West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1898-10-28


light, city water, and such other
Conveniences that all should be
happy. The officers use the boxes
for their bedrooms, Captains Porter
and Flnney occupying the royal
box.
Our people on our arrival here,
were in bad condition. We had
worked in the trenches in water
and mud for about three weeks.
For 48 hours before we entered the
city we were continuously wet, aud
until we got dry clothing from our
camp we had to wear it and let dry
on US. This made many sore feet.
which is and was our principal
sickness.
have never seen American SOL
dlers perform as much hard labor,
under such terrific heat and in such
mud and water in fact under such
trying circumstances, so uucom-
plainingly as our people have done.
On the morning of August II, my
command went into the trenches
for the last time. My orders were
to build a new connecting line
about 100 yards long and strengthen
line already built by sand bags.
My entire regiment worked as I
never saw men work until too dark
to see and completed the Job This
gave Us tinlSned ertIeoChm Mt
from the bay TO the impaasa ole
swamp on the east, this work was
done III mud and water ranging in
depth from ankle deep to two 'eet;
you can imagine their condition
when the labor was concluded; wet
dirty, with 10 change OF clothing,
forced to lie on the wet ground I'M
til morning, they anx;oasly and
hopefully awaited an attack from
the enemy, but none came.
Less than two weeks before they
were the first of the American army
to meet the enemy in battle, and
while In that engagement the Span
ish lost nearly 200 killed and sew
eral hundred wounded. Our peo-
pie lay in the gloom Of night think
ing of their seven brave comrades
who near them were sleeping their
last sleep and Of the rs wounded
boys in the field hospital, who
through pain, heat and insects were
vainly seeking comfort. Their
hearts were filled with a deire for
blood, for revenge, and their NUT
tered curses betokened i'll for the
enemy if an opportunity offered for
the evening up Of the score. Even
IN war, troops have their grievances
against an enemy. Our people felt
that the Spanish were responsible,
not only for our dead and wounded,
but tor the sacrifices they had
made and for the discomforts they
were enduring. Their feelings were
such as any commander delights
in, for with such a desire for CON
hlct, troops are simply invincible.
AT 8 o'clock, morning of the I 9Th
OF August. we were relieved by The
First Colorado, ordered to return to
camp, secure two days cooked IA
lions, 200 rounds Of ammunition
per man and report on the reserve
line by 10 a. III. This order was
fully carried out. The movement
on Manila was about 10 begin.
Dewey's fleet opened on the Span
ish forts and for an hour solid Shot
and shell was rained against them.
The firing ceased and our army
moved forward and met with but
feeble resistance; when Our troops
arrived near the hrst line Of the en-.
emy's forts, we saw from the cita-
del IN Manilo, the white flag Of sur.
render floating over these proud
possessions. Our entry was made
without special incident. The loss
in the mo@ment to the entire army
will not exceed 25 in killed and
wounded. My command, although
under fire, met with no casualties.
About 1900 troops surrendered,
were disarmed and are nov quar-
tered in their barracks within the
walled city. The old city Called
the Walled City is separated from