The Dickinson press., 1898-10-22

formed a similar line to the right. In
posting the men l went through water
waist deepfor % yards. ] also posted
aguard at the blockhouse TO guard caps
tured ammunition. At $50 we received
orders to leave a guard over ammunition
and report to brigade headquarters in
Manila. was ordered to take two men
and make q detour to the left toward the
bay and report as to the condition Of
things. l selected Sergeant Hanlin and
Private Sam Smiley, both Co. K men.
My report to the major val that the city
had surrendered and the troops gone in,
and w were given orders to move in
also.
When we arrived at the. outskirts of
the city we were met by a company and
a half of the 23rd, under command of
Capt. Bolton, who had been posted there
to keep armed insurgents from entering.
There were about 1900 insurgents at this
point, determined to enter the city, and
they had already informed Capt. Bolton
that unless allowed to pass they. would
cut their waythrough the American lines.
You can imagine the captains joy when
he saw us rounding the turn in the road.
The street ran parallel with the city on
the south side and had to be guarded
both ways. The list platoon of Co. c was
placed across the street facing west; the
Ist platoon of Co. X, under Lieut..
Gruschus. facing east, across a stone
bridge; and one section of the and pla-
toon, under Sergeant Burnett, guarded a
side street running along side of the
Parauaque river. THE 23rd acted as a re-
serve. The men were ordered to load
their pieces and kneel in the front ranks.
The insurgent officers were then given
notice to disperse or suffer the conse-
quences. The insurgents on Co. C's side
of the street withdrew, but those in front
of Co. X had already thrown up breast
works at the other end of the bridge,
about seven feet thick, and many of them
remained, there being between 300 and
900 insurgents on that side. Our boys
held this position until 10 o'clock in the
evening, when two companies of the 23rd
relieved them. We withdrew behind
some constructed works, lay down in the
street and slept until morning, having
nothing to eat except the remains of ~
hours rations taken the morning of the
18th. 1t rained all night and Lieut..
Gruschus and l had one blanket between
US. Early in the morning l hunted up
our quarters and took the boys in. At
noon, Aug. IA, our cook, Pat Hussy, and
Private Doherty, who had been left at
camp, arrived with a boiler of beans, and
we were glad again.
On the I4th Cos. l and d we're ordered
to leave their posts, go to Camp Dewey
and bring two days rations for the and
battalion, which they did arriving at 1890
p. m. The Ist battalion had no provi-
sions and we divided. 4
On the 18TH we were ordered to Ma
late. Cos. X and c got o6 hours of out
post duty, whereas the Ist battalion was
relieved after 48 hours. But we have
had it easier since.
Our work has been with regulars al
most wholly. Our guards and the regu-
lars are mounted together.
The 23rd and the 14th boys and officers
think that the 1st North Dakota Volun-
teers are all right, even if there is a regi-
ment here called the 18TH Minnesota.
We are all proud of our regiment and
we have reason to be. 1t is made up of
good men, while we were under fire l
think l was the only man in the company
who was nervous
We are now settled down to regular
garrison duty, and it is pretty lonesome,
We will be glad when the disposition Of
the islands is made so we can come home.
We have done what we came for and
would like to get back to North Dakota
where we could see the friends and get a
good drink of water.
If it were left to the soldiers, l don't
think we would be bothered with the
Philippines long.
Genl. Merritt left Aug. 81 for Paris.
Regards to Friends,
A. ]. OSBORN,