The Saint Paul globe., 1898-09-27

six miles north Of the city, and we had
lnlrenchnlentS about three miles nearer
the city. We spent twenty-four hours
in them, and were back to camp for
day, When they made plans to take the
city. We got up on the morning Of
the 18th at O'Clock and got ready,
and about 8 o'clock started for the in
trenchmentS and the city, and, by the
way, it was the hardest march and day
l ever experienced. The whole army
of $4,000 moved on the city, the Thir-
teenth Minnesota being on the right
wing and among the first. The bat
terieS were up in front and started to
bombard the Spanish intrenchments,
we being in the intrenchments back of
the battery ready to move. We stood
in the mud and water up to our knees
for two hours. 1t would rain, and then
the sun would come out fiercely. At
last we got orders to go to the front,
and after we left the intrenchments we
went about three blocks, when the bull
lets commenced to sing over our heads.
AT first 1T kind of Sickered me, but
after the first two or three l didn't
mind it much. We went on and had to
crawl along on the ground, the Mauser
bullets singing over us. If the Span
iardS had shot about a foot lower they
would have buried some Of us here. The
Astor and Utah batteries were doing
fine work; Dewey was also sending in
shot and shell from the boats. The
Spanish sharpShooters were up in trees,
and some of them were picked off;
about forty Of them were taken. The
insurgents got back Of them and we
rounded them up.
The Spanish soldiers are the worst
looking lot you ever saw. Some Of the
boys had close calls, being shot through
their hats and coats, and others getting
flesh wounds. None of our company
was even wounded. Archie Patterson
was killed near US. The bullet was in
tended for Corriston and missed him
about an inch and hit Archie in the
heart. He was lying in the road when
we passed. They went back for him in
the evening and the insurgents had
cut his finger off for his ring and had
taken his watch.
We did not get a shot, as we had
orders not to fire and give away our
position. l regret we did not get a
shot, but we had them on the run for
town pretty quick. 1t was race to
keep the insurgents out. Men were
coming back wounded, and some lay
dead, others exhausted, and 1t was q
terrible scene. 1 am not hOmesick, but
now that we have accomplished what
we came for, 1 am willing to come
back any time. I wish I could come
back the other way.
We all had $50 pounds to carry, and
1t got awful heavy, but I threw off
everything when went in but my gun
and belt full Of ammunition. We got
into the city IN the afternoon, that is,
the suburbs of the city, some Of the
troops going into the old walled city.
The Thirteenth had to stay up all
night and the next day and keep the
insurgents back. tell you l was pref
ty well knocked out as we didn't have
anything to eat until the night Of the
14th.
The insurgents are the worst lot you
ever saw. They are all armed with
machetes, and most of them Mauser
rifles; we expect to have trouble with
them, and are still keeping them out
Of the city. They are anxious to get
into the city, and they would sack ev-
erything. Where We are now they got
into the Spanish homes and took ev-
erything they could carry. was in a
house yesterday which some Spaniards
had left, and it was simply beautiful
Some Of the mirrors and cabinets
would be worth great deal at home.
1 hate the insurgents, although they
are not to be blamed for their hatred
of the Spaniards. But they are O
bloodthirsty lot and are not to be
trusted, as they draw their knives with
great ease. We are now in the Spanish
barracks and quite comfortably fixed
Our regiment has not gone up to the
walled city yet, but suppose we will
soon.
They estimate Spanish loss at about
600 and all the rest taken prisoners.
Dewey sent one shell In that killed
sixty OF them. The Spanish that the
insurgents took are as good as killed,
for saw that they were starving, and
those they do not starve they cut their
throats. I tell you, they are a hard
lot, and 1 don't care to mix up with
them