The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-14
Several Letters From the Han
sas Boys Reach Topeka.
Describing the Scenes OF the
February Fighting.
GOOD HOSPITAL CORPS
Makes Life More Endurable For
the Wounded
Who Spend Dreary Hours Lis
tening to the Firing.
GOOD HOSPITAL CORPS

Manila. P. /. Feb. IS. 1899
Dear Folks: I suppose you have heard
before now all about the night down
here. and of me being in the way or
two Nauser bullets; one cut a cash
across my left knee cap. and one went
through my right leg. No bones were
broken. and I am able To get out on
crutches now ] have been in some
pretty hot places since I have been
here. and 1 was in one of the hottest
fights that we have had. 1t was the
charge of Tuesday February .. the
night 1 was wounded We had been
lying in the trenches. doing nothing for
a whole day. when the order came Tor
the Kansas boys to drive the niggers
out Of a little neck of woods where
they had taken a pretty good stand
Companies l. C and 3 were selected to
do the work. under command OF MAJ
Metcalf who is about the best officer
We have. We were lined up on skIr-
mish line in front of our trenches and
ordered to load and lie down While we
were lying here. Col Funston gave Us
little talk about what to do, and told
US not to be afraid. No use for the lat
ter, as I don't think there is coward
in the whole Kansas regiment
We were ordered forward at good.
fast walk and such a time as We had
knocking down fences and gong
through hedges, We advanced IN TINS
way over a good bit of open ground and
We're within 200 yards of the woods
where the insurgents were. when they
opened fire on Us We could NOT see
them at first but after We were ordered
to commence firing We would shoot at
the flashes of their guns We kept on
advancing. firing whenever we could
see anything move. until We were about
hon KH-E1T-e
dered To charge And charge We did.
right upon top of the poor fellows. and
shooting just as fast We could We
could see them now. lying behind trees
and stumps. They would lie there and
shoot until We came up close 10 them.
then they would make a break to get
away. BUTT was Of no use, for as fast
as they got up they were shot down Ike
so many rabbits.
l can not say how I felt. only il
seemed 10 me more like going into a
sham battle than anything else l just
kept my place in line. and whenever 1
saw a Niger l let him have it. and l
think it Is safe to say that l did not
miss very many I was not the least bit
afraid or excited all the while was
shooting got the wound on my knee
just as the charge began. but 1 saw IL |
did not amount To much, so went on
with the rest Things were getting |
pretty hot by this time A corporal in !
my company and myself ran a little !
ahead of the rest up TO pile of dirt \
behind which a Filipino officer and five |
men were lying shooting at US. but /
strange to say they could not hit US !
But I am afraid that If any of them |
were able to write this they could not 1
say the same of US. as they all got a !
good sized Springfield in them. 1t was |
in this little fight that I got the second I
wound, the one that knocked me down /
l fell within five feet of the man that !
shot me. 1 have heard since that the |
officer who was in this bunch had a !
mi Ia id nv
3 has the flag now After l fell down
and all the boys had gone on and left /
me, began TO look around me. There
were dead niggerS lying all around. and /
one wounded niger was shooting into
the backs Of our men, l soon had him
silenCed 1t was while lying mere on
the ground. with the bullets singing all I
around me, that began to feel scared
The bullets were coming a little too
close to me for comfort. and 1 was
afraid that some OF the sharpShOOUerS
who had been hiding behind the trees
might have been passed by and would
come up on me from behind. l got a
Remington rife from dead niger and
loaded it, and with my own rife made
up my mind to die game Il still have
the Remington and if I can keep it l /
Will bring it Aeme) But the fellows
soon came back and I was carried to
the rear and finally TO the hospital
where I am now.
The hospital here is one of the finest
to be had We have lady nurses and
some very fine doctors The doctors
come ashore from the warships and help
the army doctors, so taking it all into
consideration We are in pretty good
hands 1 have seen five poor boys die in
my ward since I have been here. Some
OF them had been badly shot. There
are still some serious cases here but
most OF US are getting well as fast as
could be expected.
The Kansas and the Utah boys have
a railroad and it has been
named the Kansas & Utah short line
II is being used to haul ammunition and
supplies out to the firing line which IS
now about twenty miles from Manila
We have the railroad shops and all. I
in the town of MalabOn- The whole
city of MalabOn will be ours as soon as
the endorsements get here. which we
expect will be some time this week
suppose the Journal is just full of
war news 1 wish 1 had some of them
down here right now I am the only
Topeka boy hurt so far
/ want TO be in the taking of MalabOn j
which Is the insurgent capital 1 am
afraid that there will be pretty hot
nght then, as the insurgents are mass