The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-29
A STORY OF THE FIGHT
As Described by q Private in
Company A.
UNDER AN AWFUL FIRE
Insurgents Are Poor Marksmen-Praise
for Captain Moran-Rebels Are
About Ready to Quit-Hang-
ing for Aguinaldo.

nent citizen of this city, but who de-
sires that his letter exclude himself
from publicity, writes as follows of the
recent fight in the Philippines:
1.-TWO miles from Malabon and eight
miles from Manila to the south we
drove the niggers about three miles in
one charge and killed about 1000 of
them, with a loss of only 10 or Is on
our side. Something over 100 were
wounded, of whom four were from
Company A. One has since died, Clar-
ence Briggs, who used to work at the
smelter in Great Falls. Seth Dibble
was shot through both legs, one bone
being perforated. but he will soon be
well. Jack Billiard was shot in the
jaw, but no bones were broken A
Mauser bullet broke Dolf Charette's
gun and drew some blood from Dave
Bruneau's face and piece of the
jacket struck me in the breast, but I
did not know it at the time. After it
was all over found a little red spot on
opening my shirt.
THE cusses fight hard. but they are
very poor shots. for which we may be
thankful. for they had the finest kind
of position and had they been good
shots they would have slaughtered us,
as we made the charge against an
awful fire from Mauser and Reming-
ton rifles. AT last we got them on the
run and kept them on the jump as long
as we could see
Il was in Manila al the time it start
ed, and our camp was four miles out
Edgar Thompson was with me. He had
his rifle and had only my six-shooter.
Some of the black devils fired two shots
at us almost within the town, and l
can tell you we made quick moves, he
loading his rifle and I pulling at the
six-shooter, but We could not locate the
shots. That was the worst scare I had.
Through the charge l did nothing but
laugh and get in shot whenever I got
the chance. l am one of the file closers
and cannot always get into line to
shoot. Captain Moran was cool all
through the battle and has much praise
for the manner in which Company A
acted. Lieutenant Boardman was the
same, but like myself he is troubled
with lameness in the legs--we do not
know what causes it. The next town
the Spanish say has about 10000 people,
including four of our engineers. 1t is
on a peninsular and do not think they
can get off, as they have the land
forces on one side and Dewey on the
other. 1t is said that Dewey is to BON
bard this afternoon. Yesterday the
niggers fired on our infantry, but were
soon stopped. We had to sleep in the
open the first night without blankets
and after the run after the insurgents
we were all wringing wet. but / do
not think any were the worse for it. /
do not think there will be much more
fighting, as the niggers have got about
enough of the Yankees. I should like
to know what they think of us for 60
ing up against their heavy firing. They
must believe us capable of going
against the devil himself They are
good foot racers, and when they are
routed they shed their shoes and coats
and shirts"
The next day he writes from Caloocan
as follows:
I'VE have done nothing for three days
but hold the trenches. I don't know
what they are trying to do but think
the niggers are about to give up. 1t is
reported that Aguinaldo has gone to
the mountains to save himself from
hanging, which would be a sure thing
If he was caught. Iloilo was taken the
18th, many niggers killed and but few
Americans. The 18th regulars and the
Tennessee regiment did the work, and
the 18th has returned to Manila to take
part there. This morning there was
heavy firing at Manila, but I don't
know what it was about. Dewey did
lots of it. The niggers attempted to
place gun on the railway track. They
have nothing but muzzle-loaders and
they load them up with nails, scrap iron
and horse shoes. I believe it would be
a good plan to let them blow them
selves up few times. In this case a
battery dropped a shell under them and
fixed their gun so that they will have
no more use for it. The same shell
killed some of the niggers. We have
the Kansas on our left, who they say
are the devil themselves to fight and
are not afraid of anything. When they
go to mess some of them steal their
hats full of ammunition and 90 scout
ing, never returning until the last cart
ridge is gone. One company has an
eight-day clock, six feet high. running
on time in the firing line, and another
has a monkey.
Every once in a while the nigeers
give us little serenade and Mauser
bullets fall around us. But only two
men have been hit in four days. one
battery officer through the leg, and one
Montana man. in the wrist, neither
very seriously. Seth Dibble is getting
along finely. Clarence Briggs died from
a wound in the neck. Jack Billiard.
shot in the jaw, is doing we'll and will
be out in few days. So our company
is doing well and we We're in the thick
est of the fight. too. All men in the
field are healthy. although ratiors
sometimes do not come as they should
We have control of the railroad from
Manila as far as this place and the in
surgents the balance. AS we advance
the track will be fixed up and the
trains will follow. 1t is pretty hot but
while we have nothing to do we can
keep in the shade. 7 forgot to tell you
that in the advances every bamboo hut
is burned to the ground and Dewey
knocks the little towns to pieces on the
side, being careful not to destroy any
warehouses or things of that sort. The
big stone churches seem to be his ia
vorite targets. because the niggers use
them for forts, though they find them
too weak to stand the eight and ten
pound shells. They also use the grave
yards, which have high stone walls and
are located about three or four miles
apart and are well filled also"