first squad, and or
dered him back. Campbell paid no at
tentien, but continued to push ahead.
Then the rotund little, f1re-eater drew a
pistol and threatened to Kill the first
man who dared to advance ahead of
him. The boys merely laughed at him
and rushed past. He came along some
where or other in course of time.
Shortly after this the firing COM
menced to slacken and soon died away
altogether. The streets became as 81
lent as the halls of death and our foot
falls echoed from the empty houses on
either side with a strange uncanny
sound. This was the only time l saw
any signs of nervousness in the boys
They continued to advance with the
same rapidity and spirit they had ex-
hibited from the start. But one could
seee by the glances they sent down
each side street and by the readiness
in which they held themselves to meet
any emergency that they could not I'M
derstand the strange and sudden 81
lence. They were used to being shot at,
but when they were let alone they be-
gan to look for trap.
Suddenly a shout came from the first
squad, and Ben Clancy, waving his gun
high in the air, started forward on the
rum crying out that he saw the walls
of the old city and that a white nag
enough, and the entire company, ofh-
GERS and men, started forward pell-
nell, each man on the dead run, trying
to be the first up. It was true. Manila
had surrendered, and L Company OF the
Second Battalion, First California Vol
unteers, was the first and only pody OF
troops in at the death.
They were ahead of the army, ahead
of the scouts, ahead of the flag, ahead
of all save their own officers, the gallant
Major Slime. Captain Eggert and the
two Iieutenants, CurZons and Adler.
who had led them well and bravely
from start to finish.
In about ten or fifteen minutes other
troops began to arrive on the scene Of
the surrender until the entire Second
Battalion, together with few others,
was lined up on the broad driveway
running between the walls OF the old
city and the houses of new Manila
Spaniards still manned the walls. but
the gates were open and their higher
officers had come out and were mixing
with our officers, trying to make them
selves understood. Up one of the streets
to the right there came large body
of Spanish soldiers who had sur
rendered and who had been outf1anked
by the rapidity of our advance. They
were slowly and sullenly retreating into
the old city to lay down their arms.
Our position was between them and the
walls.
Suddenly from behind this body
of returning troops there broke out
furious fire. The insurgents had come
up and started to massacre the enemy
they could not conquer. The Spaniards
on the walls started to reply. The
American troops got under cover Wher-
ever they could, each man loading his
piece and covering some Spanish officer,
prepared to sell his life as dearly as
possible. For few minutes it looked
as though a general hand-to-h hand fight
and massacre was to take place, the
end Of which would come with the
wiping out of the entire Second Bat
| talon and the sacking of the city by
the rest of our troops. Spanish and
American officers ran among their
troops, working hand in hand to pre-
vent the threatened tragedy. Every
thing swayed in the balance when the
third incident of the day took place.
Private Carl Moltke, jumping to his
feet, waved a white handkerchief over
his head and called for the flag to ad-
vance. 1t came, borne in by Flag Ser
geant Taylor of B Company, who, ac-
companied by Major Sine, Moltke and
one or two others, advanced down
through the retreating Spaniards until
| they came right up to the muzzles of
the blazing insurgent guns, when they
halted, and pointing to the Stars and
| Stripes which fioated over them, COM
| manded in the name of that banner,
which is as powerful in peace as it is
| dreadful in war, that the slaughter
cease And 1t did.
| This concluded the day, and march
ing across the suspension bridge over
| the Pasig River we stacked arms on
| the stones Of the famous Elcolta and,
| unSlinging our blanket bags, sank
down on the pavement thoroughly ex-
| hausted to eat our lunch of cold bread
| and meat. The boys had marched at
almost a double quick gait nearly five
miles, lighting, breaking in doors, seal
| ing walls and breastworks and pack
| f,,o roorIu cfvtv T,O1n1c tho ontira die