The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-03-31
From h. q, Jordan,

MANILA, Z. l., Feb. 10, 1879.
l suppose ere this date you have
read of the brush we have had--and
it's still in progress-with the natives;
but don't think you have seen my
name among the killed, wounded or
missing. The war broke out Satur-
day evening, Feb. 4, in the insurgents
trying to take the bridge near
the water works Of Manila. The first
fire opened about 8 p. m. Saturday
night, and in an hour the firing line
was about ten miles long, the roar of
the Uong Toms Springfelds aided
by the artillery OF TIN Q fleet and that
on land was quite inspiring-till we
fore we were ready to march, and we
had about two and one-half miles to
go. At the out post we could see
the flash from the Insurgents rifles
and hear the rain of bullets, but no
one was hit near us. We had TO
cross narrow bridge about five
hundred yards from the enemy and
those few rods seemed like miles, for
he enc my's artillery had fired two
shots at the bridge, but missed it.
Just after crossing this bridge we
turned to the left and got behind
some buildings and laid down. Most
of us felt as though we could easily
hide behind very small pile of dirt
just then. ny IL p. IN. we were at
the front in support of the coiors
(the company carrying the fiag) and
hugging mother earth for dear life.
Tell you it just rained lead over our
heads. There we laid and shook like
leaves in the wind until daylight the
next morning, when we moved to
the right and began our part of the
shooting; this we kept up pretty
faithfully till > p. m, Sunday when
we were ordered in support of the
colors again. But tell you | never
| felt like | wanted to fight till saw
the charge made by the Bird Artillery
(armed with rifies) on our right.
about half an hour before we could
start How those boys ran! How
those rascals retreated before that
I terrible fire! | haven't seen anything
like it but once since. During Sun
days engagement our regiment only
had Il few wounded, one dying the uext
day. On one night our boys cap
tured two machine guns (Krupp,
mOdern) and a muzzle loader, and
killed good many; the right lost
most heavily because they had less
protection and then the insurgents
there had been drilled by some ex-
soldiers who had been discharged for
dishOnorable conduct. Well, back to
us again, for we are it, Sunday af-
ternoon we started on the advance,
the front line soon meeting the enc
my and just kept walking and shoot
ing, and the insurgents just kept
running, till at last we had gone so
far that the fleet had lost track of us
and not knowing we were 80 far adj
vanced threw some schrapnel among
US Chas Smeltzer picked up piece
that just missed him and me few
inches, and Ord Christian picked up
piece that struck his hip pocket.
Then we fell back about mile for the
} night. Monday we moved up on
the firing line, and threw up our
trenches for-our protection. Even q
} lazy man doesn't have to be per-
suaded very much to throw up some
dirt to help stop the shower of lead
that comes toward him. Monday
there were lot of rebels captured
who we're armed with bows and
arrows, and had no dress except a
row of feathers around their waist:
about $500 of them it is said. After
fixing our trenches Monday we ex.
pected fight, but it didn't come. But