The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-04-15

ltlSuJ RCAle as idl e1o SAASJ oA oSS
Mai. White gave us
orders not to shoot unless there
was something to shoot at.
Mai. White is u%sp.rndid officer.
is rot orl" liked by orr
regiment, but the 14th infantry
have great respect for him.
The Americans have - miles
firing line now, and 1 think
there are about 1850 men
covering it, SO they can't adj
vance until more troops arrive.
A couple Of regiments of the
13th Minnesota (the gallant
18th, I mean> are guarding the
city. They have been expect
ing street fights in the. city
several times, but lnve been
suppressed. The insurgent
prisoners (Which number about
5000 r kept in the dungeons
in the walled city. A good
many prisoners bave been
turned loose, after relieving
them IF their arms and asn
munition.
The navy hasn't been asleep
all the time. The Monadnock,
Nontery, Charleston, Petrol
and Buffalo have bornbarded a
great many native villages. I
have heard everything from a
rapid fire to Il 13-inch since this
trnu>lr began. and have seen
all kinds ofdead and wounded
.uSurHcnts, some With halt
their heads blown off and SOME
with their body have shot a
way by the heavy shells froIn
the Monadnoc',. One of the
gunners. on the Wonadnock
was so Interested in shooting
his gun he didn't stop when
the order "cease firing" was
given, SO the officer had to drag
him away by the collar. The
Tennessee boys are good
fighters. When Col. Sr,;th, "f
Tennessee, fell dead from his
morse, the boys almost went
wild. They made q rush at the
insurgents; wouldn't pay any
attention to their officers, but
went after the natives right
and left. They are now at Iloilo.
Co. A didn't get ;n*o the field
until Feb. IL. Ti.-y went to
i'assay, where t!,"y stayed for
two days, aftrr which they
went to Il mile this side of San
Pedro Macnti, nn the extreme
left of California. We built
sorne splendid trenches there,
but two companies Of Idaho
came up and took them. and
We had to move a couple of
hundred yards to the right.
We can see a great many in
surgeuts from where we are
(once in q wh1lell, as there is a
large opening in front. of us.
II is an old rice field and puts
me in mind of Burnt creek hay
bottom.
The firing line from the Pasig
to the bench is as follows; On
the left, Washington, CaIifor-
MA, Iiatlr, North akota, Iowa
AMI 18th infantry; four of the
AS or guns are shattered 200
wards to opr right, where they
have two guns trained on a
woods, and two guns on the
nnemy's camp. We sleep in
the trenches every night, so we
can't be surprised. There is
heavy firing on our left almost
every night. This is the dry
aud hot season SO we don't
have any muddy weather to
bother us. It is hard work Dig
ging trenches when we have
to dig a couple in a night. We
put in all the spare time we
can making them high enough.
Capt. Mo.fett isn't with thel
company. Lieut.. Newcomer
commands, and he is a cool
headed man in time Of aclion,
as is Lieut.. Mclean. We have
all, kinds of fun in the trenches
at night. Dan Slattery, Will
McHugh and 1 have a breast
work on both sides, forming an
angle. We will lie awhile, when
firing will start on our extreme
left. Dan makes the remark
that we had better build a little
thicker he thinks a Mauser
will go through. He stands up
to get some. chunks of dirt al d
a volley comes over his head.
He drops like a ton of lead and
comes a crawling oack. Will
McHugh and | lie and laugh
until our sides ache.
The boys are all in good
health. We have good food and
water at our present camp. The
boys don't starve as long as,
there are any chickens, pigs or
carbon calves in siohf Tha]