The National tribune., 1899-05-11
WITH THH MINNESOTA TROOPS.
VIVID Account of the Earlier Fighting at
Manila by . ST. Paul Boy.

Ralph Hasenwinkle, Co. o, 18th Minn.
date of Feb. "a: at is getting still NOR
exciting here. as the insurgents are max
ing an attempt to get into the city befor
our reiniorcements arrive They hav'
been making frequent but iruitless at
tacks on our lines, and whilo our loss ii
small. owing to their very poor marksman
ship, theirs is large.
| "On the night of the 22d they started tc
burn district near ours, but the fire wat
our district, Tondo, ia composed almost
entirely OF natives living in bamboo
shacks. There are regular streets. but
| the shaCks are built without any order al
all. They look as if they had been
shaken out OF a basket and stayed where
| they alighted. Right around our quarters
there are three or four large stone and
mortar houses.
"On the night of Washington's Birth
day, IL p. M, our guards noticed several
houses on fire, and the guard was being
| turned out, when heavy fire was orened
up on the quarters from the houses
around and the streets. There is a six
foot stone wall all around our quarters,
with weak picket gate OF wood.
"At the first shots we all awakened and
hurried into our clothes and grabbed our
guns and cartridge belts and rushed down
stairs BY the time | got into the yard
the company was falling-in- fell IN also:
We counted fOurS, then We went out OF
that gate in column OF fours on the run.
We were greeted by heavy fire we
turned TO our right and marched down the
rniddle of the street We were ABOUT ~
feet from the gate when | heard repot!
righ. in my ear. was in the front rank OF
the first four, and so could see Capt.
Iiobinson and Lieut.. Sheppard, who were
about six feet ahead of me. | saw the
Captain throw up his elbow as If to shield
himself and stagger slightly, but ne I'M.
mediately recovered and kept on. Hignt
after this | saw a small flash rlght undef
Sheppard's feet. We turned into side
street. Sheppard staggered around the
corner, and was caught by one Of our boys
and helped along. We turned to lett AT
the next street, going on down to the wido
street, where we formed as sklrmlshers
and lay down in the road.
lust before we got to tho wide street
Tom Calvin was shot through the shoui-
der, and after we had turned in:o the wide
street Wooding was hit in the left thigh'
the ball coming out near tho right hip.
We formed in skirmish line to keep the
insurgents from getting further in the city
and to protect the district below that
street, which is composed OF better build
ings.
about being hit, but kept on, giving orders
with his upper lip hanging over until
reinforcements came and Lieut.. Hart,
Quartermaster, took charge OF US.
"When we went out 20 men had been
left in quarters to hold them il possible.
When the insurgents saw us go out they
thought that the barracks was deserted,
and made a run for the gate, but were met
by a heavy fire. They tried various ways
to get in for about half hour, when they
saw their efforts were vain and retired
Firing was kept up all night. we were
soon reinforced on the wide street, ana
line was stretched for three or four blocks.
We Law there all night. The next day
was detailed on guard.
"At about 10 80 Cos. NJ and @, OF Mlnne-
sofa, with one company OF oregon ana
two of the 23d U. s., stretched a sklr
nish-line from Gale Lemeri to the beach.
At the time | was on guard at quarters.
They started out, but had not gone far
before the insurgents opened fire from
houses and barricades across the streets.
Our men charged and routed the rebels
out of the houses in quick order. ihere
were six different lines OF baIrlcades
thrown up by the insurgents. As soon as
driven from one they would retreat 10 the
next.
large number were captured, and at
least 100 killed. In one place were found
IL dead bodies; in another seven, and
another four. Finally they were driven
from their last barricade and scattered
The line kept right through to Caioocan,
but we saw few more natives. They must
have escaped past our flanks
Co. c had the right Of the line going up
10 LenleTi, where most OF the baricades
we.e. The first was held quite stub
bornly and it took a dangerous charge to
roUt the insurgents, as our men had togo
down the open street tor two blocks.
Lieut.. Snow led this charge in fine style.
The 23d U. S. lost one man killed and one
wounded. A member OF Co. g, Mime
sofa, vino was with our company, was
shot through the neck, and |. Smith, OF
our company, was slightly wounded in
the breast.
"a queer thing happened to Kansas
man. brass bullet hit him right over
the heart, but being spent only went in
about quarter OF an inch. He pulled it
out with his fingers and Lieut.. Snow
sucked out the poison, The boys who
were hit are all doing well and will soon
recover.
ave are on the alert now, and the whole
company constitutes the guard. 1t is
divided into four reliefs. six hours on and
is off-three hours at a time. But /
think Co. NJ will guard the wide street,
and We will send out an outpost of 30 men
TO a bridge toward Caloocan every "a
hours. Even as | write | can hear heavy
firing going on out at the lines.
al forgot to say how that fire spread the
night We were attacked. When We went
out the gate it was as light as day, and
soon the whole district was in blaze.
Instead Of hindering, we helped spread the
fire, as it had been our plan TO clean out
this district if trouble started in it. There is
nothing but ruins for blocks now, and we
can sit on our roof and watch the whole
district.