The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1899-05-06

~ kiDElA
MANILA, r. I, March ~, 1879.
EDiT0R PREsw Tho arrival within |
she last few days Of transport ships
from San Francisco and New YorlZ,
having On board tie Twentieth and |
Twenty second regulars from the former |
p0Ft. and the Fourth and one battalion |
Of the Seventeenth from the latter, IN |
eFsases our lighting strength y near
Is 900 men, . portion Of whom must Of |
necessity BE retained 70 guard the city. |
u Is therefore generally believed, ct
least among The rank and Ole, that m
Immediate advance win be ordered
along our entire line. ~ the greater por-
tion Of our troops are anxious to have
this affair settled at the earliest moment
In order that we may retarn TO our
homes. ] think an safe IN saying
that not one IN one thousand desires 70
return until I'll b settled. that can be
settled By general engagement; bat
when Il comes down 70 guerrilla warfare
and protracted war, which viii end
only after yeass Of bnsh-whacking. Why
l. ~ for myself. wonld like 70 BE- OK
cnsed. and l think voice the senti-
ments Of nina tenths Of The voinntecn
now here. Prior 70 the opening Of hos
tilities nothing could be beard among
our boys but ~when are we going homeY"
Since war has become an assured fact
one seldom hsars the question asked:
but instead, "when are We going gun
ming again for the niggersf-
Seriously, DO not think We win again
have amy hard lighting, ut isast none
such a. was done here on the 9Th Of last
month. believe that 1Aguinald0' OF
o. Montenegro" or whoever may Be In
command Of the insurgent forces Op.
posed 70 ~, u running -blnff" pure
and simple: that Ia that since the en-
gagements here on the sth and 10th Of
last month, the insurgent leaders must
be convinced Of their utter inability TO
COPE even with the fOrco We then had.
Then Why should they hope to effect
anything By bringing on M engagement.
o. In opposing m advance BY our army.
which 10 now much stronger while
thein is weaker? They have not gained
q single point. have lost in every engage
meut. either night OF day. while TO hnd
our casualties would require search
warrant.
The leaders Of the insurrection EVIL
IDENTIFY thought 10 drive the American
forces into the walled city, and there
10 no doabt that the belief was shared
by the Filipino soldiers themselves, for
among the many prisoners captured on
that nrst day. nearly all had nicely
laandricd, extra suits 10 dress mp In,
when they forced the hated -AmeFi-
eano'' into his stronghold: but alas.
~The best laid schemes OF mice and men
ait gang agiee." What ideas they then
had regarding the Sighting abilities Of
the yankee pigs are somewhat
changed. and they now have . more
Wholesome respect for the man behind
the Kraag-Jorgensen and the Spring
Geld. but however much they dislike
our small guns. their dlalike amounts 10
little compared 10 their fear Of our ar
tilIery, which unfortunately for as, num-
bers 20 few guns. and aie % heavy that
instead Of battery commander being
able 70 choose q site for planting his
guns. hels obliged to choose ground the
easiest 70 move over. All this ID owing
10 the absence Of artillery horses sum
ciently strong b hanl the guns. The
arrival In this port however Of ninety
American horses and nearly two hun
dred American mules may simplify
matters, and mules instead OF men be
the motive power. The horses have
been divided among three troops Of the
Fourth cavalry.
Not day ornight passes but lighting
Is going on at some portion OF the line.
with seldom any killed on our side and
few ever wounded. The enemy fire.
Quently resort 10 rnses tOAecOy our men
Into the open 10 meet = Gag Of truce.
and then Ere on them. A short time
ago they conceived the idea OF driving
at night an occasional carbon and
horse midway between the lines, know.
ing that the American soldiers pen.
chant for taking everything In sight.
would dccoy him. into an attempt to
capture the animal OF animals. and then
the -foxy Niger" would Try his Mauser.
The scheme worked all right the FIRST
time. The following night the enemy
Increased the herd, thinking our boys
would Try general roundup" Of carl.
bOa and horses, but the tables were
turned aud the stock shot.
We are told that at many points
along their line they have their trenches
sunk 10 q depth o. four or Eve feet
throwing their dirt behind thea % thai
their trench is situate between their
loose dirt and our trenches. Thess
trenches they do not occupy but lay be-
hind their loose lines Of dirt TheiI
trenches have sharpened knives and
lspikes, and hard, sharpened bamboo
sticks, al % cunningly adjusted, and
The top OF The trench % eunningly GOV.
cred that In case Of headlong rush Of
our troopA We would fall through the
top covering on 10 the demoralixine
weapons prepared 10 receive us. Al
other places they have trenches Ia
a a. a.. a - - a n