Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1899-06-07
MANILA LETTER.
Willard Learned Describes the Campaign
OF Lawton's Flying Brigade.
PAsAY, ?. l., April 25, 1899.

Willard Learned Describes the Campaign
OF Lawton's Flying Brigade.
PAsAY, p. l., April %, 1899.
DEAR Folks AT HOME AS | have 4S
hours off duty, hasten to give you an
account of our movements since Feb
ruary 4, last Being impossible to carry
a memorandum book, have to wholly
rely on memory. On the evening of
February 4, at about o'clock p. m.
the buglers of the North Dakota and
Idaho volunteers and Fourteenth regu-
lars,blew the "call to arms, and every
man promptly responded, but it turned
out a false alarm. We were then or
dered to fall out and stay within bugle
call. In due time the boys retired for
the night, but at 9:30 p. IN. that day
the buglers blew long and lasting "call
to arms" We rolled out Of our hunks in
hurry, slung on our haversacks, belts,
and canteens, grabbed our guns and
rushed outside and fell in mighty quick.
We though it was the old cry of "Wolf''
again, but as the First sergeant was
calling the roll we heard heavy volley
firing over in the direction of the water
works Then we realized that the long
looked-for "Ball" had opened, and we
were the happiest lot of men you ever
saw. We were marched out to Singalon
church on double time, and Immediately
threw out skirmish line commenc'
ing at the beach and continuing till oul
left touched the right OF the Washington
volunteers supported by two battalion'
of the Sixth Artillery.
We did not advance any that night
simply holding our ground. The mig
gers" kept us busy all night, and al
early dawn February b, without any
breakfast, we started in for business
As soon as the niggers saw our lines
advancing, they opened Il terrific fire
from their trenches. At this juncture
some OF the Fourth Cavalry (un'
mounted) made charge on blocShouse
Fl3. They were heavily engaged, and
about 10 be flanked, when our com
panv c Fourteenth regulars, was or
dered back to their assistance, having
heavy cross-fre to face in SO dong
After we had got the handful OF cavalry
men safely i'm possession Of the block
house, we were ordered to join our bat
TALON. which was hard at work trying to
dislodge the enemy, who put up very
stiff resistance. We had about given NJ
all hope of getting them out OF then
trenches without the assistance OF more
artillery, when some bugler DleV
charge" with a yell that would put
comanche Indian to shame, we rushed
up with fixed bayonets in the very iac'
of terrific fire, and when we had ap
proached within 20 yards of them, the,
broke and ran for the bamboo thickets
in a diagonal direction towards the oil
spanish-American battle ground nea
the beach.
Just as we gained their trenches IN
order for retreat was blown by order q
Captain Wheeler, of the Fourth Cav
airy. and il was sad blunder too, 10
In the retreat that followed we had wv
men wounded in my company. One Ina
since had his leg ampuiated, but IN
other is now with MS doing duty. Ais
at that same retreat and subsequent ao
vance is where Company NJ got so badl
cut up and lost their brave Lieutenant
/ believe il was IA killed and34 Wounds
in this company at that time. After W
had retreated about 400 yards, the ms
gers in the meantime finding out tina
we were not pursuing them, came Dac
and occupied the trenches that they ha
so lately vacated, and then we had
90 and drive them out again. This wa
a much easier task than the first on
was. They began 10 run when the
saw us coming, We pursued them unit
we had them in the old Spanish-Amer
can trenches, when the North Dakota
got in their work. At this stage th
Fourteenth regulars were ordered
San Pedro Macati. We remained the
a while awaiting developments, bu
nothing turned upto detain us longe
so we were marched back about ha
way between there and the beach an
laid down in the road for a much-need'
rest, and 10 await the coming OF the su
per "bull cart" We had then been u
der constant fire and move ever sin
we had lett our quarters the evening b
fore. We had nothing to eat, and as OF
water soon played out, you can imagi
that it was great relief TO US To re-
About O'Clock in the evening our su