Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-04-12


eight miles, halted about $50, and stayed
with and acted as guard for the Utah ar
tlllery. We remained here during the |
night, sleeping on the hard ground and
without covering; what was worse III the |
bargain, we did not get ANYTHING to
eat that night. Next morning we awoke |
to find ourselves under orders to march |
as soon as we could get our breakfast, |
which cane on i'll an hour. All we had |,
to eat was canned horse meat and hard |
tack with burnt coffee We ate this |
breakfast and it tasted fine, and then or
ders were issued to fall ill., We should !
cred our guns, ammunition and blankets, |
the latter having been brought to us
while we were eating, and i'll ten minutes
we were on the march again. We halt
ed within easy range of the Filipino
lines. Our first battalion was ahead of
us and were fighting all the morning
but we did not get into it any more. We
moved up, the batteries were planted
and we stayed here all day Saturday and
up to Sunday afternoon, when we received
orders to go back to camp. Our blankets
and haversacks were put on the train,
which was now in the hands of the
Americans, and sent to the city and there
taken from the station to onr quarters Oh
Bull Cato. Soon after the train left the
depot we started on our homeward march,
getting into quarters about dark, tired.
dusty and forlorn. Orders were the
same: sleep with your clothes on
and be ready to fall in at moments no
tice." Tired and dirty lay on my can
vas bunk, thought of my feather bed and
little bedroom, and wished was only
there just for one night so ! could get a
good nights rest, which l haven't had
since left home. But all these hardships
go i'll time of war; and we have to say we
like it--but we don't.
Well, the next morning we arose from
our nights rest, and had breakfast. 1t
was the same old thing. We were then
told we would then have time to take a
bath and we all took one. l have had a
cold ever since, washed off too much dirt,
perhaps. Finally, after sitting round
and telling tales of the trials of the bat
tie, dinner came around, and we had
something extra for dinner-beans We
| were then ordered to fall in. and our des-
tination was the South Dakotas' quar-
| ters, and here we have been doing
guard at Gen. Hales' headquarters and
the South Dakota officers quarters. Onr
company and G company are here, and
c and H are out on the line. We are sta
toned here to give us a rest. We ex-
| pect to be sent to the front at any time.
The natives have tried to burn the city
but have failed in all attempts, and have
lost life heavily as we'll as much of their
| property. One uutive, who was cutting
the hose that was attached to hydrant
had his neck broken by the butt of I4tf
mans gun, and another had his brains
blown out, and then fight started ir
which c company, of the I4th Mime
sofa were surrounded and had to fight it.
way out. They succeeded in doing so, bu,
lost one man killed and six wounded i'll
cluding an o.ccr.
| am on guard at Gen. Hale's quarter.
tonight. Last night was on patrol ant
tomorrow we expect to be relieved, ant
are then going out to the front. l thought
| would take this chance and write to yot
again 1t is hard to tell what the NOR
row Will bring. l may come ou
all O. X, and again may not Bu
since they killed our major, whom we al
loved, we are more thnn anxious to ge
to the front and at those dirty natives
We won't give them any mercy. Goo
knows they don't deserve it.
A poor writer as l am / cannot do oul
major justice. He was a noble, brave ant
good soldier, and did his duty as best i
could be done. We all feel our loss more
and more every day only wish he wa.
with us as we'll as he was on that day
when he went down in that famou.
charge.
The boys who were wounded are al
doing we'll, only one remaining in tht
hospital now, the Others being in quar-
tiers on light duty. Sergeant Stanton i.
all right again and is marked in quarters
He made out the payroll aud made VI
all sign, and to-day we mustered.
Harry McConville will leave fol
home; he will get his discharge soon. HI
told me that he would call and see yo,
and tell how we are getting along.
LATER.
The fight still continues OH the line
and that the natives are paying for wha
they have done. About 900 of then
were killed yesterday while only on
American was wounded, and he was no
badly hurt.
We are still on guard at South Idah,
quarters, and don't know when we viii
: be ordered to go out on the firing line
, Lieut.. Martinson said that we were no
. going to stay here all the time and d,
guard duty for some other outfit, but W,
were going out the line to fight and hol,
| up our good reputation which we ha,
gained. could not send the paper con
) tanning the news of our battle, becaus,
/. we were on the line for ten days an,
when l went down to the Office to ge