Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-05-19
none were hit. We advanced
steadily for an hour and then the
rebels retreated at a rapid pace.

"otc Hlt. we advanced |
steadily for an hour and then the
rebels retreated at rapid pace.
This country is all rice fields,
and about every SO yards there is
little dixie that one can get be-
mnd far lower. 1t looks as il it was
made for a battle field. That is |
what we had to advance over.
From our lines to their lines was
800 yards. They were on the edge |
OF Caloocan and had good breast
works. When the rebels retreated
the Montana boys looked back and
saw our flag and gave a cheer for
Idaho, and we started out on
double time driving the enemy
back about two miles on the other
side of town. AS we came to the
town we burned all the shacks and
saw several dead. We stopped by
the cemetery and waited and some
OF the boys went in and captured
some insurgents inside who were
hid in the vaults. 1t was there
that the first flag was raised. 1t
was ours.
Mike hurry is the color-guard,
and he and the bearer got up on
the wall and raised the flag amid a
shower of bullets. We advanced
short distance and then fell back,
as it was dark, aud formed a line.
The other troops joined us and at
about 8 O'Clock we got our supper,
which consisted of canned beans
and bread, the first some of us had
had since breakfast. We lay there
that night without blankets, and
as the artillery had bursted some
OF the vaults there was an awful
stencil. 1t was a very cold night
and we really suffered. We layed
there all next day in the railroad
sheds and after supper took position
in tar Inc. ouilding breastwOrks,
and worked that night and all the
next day. That evening we were
relieved by the Fourth Cavalry and
went back to quarters on the train.
We We're the first troops to ride on
the road. The crew were soldiers
detailed to run the trains to carry
supper to the troops. This was
February II, and we stayed in
quarters on the 18th. On the 14th
we went back to San Pedro Macati
stayed there one night and the next
morning marched one mile to
Gaudaloupe where the lines were
at that time and stayed there all
that day, the 10th. The next
morning we were ordered out to
the front. There was just Co.. G
and ID. We went out about 200
yards in front of the lines and were
fired at by the rebels. There were
rebels in front of us and behind us
and in every direction. We stayed
all day and fought hard and got
our breakfast at II o'clock. About
O clock we forced the enemy back
and then fell back ourselves and
took up position on the line.
There was no one hurt in the days
fight, but seven men were over
come by the heat and were not
able for duty that night. That
was the hardest fighting any oil
us had experienced and ever care
to again. We were kept awake
all night by sharpshooters and the
next morning the enemy made an.
other attempt to come through our
lines and gave us a little more ex-
ercise, but they did not meet with
success. Oh! my! how sore my
arms were that morning! When ]
went to shoot l thought my gun
would kill NE; but l had to shoot
just the same. They battered nj
all day and all night. We did not
sleep any that night and the nexl
morning they tried for the third
and last time to drive us out but
got left. This made go hours thai
we had been under fire and nc
sleep. Tired? Words could not
express our feelings. We stayed
there the rest of the day. The
country there was all covered with
brush and bamboo, thick as could
be, and lots of times the enemy
was within % yards of US, but
when we opened fire they would
stop firing. When we marched
. out into that brush, the first morn
ing, it seemed as though they
waited till we got out SO as to let
us pass some of them and then they
opened up on us and we were
corralled by them before we knew
it. We were not compelled to
stay by their keeping us, but if we
had run it would have been harder
to get back to the lines. We
STAYED there until the enemy re-
treated, and then we fell back at
our leisure. After they found out
that we had fallen back they fol-
lowed us. We stayed there three
DAYS and two nights without any
sleep and then came down here and
have been here ever since. This is
very lonesome; nothing going on
and we cannot 60 to town, and just
stay here III the trenches all the
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