El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-01

JuSb previous W 'hS
mmand of the 1st brigade OF Gen
MacArthur's division, preparatory to
entering the Second Reserve Hospital,
to undergo an operation for an old in
| iury received in the campaign with
Garcia, Gen Frederick Funston gave
the following account OF the most
dramatic scene of the Filipino insur-
rection to a correspondent OF the Globe
Democrat.
At the time referred to-the night
of February 4 and the two days sue
ceeding-the now famous little gen.
eral was the colonel of the 10th Kansas
Regiment of Volunteer Infantry. His
regiment was quartered in the Binon-
do district of Manila. his own resi-
dence being about three blocks away
from the building used as regimental
headquarters. Prefacing his account
with the plain and positive statement
that all of the American forces had
firmly believed for weeks that war was
inevitable and sure, he continued:
"For some days previous to this time
the Insurgents b ad almost hourly grown
more insulting in speech and daring
in manner. The confict so soon to
occur had been nearly precipitated on
the I'd, by an insurgent officer with
detachment of about forty natives
all armed and very drunk-attemptln
to pass the line held by the Nebrasks
regiment. On that occasion only the
tact and soldierly attitude OF Col.
Stotsen burg prevented q fight. But
to come to the night of the 4th. Thrice
challenged and told to halt by senti-
mel near the Santa Mesa bridge,
party of four armed insurgents attempt
ed to force our lines and establish an
outpost actually within our territory.
It was about $50 and as good soldier
obeying orders that man of the Ne
braska fired and fred to kill, aud the
fight was on. The Nebraskas having
REINFORCED their line, awaited results.
They had not long to wait-perhaps
thirty minutes. AS they stood in the
river there broke out long horizon
tai sheet of flashes, marking for brief
gent trenches. Volley followed
volley with desfening crashes. A
desperate attempt to cross the bridge
over the San usn and in the immedi-
ate front of the Nebraska was soon
made by the rebels, and very ne arly
succeeded. They were checked only
when well near our side. | had just
gone to bed when Maj. Metcalf knocked
It's on!'' To tumble out. strike light
and hastily dress took but very few
except the dressing-I
couldn't find one boot. You would
think a man could find boot in a
lighted room in two seconds-I'm
lfraid that was somewhat eXited. 1t
ound, called the orderlies to saddle |
he ponies, and. going out on q rear
balcony of my headquarters with the
ng to the north we could hear the Pac- !
that unmistakable |
louble report of Mausers. AS we stood, |
,ven for that brief while, the pops |
grew into q dull roar. My own regi- |
nent. though CHARTERED in town. main |
aimed a strong outpost of seventy men |
IN the Caloocan road, and felt that in |
out short time they, too, would be
engaged. The horses brought, down
INTO the street we clattered. And |
trangely quiet and deserted that street
ive-sll gone-in hiding. The
bree short blocks to the regimental
required but little time.
There we found the regiment under
rms: the men laughing, joking and all
to move. They had stood
much in those last weeks; but that had
een personal grievance. Now it was
he nation that was being made tar
ct. Takin g two battalions, we broke
nto column of tours and look up the
QUITE to our previously designated po-
itions.
The men continued to chaff and com
1ent and were positively gleefuI. They
ouldn't be kept quiet. Their eager
ess was unbounded. Arriving near
ur outpost, the firing that had gra-
uallv crept towards our front from
way off on the right broke out ahead
{ US. We could hear Capt. Clark with
ne greatest GOODNESS giving his com
lands for volley firing-and then, sst!
pat! The bullets from the enemy
allied by or landed in Nina