The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1899-03-23

Uio except ioui trrcs' n lhfRc nhoii "oo
directly in front OF us but no shooting
had been noticed from that quarter but
Just as found the Lieut.. a volley was
fred at us. | took run and jump into the
brush and returned to Capt. Scudder to
report this to him. had not fred
shot, yet as the Captain used me for bis
orderly. don't know how | happened
not to be hit, as leaves and twigs would
drop all about me as ran up and down
the line. soon found nse for my rifle,
however, as some of the enemy ran across
an open space into banana patch. We
thought we had them on the run and all
fred at them, but as soon as they reached
the patch they again began firing on us
and for time this was the hottest fire
we were under. Frank Smith dropped
without a groan and never stirred. He
was standing beside me. We we're com
PEELED to lie down beside him for half an
hour, so terrible was the fire.
Capt. Fortson, who bad command OF
the three companies. l, G and f. decided
to make a charge on the mound, for we
were apparently getting the worst of the
deal. We all fixed bayonets and dash.
ing out into the field with a deafening
shout and dropping into the grass we fred
several volleys, then ran forward and
waded creek waist deep. Arriving on
the opposite side we threw ourselves on
the bank and fired another volley. Then
came the final charge up the breast works
Capt. Fortson was one OF the first up the
bank and after him. expecting to have
the top OF my head blown off as | reached
the top; but the enemy had fed to the
other side, into trench, where they be-
gan firing on US. l emptied five cham
bers OF my revolver at them and throwing
it aside began using my rifle. One fell
low, drawing a machete, sprang out Of
the pit toward me. l had no charge in
my gun and was about to bayonet him
when man beside me shot him dead.
1t was only when few had been left
that they surrendered. They would hold
up the butt of the rifle as sign of surren-
der and two men were killed by the in
surgents quickly turning their guns about
and firing when it was thought they had
given up. In the same manner Osborn
was wounded in the forehead, only a
scratch, and Fox shot through the shout
der. 1t was horrible sight to see men
piled up in the trench. with arms, legs
aud heads nearly shot off Some escaped
from the knoll and fled toward the river
These soon came toward us with their
guns, butts up, and white rags on them |;
altogether we took one hundred prisoners.
There were thirty five killed on the knoll
and az many more in the vicinity. We
captured about two hundred stand of
arms-all Mausers-but we had to give
them all up much to our disappontm ent.
They were taken to Paco and stored in
the rear of General Kings quarters and
during the night part were stolen by
California boys. Shortly after the charge
our grub arrived. Right where we were,
among the dead and wounded, we sat
down on the grass and ate it. We had
been under fire for seven hours and moth
ing but few bareback to eat. After we
had rested up litters were made for the
wounded, the prisoners lined up, and
back to the walled city We went as con-
querors. The Spanish prisoners took
great delight in joshing the natives rs we
passed along.
To the right of our line were the rest of
the Washington companies, with the ex-
cepton of "F." They were all exposed
to calling fire, A Co. especially, which
had two men killed and some twenty-five
or more wounded. About eight O'Clock
that part Of the line charged across the
fields driving the enemy into Santa Anna.
Co. ii captured the two guns mentioned
but had no time to remain at the earth
works. A California company came
along afterward and now claim the prize
as theirs. When the right of the line
took Santa Anna it cut off the enemy
whom We were attacking and the river
was behind them. This is probably
what made them fight so hard.
As soon as building was taken it was
burned. Every native hut was burned,
only a few of the substantial building be-
ing left. These we now occupy. Under
their huts the natives had dug rifle pits,
and as the Mausers make no smoke it
was very easy for them to pick off our
men from behind their houses without