The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-10-07
Nj. Powell, who Fought Witt
The Fourteenth.
BROTHER KILLED At Ms SIDE
a Shell Did lt-Spanish Plans and
Operations - Lines Within
Speaking Distance.

Geo. Powell, lately a private ln the
1ith Regiment Infantry, 4. s a. and
Of the service In Manila, is returning
TO the Old home on The transport
Pennsylvania with vivid recDI'actiOns
and a heavy heart. In the dghbng
with spaniards early In Angus, tAis
Powell and his brother were side by
side. A shell eplOded in their position
one night and the brother was manglcd
and killed A fragment Of he snal
struck the heart, another piece tUIe'
away part OF the left arm and still an
other portion some Of the shoulder
while several bits OF the heated metal
entered the head. The brother fell dead
in a heap without so much as a grOan.
The traveller, who Is the guest Of
II. NJ Dow, looks worn. lie was not
III in Manila but the climate is try
ing the rain disheartaning ana the loss
of the brother was a severe blow. In
consequence OF an this the young man
has worn look. II Is easy TO see that
ordinarily he would be OF cheerful and
companionable disposition, but the
campaign has had the result Of max
ing him somewhat listless. The meet
ing of friends in Honolulu is greatly
appreciated by Powell. lie visited the
camps yesterday afternoon and spoke
OF the marked difference between being
on the field In Manila and Ia garrison
Portable over there after all, though"
says Powell we had the shelter tents
and we contrived hammOcks. In the
cramped quarters we had raised floors,
using the bamboo 10 good advantage
Shooting into the dry bamboo has %
curious effect. The entrance Of a bull
let releases air suddenly and there Is
always a slight explosion. But We be-
came accustomed 10 these as well as
TO the shells and showers Of Mausers
>MOst OF the lighting was at night
and once the Spaniards determined "a
take us. They mlssed, as we afterward
learned, no less than 600 men and
had ample artillery and plenty OF rife
ammunition. Their plan was to driyi
back our light firing line and to make q
charge right into the camps. But fOl
the determination Of our line thel
would have succeeded They prepares
well for this movement ana ! don
think many OF the Americans realizes
at the time how near II came to beinJ
u success and how close a call our sid
had, II the courage Of the Spaniard
had not given out at the last minut,
they would have put us 10 rOut for tn
time being. At one time during thai
night our firing lines were not mOrr
than forty yards apart, The battle
lasted for nearly two hours. The Only
thing that saved rs was a ruse adop ed
by our officers RoInforccmcnts hl(
been sent for, but were slow in COMING
mp. We were ordered TO cease firing, &
Ill our magazines, fix bayunsts ant
await orders II was the purpose o
our officers 10 meet q charge, In IN
heavy darkness that surrounded us r
completely, with not a star shining W
could make out the enemy, 30 clos,
were they, our silence made them sus
piciOus and They retired. We killed
lot Of them as they retreatod.
"a big shell has a flight that make
you wonder. There does not seem Il
be room enough for II In the air ant
II makes q movement Of the atmOs
phore AS n forces It's massage We cnuI,
feel them travelling The might of IN,
hottest fighting the Spanish had NOR
artillery Than we aid else we wouI,
have taken the apgressiyo Nv hrnfh
er and myseIf and tbrao ar fnnr othr,
men we're beneatb a native b,t and hal
made a breastworls of e,rfh A sheI
siruck a niece al the hard wnod ~ IN,
cabin nst nj our heads Ny brntbo,
was killed Instantly ana Mi ~ ma wcr,
knocked lpsenglhle we ala not oct I,
he onrFeIyes for a cnuplc NJ minutes
Soon after we were ordered IA onotho
poInt IN tbc trenches
"oro rlgbt s,u, tI,o ,rl.r ,g,lns
RrIng dIenGryrI gnanish sh,rr
shnn5o. an , t,,o ,.,s i,,,,,,ir,, ,,,,,a
at onr sn,,J ono man ,,as ',,T ,,tyar ~"
gosb uo,,nJ on ,bo nrn, ,,I,, Ir,sb
,an MA had ,Iab, ,'io,, ,,oato5 m,s ~
'hrrshator oon ,.s,1 L,,,n w.
49, ~, ,'I ~ siipy H. ~" ~, a.
,r I ,a'. ,, IT,, ''',''s , Wv w. W.
ma irIsbn,,n b ''' u'as ' r,aIgol "", ,Dr III ~