Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-12-30
Lieutenant Mclean Writes Interest
ingly of Developments in the
Philippine Islands.
Some Excitement Over all Expected
Brush with Insurgent Troops
Which Failed.
ip to the H. M. S. Powerful, One of
e British Warships on Duty
at Manila.
MANILA, P. L., Oct. 90, 1898.

EDITOR TRIBUNE:
ONothing of a sensational nature has
transpired since my last letter, but We
are kept constantly on the alert, in cast
the insurgents make a break. General
Otis gave them until Oct. Is, to move
their forces a mile from the city. They
showed no inclination to move until the
very last moment. Co. 1 of our regi-
ment was on outpost duty that day and
received orders to advance on about 800
of them, who were acting as an outpost
at a bridge, on the Pasig river, if they
did not comply with the above order by
9o'clock p. III. When 4 o'clock came
and there was no sign of moving on their
lat We were all sure of a fight and Off
GERS and men assured themselves that
their weapons were in good condition:
filled their belts with ammunition, got
out their first aid packages, in case some
were wounded, and held themselves in
readiness to respond promptly at the first
note of the assembly, but about $50
p. IN. the insurgents commenced hurry
ing to and fro jabbering like so many
monkeys and by 7 o'clock had fallen
back the required distance without a
shot being fired on either side. The
morning of the 18th Co. A received
orders to relieve Co. | in the trenches.
On arriving there the field officer of the
day gave me orders Il being in command
at the timc) to send an advance guard
consisting OF two squads to block house
No. (which was previously held by
the insurgcnts-and is IL distance of
about thrcc-auartcrs of Il mile from the
outskirts OF Manila. Between the block
house and the bridge, where the main
portion OF the company was stationed, is
covered with cocoa nut and banana trees
and heavy under-brush and should an
attack be made by the insurgents the
boys in the block house and the squad
stationed this side would be in great
danger Of being cut off from the comp
any. Cossack posts are stationed all
along the road between the block house
and the bridge, about POO yards apart
and it is utterly impossible to take the
city by surprise.
While at the block house Sergeant
Whitaker paid the boysa visit, and hay.
ing his camera with him, took a pictur,
of the block house and the boys sta.
toned there. / was present at the time
as was the field officer of the day, Major
Higgins, and we were both included il
the picture. Among the boys we'll know,
to all Bismarckers are Scrgt. Linn Sporty
Corporals w. J. Dolan, and Corral ant
Dan Boutillicr, Tom Peterson, Chas. Nc
Donald, Z. B. Glen, who had charg
of the mess wagon and had just arrive,
with the boys breakfast, John Galloway
Henry Zaclk, John Edick, the others be
ing boys we enlisted at Fargo. The pic
turc should be a good one and dis til
boys have ordered Il number. no dcub
friends at home will be remembered il
the near future. Corpl Frommig wa
in charge Of the cossack post ut Singalol
about POO yards this side Of the blocl
house. Scrg't McGinnis and Corpl But
were in charge of the other two, Will
Serg't Scott ard Corpl Dunn were il
charge CT the pest at the bridge. Corp
Button was III charge OF a squad guard
ing the two big 0-inch krupp guns OF
the Lummetta. Our boys were the frs
n. d. troops to axe possession of tn
block house and Sinsalon.
We are all anxious!y awaiting mai
which is expected from Hong Kong ever
day and then time will pass merrill, unit
every letter and paper is read. We re
ceive mail on an average of about ono
in three weeks and l tell you we arc a
pleased when We see three or four ,