The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-27
WHERE THE BULLETS FLEW.
H. l.. BeckjOrd, of Company G, Tells
About the Battle.

H. L. BeckjOrd, of Company G, Tells
About the Battle.
X. H. Beckjord of 7S9 Osceola avenue,
has received the following letter from his
son. H. l.. Beckjord, of Company c, Thir-
teenth regiment, at Manila, dated Sun
day. Feb. 5:
THE war with the insurgents is on at
last 1t started last night and came as a
surprise as everyone here thought that
matters had been arranged peacefully 1
had been on duty all day Friday, and Sat
urday morning, after inspection, Cotton
and myself went over to Cavite. We got
back to our barracks about supper time.
After supper / lay down on a cot, fully
dressed. At 9 o'clock two of our boys
came up from down town, riding on
horseback for dear life, and told us that
a general call to arms had been blown
Our bugle blew assembly, and we all
rushed for our guns and belts. and ran
down stairs into the yard We waited
around for half an hour, and as nothing
unusual occurred we thought it was an
other false alarm and went back up
stairs. In less than fifteen minutes we
heard a volley of shots from the the out
posts. We all rushed down stairs again
and formed a line and counted fours. The
firing became hot and heavy and soon
aroused the whole city. The Twentieth
Kansas and Montana boys came by at a
double-quick gait to reinforce the out
post, which was about half-mi1e from
our barracks Shortly after the Utah and
Third artillery batteries went by with
their big guns. AS we were on police
duty we were not ordered out. The fir
ing lasted an hour and then ceased sud-
denly. We slept with our clothes on and
our guns and belts near at hand. At mid
night the firing started up again and
lasted a short time. At o'clock it be-
kept up off and on.
"About o'clock two of our boys
Shannon and Bud Bowland, went up the
street few blocks to do some scouting
They ran into a crowd Of natives armed
with knives who chased them almost to
our barracks. I was on the roof of the
barracks with a dozen other boys watch
Ing the firing of the outpost. When we
saw them come running in we scrambled
down and half the company fell in line.
among them We rushed up the street.
The natives had scattered by this time.
but we shot and killed eight or ten of
them who were still on the streets. They
had tackled two soldiers who were COM
ing in from the outpost and cut them
badly. Right after this Stevenson, Phalen
and myself were detailed to escort a
wagonload Of provisions to the outpost.
When we reached there all three of us
trenches, where the Kansas boys were
The bullets were coming thick and fast
and we returned the fire with a will. The
bullets were singing all around US, but
no one was killed or wounded. 1t was
an exciting tirae, tell you Crash after
crash came from the United States war
vessels, who were firing their big guns,
and the shells went screeching over our
heads into the inSurgent lines.
'"The Utah and Third artillery had theip
guns in position and were throwing ex-
plosive shells into the insurgents ranks.
The natives are very poor marksmen, as
they shoot too high. We destroyed their
battery and drove them back a mile or
so. You must remember there are numer-
Gus outposts around Manila and the
fighting was furious at all times Dewey
has his ships at different places In the
bay and is bombarding the insurgents
heavily. There is a rumor ahoat that
5000 insurgents have been killed, but it is
hard to say at this time If the report Is
true"