Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-09-07

H Il L. ~ n
~ NssNsk<A\Nt to the other end
ls.> N of the world 1t
is scarcely credible that the soldiers
In representative numbers are sick Of
their bargain even If that bargain has
been stretched by the government into
something besides fight against Spain
to avenge the Maine.
The stories of the sick and wounded
and discharged men who come home
are untrustworthy for the reason that
when a man is separated from the
army he loses the spirit which animates
the soldiers in the field; hence he can
not represent them. All this by way of
an introduction to the story o. the
Tenth Pennsylvania volunteers. 1amil-
iarly called "The Ten Pennies" a regi-
ment that has been in ii from tie start
last July and is slated to come home
among the first.
The Tenth is the only fighting Key
stone regiment thus far in the wars of
1898 and 1899. The following is let
ter written by an enlisted man of the
Tenth to correspondent at his home
in Washington, Pa. Its author is Ser
geant Major Clarence Rehn. Describing
the first insurgent outbreak. he says:
About 10 p. m. Saturday. Feb. 4, the
call to arms was sounded, and our regi-
ment was soon on the march to relieve
our outpost. An advance line was thrown
out about 25 yards in advance of the
main body. We had no earthworks or
protection except foot high rice dikes, so
we lay on the ground, keeping very quiet
A little after midnight the enemy were
discovered advancing. When they had
| approached within 50 yards of our ad-
and they hastily retreated. carrying their
dead and wounded with them. The
ground over which we fought was level
and we were always exposed to the view
of the enemy, with no protection save to
lie down. while the enemy were under
cover and difficult to locate because they
used smokeless powder.
With daybreak three pieces of the Utah
battery opened on the hospital where the
enemy were located. but seemed to do lit
tie or no damage to its strong stone
walls, even with four hours work. The
sharpshooters began to get a line on US,
and things were getting so warm that
about IL o'clock the colonel ordered an
advance. After firing several yolleys. We
SLATteu dIl6T tHeIIl " Hcl dpout AVV } al I'D
in front of the hospital, our line. as II by
magic and without any order, fell to the
ground, and 1t was lucky we did. for just
at that moment the insurgents sent a
heavy volley into us. We Immediately
arose and, with fixed bayonets, were aft
er them before they could fire another
volley With a rush we were over their
trenches, but they had retreated. running
as fast as they could go.
After burning all the houses In the
neighborhood our line was formed again,
and we started for the enemy. who had
fallen back TO a large stone church on
hilltop, with a line of trees and under
brush along the brow. We did not get
very far till we had to lie down. as they
were pouring a heavy cross fire into us
with their Mausers. and we could do
nothing, as they were out of our range.
We had lain under this fire for nearly an
hour when the battery came up. and un-
der its fire we again advanced, which
was no easy matter, as we had to scram-
BILE through several barb wire fences. FL
nally we started up the hill. and then the
enemy began to break from cover and
seek shelter in the church. But they had
tarried too long and were within range
of our Springields
II was now nearly 5 p. m, and we had
been on the 60 for IL hours, with nothing
TO eat save a hard tack and cup of cof-
fee So we did not advance any farther.
We would have continued the advance,
but we had not enough troops. We de-
stroyed everything that came In our way,
and for four days we lived by foraging,
and our bill of fare included chicken. beef
and pork
I suppose that our war with the Fill
pinos is verv unpopular and Is causing a
howl IN the Hapers at home. 1t was
case of Eight with US or have our throats
Ia NJ Any haN
understood the situation here. / don't
believe the government at Washington
has even been fully informed of II. The
insults which the American army has
been compelled to submit to for the past
six months have been very humiliating
We all used TO be of the opinion that
Spain treated these people very badly.
but now we are all Of the opinion that
she did not govern them severely enough.
In the last papers from home l noticed
exaggerated reports concerning the sick
of our regiments. The health OF the
troops on this island is excellent and es-
pecially that Of our regiment. We have
no more sick here than we would have
with body OF men of the same number
at home. Were II not for flies and mos
guitoes life would be very tolerable. We
have been In the field nearly five weeks,
and the boys are enjoying 1t. They are
getting good grub and lots OF II, and the
way they eat II Is a guarantee OF their
good appetites.
Another enlisted man. describing the
same fight in private letter home
concludes that the trouble will soon be
over. The natives had their fill Of
American lead the first day. he thinks
Aguinaldo's followers accuse the Ameri-
cans of not fighting fair because thev